Sleep And Covid19

29 Jun, 2020 | Dr. Malik | No Comments

Sleep And Covid19

With the stress and uncertainty arising during this pandemic, chances are that your daily routine and sleep schedule have been disrupted. We have seen many patients losing their quality of sleep due to stress about their health, their finances, economic worries and job security. 

A recent study reported by the Wall Street Journal surveyed 1600 people from 60 countries. The survey showed 46% of people reported poor sleep during the pandemic, while only 25% slept poorly before it. There was also a 14.8% increase in sleep medication prescriptions, and a 44% increase in sales of melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone our body produces to help us fall asleep. Melatonin supplements are used to help aid people fall asleep. 

Besides stress, one of the other reasons for the reduced quality of sleep is the lack of exercise. Most people’s exercise routines have been disrupted due to the pandemic. Exercise helps to tire out our bodies, allowing for the deep restful sleep we yearn. After performing moderate to intense exercises during the day, the body needs time to recover. This is usually accomplished at night, resulting in a deep sleep. 

If you find yourself lacking good-quality sleep, here are a few tips that can help:

  1. Reconfigure your body’s internal clock by sticking to a sleep schedule – keep your routine consistent.  
  2. Exercise throughout the day to help achieve the deep sleep you require at night
  3. Do not associate your bedroom with a place where you are awake. Try to avoid working or watching television in your bedroom. Instead focus on activities that can help you fall asleep such as reading a book or meditating. 
  4. If you can’t fall asleep after twenty minutes of waking up, get out of bed and try to do something relaxing. 
  5. Caffeine has a half-life of about 7 hours, meaning you should try to avoid caffeine after the noon hour. 
  6. Try to avoid using your smartphone or tablet an hour before going to bed. Also, if you use a device, avoid blue light by adjusting the display settings. Check out these links for more information on how to reduce blue light on your device: iOS (https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT207570), Android (https://www.androidauthority.com/night-mode-on-android-886864/).
  7. Avoid naps during the day, this will allow your body to tire naturally before bed, resulting in deep sleep
  8. Lower the temperature of your bedroom, a cooler room can help you fall asleep faster. 

If you are interested to learn more about the benefits of sleeping, I would highly recommend the book titled: ‘Why We Sleep: Unlocking The Power Of Sleep And Dreams” It can be found here.

I hope these tips help you get a better night’s sleep. Good quality sleep is the cornerstone to good health.

Stay Healthy, Stay Safe!

 

Dr Malik

 

WSJ Article

 

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