Almost half (42 per cent) of patients with skin disease experience sleep disturbances, according to a major study that analysed over 50,000 adults across 20 countries to assess the impact of skin diseases.

The findings, presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2023 in Berlin, Germany, showed that sleep disturbances were found to have broader implications on patients' quality of life. 

Nearly half (49 per cent) of patients with skin disease reported reduced productivity at work, in contrast with just one in five (19 per cent) participants without a skin disease.

The main symptoms that impacted the sleep of patients with skin disease were itching (60 per cent) and burning sensations or tingling (17 per cent). 

In addition, patients more frequently experienced a feeling of fatigue as soon as they woke up (81 per cent vs. 64 per cent in the non-skin disease population), periods of drowsiness during the day (83 per cent vs. 71 per cent), tingling sensations in the eyes (58 per cent vs. 42 per cent ) and repeated yawning (72 per cent vs. 58 per cent ) than those who did not have a skin disease.

"Our study is the first to uncover the profound impact of sleep disturbances on the physical functioning of patients with skin disease, and these findings underscore the critical need for early detection and effective management of sleep disturbances," said lead author Dr Charles Taieb, who heads the company EMMA Clinic, in Paris, France.

"Moving forward, healthcare providers should be encouraged to integrate sleep disturbance questions into the examinations of patients with skin conditions to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of skin diseases,” added Dr Bruno Halioua, a dermatologist practising in Paris.