Sleep experts estimate that during the pandemic, people are getting 13 more minutes per night, but are tossing and turning during that extended period due to Covid-19 related stress.

That worries Dorothy Bradshaw, who runs sleep coaching business The 41st Wink.

“Quality sleep is even more important during the current Covid pandemic and is critical to our immune health,” Ms Bradshaw said. “Our physical, mental and emotional health is directly affected by the quality of our sleep. General fatigue, heightened stress, distractedness and an inability to concentrate are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact sleep deprivation has on our lives.”

The 41st Wink, run out of her home, offers sleep support for people of all ages, and sleep workshops and seminars for individuals and groups.

She started learning about the importance of sleep while studying for a master’s in public health from Medical University of Lodz, in Lodz, Poland. Later she became more interested in sleep when several family members were impacted by drowsy driving. One relative had an accident while becoming sleepy at the wheel, and the other was hit by another car driven by a drowsy driver.

“Both family members did fairly well afterward, but their cars were destroyed,” she said.

Her interest was further heightened, when she was preparing to become a mother.

“People said you will never sleep again when you have a baby.”

So she began researching sleep, in an effort to keep her family healthy. When her daughter came along three years ago, she went through the usual new parent sleep struggles, but was careful to lay the foundations for healthy sleep.

“We definitely were not in that group of parents who would suffer for months and years,” she said.

People often come to her because they have trouble remaining asleep.

“Although that may seem like it is one big issue a person has, once I start asking follow up questions during the intake process, they reflect more and it turns out there is more beyond that,” she said.

After an intake process, she often spends several weeks observing their sleep patterns, partly through wearable technology that record the client’s sleep cycles, heart rate and breathing patterns.

“There are a series of different factors that we measure and I observe,” Ms Bradshaw said. “There might be a need to find further medical support. Then we spend a solid six weeks working on their sleep, building it up in steps.”

Treatment depends on the individual and their needs.

The cost of her services depends on the client’s needs, but averages at about $5,500.

“None of it is covered by insurance, at the moment,” she said.

Ms Bradshaw said one night of sleep deprivation can raise your blood sugar and bring you to a pre-diabetic state.

“If we have in Bermuda so many people suffering from diabetes and obesity, I can’t understand why the health insurer would want to pay for all of these treatments and medications instead of prevention,” she said.

She set up The 41st Wink two years ago, and named it playfully, based on the theory that if “40 winks” makes for a good nap, than 41 winks must signal an even better sleep.

Recently, she added a free library of articles about sleep to her website, to help people who are looking for more information about sleep.

For more information see the41stwink.com, e-mail the41stwink@gmail.com or call 331-2906.