This article is for information only. For advice, contact your local medical authority. Visit cdc.gov for up-to-date COVID-19 outbreak and vaccine statistics.
The new coronavirus (also referred to as COVID-19) has brought the world to uncharted waters. Different levels of lockdowns have been generated by countries, economies have ground to a halt, and many people fear for themselves and their loved ones. It’s understandable that the importance of sleep is flying under the radar, with such unprecedented changes happening so soon. But as we adapt to stay-at-home orders and strive to stay safe in a cycle of COVID-19, there are enormous advantages to concentrating on sleeping well.
Sleep is important for the immune system’s physical wellbeing and efficient functioning. It is also a crucial promoter of mental health and emotional well-being, helping to fight back stress, depression and anxiety.
If you had sleep issues before COVID-19 or just recently, there are specific steps you can take during this global pandemic to improve your sleep. In your regular routine, sleep-specific aspects should include:
Set your routine and schedule
Even in irregular times, creating a routine may promote a sense of normalcy. It’s easier to acclimate to a regular sleep schedule for your mind and body, which is why health experts have long suggested avoiding drastic changes in your normal sleep periods.
- Wake-Up Time: Set the alarm, bypass the snooze button and have a set time to start each day.
- Wind-Down Time: This is a vital time for getting ready for bed and relaxing. In addition to bed preparations, such as putting on pajamas and brushing your teeth, it may include things like light reading, resting, and meditating. It’s prudent to give yourself extra wind-down time each night, considering the stress of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Bedtime: Pick a consistent time to switch the lights and lights out.
Check out the Light
In order to help our bodies regulate sleep in a safe way, exposure to light plays a crucial role. You can need to take precautions when you deal with everyday life disruptions so that light-based signals have a beneficial impact on your circadian rhythm5.
Stay Active
With all happening in the world, it’s easy to ignore exercise, but routine physical activity has many important benefits, including sleep. Sleep may be adversely affected by prolonged activity right before bedtime.
According to Dr. Peters-Mathews, the most important thing right now is to keep a daily sleep-wake timetable. “Try to get up every day at the same time and get 15 to 30 minutes of exposure to sunlight upon awakening,” he says, adding, “go to bed feeling sleepy, but don’t spend more than seven to nine hours in bed.” While everyone has different requirements for sleep, Dr. Peters-Mathews says most people only need about eight hours.(These sleep requirements tend to differ in those under 18, but, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens aged 13 to 18 require about 10 hours a night, while babies aged 4 months to 12 months can get up to 16 hours of sleep a day, including naps.)
“Try to avoid naps, and be careful with your consumption of caffeine and alcohol, especially in the evening,” Dr. Peters-Mathews says. On the other side, Beth Malow, MD, a professor in the Department of Neurology and Pediatrics and director of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Sleep Disorders Division, emphasizes the importance of regular physical exercise, and says even a walk can be beneficial for sleep promotion. “Try to move and participate in regular exercise every hour, outside if you can,” she says. And of course, it’s important to limit your news intake right now, if that causes added anxiety. “Turn screens off close to bedtime, especially social media and the news cycle,” she says.
If you find yourself feeling stressed about not being able to work, go to the gym, or spend time with your friends, try to spend some of that free time on self-care. “Try to cultivate ways to reduce stress and reach out to others for support,” Dr. Peters-Mathews says. “If insomnia persists, consider cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI), which is a technique for treating insomnia without medications.”
But remember: Any coronavirus-related anxiety you’re feeling won’t always be there. “There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Dr. Jackson says. “We just have to try and take the positive out of each day and focus on what we can do in the here and now.”
