How do I Sleep better? Sleeping when Stressed
4 Tips to improve Sleep and calm Stress, naturally
How do I sleep better? Is the pandemic causing you to feel stressed? It can be really difficult to get to sleep – and stay asleep when you are anxious. With such widespread coverage, the 24-7 news cycle, and social media feeds jammed with coronavirus content, many of our patients are reporting that they feel overwhelmed and stressed. This is understandable, so it’s important to find ways to calm yourself, naturally.
A 2017 study published in Computers in Human Behavior[1] found that, “Exposure to chronic stress can suppress immune function and increase susceptibility to infection.”
That’s not a good combination.
It is important to stay informed; to take the right steps and follow advice. But, listening to conspiracy theories, sensational stories, and being constantly switched on can do more harm than good. It’s important we each support our mental wellbeing, especially if we are sensitive to feeling overwhelmed or already experience mental illness.
We want you to stay safe and healthy and managing stress has a key role to play. These four simple steps will help you to calm your stress, and sleep better.
Sensible engagement in news and social media
Our understanding of Covid-19 and the steps we need to take continues to evolve. This makes it important that we remain up-to-date. But, being constantly immersed, as we’ve already discussed, is not helpful.
A study published in the British Journal of Psychology[2] looked at what factors, if any, influenced whether someone’s mood was affected by the news. The authors found that when daily news was perceived as more negative the viewers felt, well, more negative. The authors also observed that when negative news is personally relevant, like Covid-19 is to most of us, the negative affect was stronger.
If you’re feeling stressed, it might be time to cut down the constancy of your news exposure. Stick with reputable sites for coronavirus advice: Health.gov.au, Australia.gov.au and the World Health Organisation will likely suffice.
How do I sleep better?
Getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge at the best of times, let alone with the added pressures and anxiety this pandemic has placed on us. How are you coping? Do you sleep well or do you toss and turn, fitful or worried?
Sleep and the circadian system, our 24-hour body clock, are strong regulators of immune function.[3] When you sleep poorly, your ability to fight foreign invaders is decreased. Poor sleep also elevates stress, which lowers immune function, too. Sufficient sleep is a simple way to calm stress and enhance immune function.
How do I sleep better? To improve sleep ensure your bedroom is dark and slightly cool, quiet and safe.
Avoid blue light from TV, laptop and smartphone screens for 90 minutes prior to retiring for the night.
Establish a routine; go to be and rise at the same times each day.
Choose a comfortable and supportive pillow and mattress.
Meditation can improve both anxiety and sleep
Many people misunderstand meditation. It is not about emptying your mind. The aim is simply to become aware and accepting of your thoughts, without judgement. Then gently let them go. When practiced daily, our mind calms down and we slowly learn to exist in the present. A focus helps, such as the rhythm of your breath or the flicker of a candle. If you’re new to this practice, find and follow a guided meditation. YouTube.com is a wonderful resource.
Be physically active
Exercise is fantastic for elevating mood and, as an added plus, boosting immune function.[4] One study found that those who engaged in Hatha Yoga were “significantly less anxious, tense, depressed, angry, fatigued, and confused.”[5] This is great news! Yoga can be streamed so even if you’re self-isolating there is no reason you can’t be involved. Walking 45 minutes, five days per week is also ideal.
If you are feeling stressed, be gentle with yourself. There have been so many major changes lately, so quickly. These four steps will help you to establish some calm and improve your sleep, which is crucial to your physical and psychological wellbeing.
Please, take care of your health. You matter.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563217304405
[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjop.12389
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/
[4]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005
[5]https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1988.10605493
