As COVID-19 has swept the world, our lives have changed. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that insomnia you are experiencing from the past few months is caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Certain stressors and changes in lifestyle have led to the cause of insomnia pandemic. Fortunately, it is possible to restore your sleep. So let’s find out how!
The Insomnia Levels on the Rise in America
Express Scripts has recently reported that the use of anti-anxiety, anti-insomnia, and anti-depressant medications has increased. The prescriptions have increased by 21% between February and March 2020. It was the same week when the WHO declared coronavirus a pandemic and America declared a national emergency.
Researchers at Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health have been studying the symptoms of insomnia during the pandemic. The social and health impacts of the pandemic are influencing the way we sleep. The results indicate that some people are getting poor sleep than usual whereas others are sleeping more because they don’t have to get up at a fixed time. For most people, their sleep is suffering because of highlighted anxiety emerging from the concern about the health of the loved ones and finances.
How is Coronavirus Causing Insomnia?
Let’s consider the causes of insomnia presenting nowadays due to public health requirements of social distance, guaranteeing, and sheltering in a single place.
No Schedule Anchors
We are not working as we did before. Some of our jobs have been temporarily suspended. Others are working from home. Whether it’s mortgage recruiters, IT experts, social media managers, accountants, employees in various industries are WFH. Schools and universities have been closed, which means there’s no commute.
Our body needs anchored wake up time for reinforcing the circadian rhythm. Irregularity leads to sleep disturbance. Since we have started to sleep in more, take naps, and sleep early, the sleep signals have diminished.
To get back on track, we need to return to set an alarm to wake up at a consistent time throughout the week. Similarly, we must go back to bed at the same time each night.
Escalated Stress
Stress levels have increased and so has anxiety and depression. Many have filed for unemployment. Loss of work has brought financial and emotional loss. Self-isolation has disturbed our routine matters and stopped social connections and activities that reduce stress. On top of it all, the stream of distressing news is contributing to anxiety.
All these feelings are conducive to sleep. To keep your stress levels at the check, limit the consumption of news about the pandemic. Avoid this topic later in the day. Practice stress management techniques like muscle relaxation and breathing.
Excessive Sedentary Time
It has been more than two months since we are sheltered in our homes. Most of us have excessive time to rest, read, lounge, and watch TV. Not many are taking the time to exercise. Instead, we are dozing and napping. Excessive sedentary has made us lazy and reduced the quality of sleep.
The solution to this is being active during the day. Set up a home gym and do some sort of workout – jumping jacks, squats, lunges, or yoga. If possible, take a stroll. When you feel drowsing in the afternoon, avoid napping, and do something active.
Coffee and Alcohol Overuse
How much alcohol are you consuming lately? Probably more than usual, right? And what about caffeine consumption? Too much of both alcohol and coffee could be messing up with your sleep.
Coffee blocks adenosine. It takes up to 6 hours to come out of the system. It’s not recommended to consume caffeine later in the day. One cup in the morning is ideal. Alcohol has opposite effects. It spikes the adenosine and makes you sleepy. It metabolizes quickly. So when the adenosine levels fall, your sleep is negatively affected. The last alcohol intake must be at least 1 hour before bedtime.
Disconnection from Nature
We are staying indoors for too long. Some of us are disconnected from the natural patterns of light and darkness. Without external time cues like the sun or the moon, gradually, our tendency to stay up later increases.
Before it gets too late, get back on track. Make 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure mandatory upon yourself as soon as you wake up. Step outside or watch the view from your windows. When the sun is about to set, minimize your exposure to blue light. Switch your devices to night mode.
Space Constraints
People aren’t just sharing tight quarters with their family but roommates as well. This has affected privacy greatly. Our bedrooms are being used as a workspace. This can hurt the conditioning of the body.
If you are using your bedroom to work, stop right now. A bedroom must be associated with sleep and intimacy. To ensure proper sleep, set the right conditions such as low light, noise-free environment, and cool temperature.
Conclusion
Working as a recruiter for 5 years, I used to say that nothing is sweeter than a streamlined employee onboarding process, however, a well-scheduled sleep and exercise routine matter just as much. If your sleep has been affected, bring these changes into your lifestyle immediately. Reach out for help in case your sleep problems persist.
