Getting a good night’s sleep is tough for some people on any given night, but concerns over coronavirus may be making it even harder. Anxiety and stress can make it challenging to snag the quality and quantity of sleep you want, but these bedtime tips from a sleep doctor and a psychologist can help.
- Acknowledge your mind might be fuzzy right now -Psychologist Helene Brenner points out that late at night we don’t have the same mental abilities, coping skills, and filters that we do earlier in the day. This means it’s easier to slip into worrisome and fearful thoughts as we’re trying to drift off to sleep. So when you’re feeling anxious before bed, try to remind yourself that things will look different to you in the morning.
- Make wake and sleep times ritualized and routine -According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, having regular routines is crucial for easing stress and anxietyduring this pandemic. So even if you’ve never had a regular bedtime or set wake-up time, starting to follow one now can help improve sleep quality. Sleep specialist Dr.Shelby Harris says sleeping in will only make things worse and she advises not getting into bed until you’re actually sleepy.
- Take a conscious break from the news cycle before bed -Not only does the blue light from screens have a negative effect on sleep, the constant stream of news you’re getting from your device probably isn’t helping you get relaxed and ready to snooze. Dr. Harris suggests cutting off the news and screen time at least an hour before bed and limiting news exposure to an hour a day.
- Remind yourself of the present, and that you don’t know the future -It’s easy to get caught up in “runaway thoughts,” but try to remind yourself that no one knows how things are going to turn out. Uncertainty can be unsettling, but Dr. Brenner advises acknowledging it and telling yourself that even though it’s hard right now, you’re going to make it through.
Source:Well and Good