v. 25B6; verb
insomnia can worsen a patient's distress : AGGRAVATE, exacerbate, compound, add to, intensify, increase, magnify, heighten, inflame, augment; informal add fuel to the fire.
the recession worsened : DETERIORATE, degenerate, decline, go downhill; informal go to pot, go to the dogs, hit the skids, nosedive.
improve.