Sleep Troubles Plague Ukrainian Soldiers

The war in Ukraine has taken a heavy toll on soldiers' mental health, with sleep problems being a major issue. A recent study looked at how common insomnia and nightmares are among Ukrainian combatants dealing with stress-related mental health issues.

Study Overview

• Participants: 99 male soldiers aged 18 to 59
• Conditions: Receiving treatment for stress-related disorders (adjustment disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD))
• Assessment Methods: Questionnaires and interviews to evaluate sleep quality and the presence of nightmares

Key Findings

Insomnia Prevalence

• Adjustment Disorder: 77.8% reported clinically significant insomnia
• PTSD: 82.5% reported clinically significant insomnia

Nightmares Prevalence

• Adjustment Disorder: 86.1% experienced nightmares
• PTSD: 90.5% experienced nightmares

Trauma-Associated Sleep Disorder (TASD)

• Adjustment Disorder: 80.6% met criteria for probable TASD
• PTSD: 84.1% met criteria for probable TASD

Significant Relationships

• Soldiers with clinically significant insomnia were 2.5 times more likely to develop TASD compared to those without insomnia.
• This relationship remained strong even after accounting for other influencing factors.

Conclusion

The study highlights the urgent need to address sleep disorders among Ukrainian combatants. Screening for insomnia could be an important step in identifying soldiers at risk for TASD, helping to provide timely and effective treatment to improve their mental health and well-being.