The novel coronavirus has already put a global toll, whether it be mentally, physically or financially, but how does covid affects your sleep and what do sleep specialists say about this? Well, keep on reading to find out more.
COVID-19 And Sleep
COVID-19 has been a whirlwind of an event for all people. Lives have changed, people have shifted to new habits and modes of working. People who used to go into offices to work are suddenly advised to work from home, we cannot go outside without taking necessary precautions.
Wearing a face mask and having a sanitizer on hand has become a daily habit for us. People are taking care of their hygiene a lot too. People are advised to maintain a good distance from other people, so that they don’t contract the virus. So, it’s basically a major shift of habits and human interactions.
Although these things are in effect and people are scared about this virus, thankfully a vaccine is being created on the sidelines by the medical professionals and it will soon be globally available for everyone. With that being said, this new shift in routine in a lot of people’s lives to staying at home all day has really affected the sleeping routines.
People are staying up late at night, since there is nothing much to do, so they don’t get tired easily.
Because of sleeping late, people are also waking up late.
If a person has symptoms of covid, then they might find it difficult to breathe when they are laying down, this can also cause much disruption and anxiety while sleeping.
Because of no separation between work and personal life, people are finding it hard to distinguish between working time and personal time. This can also trick the brain and your body to become tired or groggy anywhere and without a specific time.
How To Sleep Better In A Pandemic?
Here are some ways by which you can get on track and improve your sleep routine even in a stressful situation such as a pandemic.
Make Exercise A Priority
As mentioned before, because of inactivity in our lives, the sleeping schedule is getting disrupted. To make sure that you sleep well at night, you need to tire your body out. This can be done by at-home workouts. Since gyms are not accessible at the moment, you can make the most out of the variety of at-home workouts available. Make it a priority to exercise daily so that you can tire out your body, this will help you to sleep better at night.
Set A Schedule
You need to set a schedule for yourself even in a pandemic. Make sure that you are following a tight schedule as if you are working in an office in real life. This will take a matter of days to get your body used to a routine and you will fall asleep better too. Having a said routine when you wake up and sleep every day, when you work and get off work will help you to stay on track with your life.
Work-Life Boundaries
If you are new to working from home, then you need to research more on how to set boundaries for your work life and personal life. The easiest way to do this is to separate the places where you work and sleep.
Your bedroom should only be a place of sleeping and resting, and you shouldn’t incorporate or penetrate work into your bedroom. It’s better to have a separate office space or a small room where you have a desk and your laptop where you can work and treat that place like an office cubicle.
While you’re at it, make sure that you are limiting the time you spend on your phone, since the blue light from the phone can stimulate your brain and force it to stay awake. Work and personal life boundaries are important to set to maintain a good routine.
COVID-19 has made people’s lives a lot harder with global lockdown, people losing their jobs and stress and depression. Follow these tips to improve your sleep. Go to a sleep disorder clinic if your sleep issues are severe and impacting your life.
