Losing too much sleep over the COVID-19 pandemic? Here are some ways to fix your sleep cycle

Sleep is a necessary biological process, and we all need sufficient amounts of quality sleep to be able to function properly - no matter how much we wish we didn’t. But sleep also happens to be one of the indirect casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic. [caption id=“attachment_7937071” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay.[/caption]

Why you need good sleep now more than ever before

It’s natural to be worried about your health, your loved ones’ health, the economy, the lockdown, your job, your home, etc. - and that is apart from being stressed about the global and national health emergency. With the lockdown still in place, your home and workplaces have been merged for a while now, and despite all the means of communication, a sense of isolation can creep in. All of these stressors and anxieties can keep you awake and stop you from getting the solid seven-eight hours of uninterrupted sleep that you need every day. What’s more, not getting enough sleep can have a number of short- and long-term ill effects on your health. According to a study published in Healthcare in 2019, chronic insufficient sleep can not only cause sleep disorders like insomnia, hypersomnia and parasomnia but also compromise the immune system and cognitive function to cause lack of concentration, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, accidents and septicemia in the long run.

Tips to improve sleep during the pandemic

So, pandemic or not, getting proper sleep should be your priority as it boosts the immune system, improves brain function and keeps mental health disorders like depression at bay. If keeping yourself fit enough to survive the pandemic is something you absolutely want to do, then adopt the following recommendations by the US National Sleep Foundation.

• Motivate and monitor yourself to stick to a regular sleep-wake routine.
• Set a fixed time to wake up every morning and bypass the snooze button strictly.
• Given the stress of the pandemic, take an hour to wind down before bedtime by engaging in some light reading, stretching, meditation or listening to calm music.
• Avoid using any electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime, and switch off or dim the lights of your bedroom.
• Don’t confuse working-from-home with working-from-bed. Make your bed every morning and avoid it for the rest of the day, until bedtime.
• Stay active during the day, even while you’re working from home. Stretch, walk around or sit on a chair to exercise, but do not lie back or down.
• Even if you are tempted to take a nap during the day, take a short one that does not exceed 30 minutes. It’s best to avoid taking naps after 2 pm in the afternoon.
• Get some fresh air and exposure to sunlight for at least 10-15 minutes every day. This can improve your circadian rhythm and help get better sleep.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine later in the day, and especially closer to bedtime.
• Consume a balanced and healthy diet full of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and protein. Go light on the carbs, but do include them for a holistic diet.

For more information, read our article on Sleep during COVID-19 pandemic.  Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.