While millions were already suffering from insomnia, one of the more common complaints I’m hearing these days from patients is that of poor sleep quality and the request for sleeping aides. Why are so many people getting poor sleep?
Firstly, the daily routines of millions, adults and children alike, have taken a complete 180 with the shelter in place and social distancing orders. Changes have included a new schedule or a lack of a schedule, working from home or not working at all, increased screen time, less physical activity, financial stress, food insecurity, just to name a few. It can also be extremely difficult to keep track of time without the usual daily cues like driving to work, dropping off/picking up children, going to workout at the gym, etc. Additionally being restricted to the home, especially if it gets low levels of natural light, our normal circadian rhythm does not get its usual light based cues for wakefulness and sleep. With so many changes, it’s understandable that sleep has been one of the first things to change and often gets overlooked. But, I urge you to recognize that good sleep has tremendous benefits and is critical to physical health and an effective immune system.
If you or your children are suffering from sleep disturbances, keep reading for steps you can take to improve your sleep:
Establish a routine
If your days no longer require you to clock in to work or school at your regular hours, I especially recommend establishing a consistent wake-up and bed time. This includes setting a fixed alarm to make sure you’re starting your day at the same time every single day.
Throughout the day, it can be helpful to give yourself cues to help facilitate a routine, including showering and getting dressed even if you don’t leave your home, eating meals at consistent times and scheduling in time for your workouts/hobbies.
Once you start preparing for bedtime, make sure to give yourself enough time. Often, patients will go from watching TV or doing work on their computers, straight to bed, and then toss and turn because they cannot fall asleep. It is really important to schedule in wind-down time, typically 45 to 60 minutes to relax and get ready for bed. This time should be screen free, and can be dedicated to showering, brushing your teeth, or a skin care routine. You can follow this up with some light reading, meditating or journaling. Finally turn off the lights and trying to fall asleep at a consistent time daily.
Reserve the bedroom for sleep
Often I find that my patients bring homework or laptops to work or even watch shows or movies in their bed. Unfortunately, our minds have a habit of creating associations, so it's so crucial to avoid doing this. Our beds should be a place of relaxation and restfulness and therefore should be restricted for only sleep and sex. If you find yourself tossing and turning, after 20 minutes, get yourself out of bed and engage in a light activity preferably outside your bedroom. When you feel tired again, go ahead and come back in.
Go outside and get some sunshine
Natural light helps regulate our circadian rhythm, our internal clock that helps us recognize day and night. Even if the sun isn’t out, try to get at least 30 minutes of natural light in the mornings. I also take it a step further and ask my patients to keep their blinds and window shades open to let in the natural light throughout the day. This helps our body with day and night cues.
Limit screen time
I get it. You’re stuck at home and there are limited things to do so naturally we’re hooked to our TVs, tablets or phones. But give your eyes and body a break at least 1-2 hours before your bedtime. I also recommend changing the setting of your screens to ‘night mode’ in the evenings way before bed time also, for me this is around 6pm. The blue light from the screens interferes with our body’s natural sleep processes.
Use relaxation techniques before bed
Not being able to sleep properly can cause a lot of anxiety, especially in times like now when stress levels are generally high. I challenge my patients to pick one thing to do when they get into bed, whether it be self massage, deep breathing, meditation or journaling. This helps you unwind and can serve as a great tool to prepare your mind and body to sleep.
Get some daily physical activity
Getting some daily exercise is so key to not just helping with mood, reducing stress, but it also has tremendous benefits when it comes to sleep! Of course, be safe and socially distance yourself if you’re going to be outside. Walking or jogging outside is a great way to get some fresh air, or you can try at home virtual yoga, zumba, or HIIT workouts.
Limit caffeine intake
Understandably, when you haven’t had a good night's rest, it's easy to reach for an extra cup of tea or coffee to get you going for the day. I’d recommend limiting your caffeine (this includes coffee, tea, pop/soda, chocolate) intake to before 2pm.
Before reaching for a sleeping pill, I highly recommend taking a deeper look into your routine these days and try to pick out a few things that may be at the root problem of why you’re not sleeping well. And while, these tips can be helpful for many, please reach out to your medical provider if you have severe symptoms or other medical problems.