Another positive sign in today’s numbers of COVID-19 patients being treated at The University of Kansas Health System. 26 patients are being treated for the virus, down from 30 yesterday. 9 of those patients are in the ICU, down from 11 yesterday. Several patients have been discharged since yesterday…120 total patients have been discharged since the beginning of the crisis.
Suzanne Stevens, MD, neurologist and director of the sleep medicine clinic at The University of Kansas Health System joined the group to talk about overcoming COVID-19 nightmares and understanding the science behind bad dreams. Also on the panel, Greg Nawalanic, Psy.D, in psychiatry and behavioral sciences with tips to help people define and cope with irrational verses rational fears.
Dr. Stevens said dreams reflect the reality of each individual’s situation. She says if we’re exposed to a constant barrage of negativity, like news about COVID-19, that’s what we dream about. She adds that if we’re sleep deprived, that can make things worse. She explains those working from home may have new sleep schedules…such as sleeping later or staying up later and may be missing the usual anchors in their lives, such as business meetings or taking the kids to school. She suggests ways to prepare ourselves for a good night’s sleep, such as a shower, clean sheets, and a household temperature of 65 degrees. She also has advice on how to get back to sleep if you wake up from a nightmare. She adds that good sleep will help your immune system ward off the virus.
Dr. Nawalanic says many people are dealing with anxiety and depression from the COVID-19 pandemic. He says the biggest cause of that anxiety is a feeling that we have no control over our situation. He suggests deep breathing and relaxation as the most effective way of dealing with anxiety…and that it’s important to acknowledge that anxiety in order to deal with it. He adds that the different opening schedules of the various communities sends mixed messages, contributing to the anxiety. As for sleep, he advises reliving good experiences in our minds, don’t keep your phone or a light-up alarm clock next to the bed, try to separate sleep from the rest of your life by not doing work in bed and not to catnap in the middle of the day…exercising is the best way to refresh your body.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System says new scientific information suggests antibody testing might finally start to become the game-changer everyone is hoping for as test results are becoming more and more reliable. He addressed the question about whether there are new strains of COVID-19 out there. He also talked about the advisability of making travel plans for the year…even for the fall. He says it’s hard to predict now what our world will look like then. He also stressed good hygiene will be the key to staying safe when people begin going back to work.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at the health system, says we have bent the curve, but this pandemic will be the challenge of our time. He also addressed the fear many people may have on going back into a reopened society. He says just like with those in your personal “bubble,” it’s going to be even more vital as we interact with more people to observe the new norms of society, and not go back to our old ways.
Friday, May 8 at 8:00 a.m. is the next daily briefing call. Joining the panel will be U.S. Senator Jerry Moran from Kansas to talk about the latest from Washington on COVID-19 and Doug Gaston, senior vice president and Chief Financial Officer at The University of Kansas Health System to talk about the financial impact of the pandemic.
ATTENTION media members-New procedure for calling in:
The meeting is now available by Zoom, both video and by phone. To join the Zoom Meeting by video, click https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628
Telephone dial-in Participants:
For those without Zoom, call 1-253-215-8782, meeting ID: 782 897 8628.
The feed is also available via TVU grid. The TVU source is UoK_Health and is being made available to all.
Feel free to send questions in advance to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
