Jennifer Aniston has partnered with Idorsia U.S., an affiliate of Idorsia, a Switzerland-based biopharmaceutical company. Aniston will help launch the company’s ‘Seize the Night & Day’ campaign inspiring Americans to understand their relationship with sleep. Seize the Night & Day is an educational campaign aimed at revealing insomnia’s dual impact that affects both nights and days.
The national initiative sheds light on the reality of insomnia for the millions of Americans living with this often overlooked medical condition. Idorsia and Aniston have forged a multi-year collaboration with the shared goal of informing, inspiring, and empowering people to take the first steps toward quality sleep through education, actionable information, and community support.
“My challenges with sleep began many years ago – so it’s such a priority for my overall health,” said Aniston via press release. “If I don’t get a good night’s sleep, my next day is really difficult. In working with Idorsia, I hope that we can all start prioritizing sleep health and have different conversations around trouble sleeping.”
The campaign will deal with sleep, nutrition, and physical activity—the three pillars of health. “Sleep is often overshadowed by diet and exercise, however its impact on people is becoming better understood,” write Idorsia officials via press release. “Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder in the US, affecting approximately 25 million adults.1 Lack of quality sleep can impair people’s daily lives, including the ability to concentrate, mood and energy levels.2 In the long-term, insomnia is associated with an increased risk of numerous serious health conditions, such as psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, substance abuse and dementia.” 3, 4, 5
What is insomnia?
Insomnia is a disorder that affects a person’s ability to get restful sleep. It may affect the duration and/or quality of sleep, with one-third of adults reporting symptoms. People with insomnia may have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or not getting good quality sleep. They may find themselves waking up frequently during the night, having difficulty functioning normally throughout the day, or waking up after several hours of sleep still feeling dragged down.
Causes of Insomnia
There are two types of insomnia: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia has no known cause and is present as a standalone problem. Secondary insomnia is caused by a poor habit or underlying health condition.
Habits that can trigger insomnia include jet lag, stress, poor sleep habits, eating too close to bedtime, or an interrupted sleep schedule.
Medical conditions that cause insomnia include chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, mental health issues, medications for depression or pain, asthma, cancer, or heart disease.
Symptoms of Insomnia
Those who suffer from insomnia may experience a range of symptoms, including trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up during the night, waking up too early, inability to fall back asleep, not feeling rested upon waking, daytime sleepiness, difficulty with attention or memory tasks, irritability, anxiety and/or depression.
Improving Sleep Outcomes for Adults with Insomnia
Jennifer Aniston has partnered with Idorsia Pharmaceuticals for a campaign called Seize the Night & Day where she shares her personal struggle with insomnia and explores effective treatment options.
Idorsia Pharmaceuticals released the first pill for the treatment of insomnia, called Daridorexant, which was approved by the Food and Drug Association (FDA) in January 2022. In doses of 25mg and 50mg, Daridorexant has been shown in studies to be effective at reducing the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and promoting sleep maintenance in as little as one month.
A major study has been published in THE LANCET Neurology Journal titled
“Safety and efficacy of daridorexant in patients with insomnia disorder: results from two multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials”
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(21)00436-1/fulltext
The negative effects observed were about even with those in the placebo group, with the most common adverse reactions being headache and swelling of the nose and throat. The study participants also showed significant improvement in daytime functioning. Daridorexant was not associated with any adverse next-day effects, rebound insomnia, or withdrawal symptoms after stopping the medication.