During the Coronavirus pandemic, many people around me have been complaining about a lack of sleep, and that’s hardly surprising in such unprecedented times. Whether it be due to stress, or our slower pace of life, lockdown has left many of us feeling restless. There are, however, many ways that you can help improve your sleep and I am talking from personal experience. In my early teenage years, I was a terrible sleeper, bordering on insomniac, but, over time, I have gathered a wealth of tips which have helped me and hopefully they will help you too.
FIRST – PUT DOWN TECHNOLOGY
“I promise you, cutting down on your use of technology at night will be the best thing you can do for your sleep!”
You may have already heard that technology is bad for your sleep, but you cannot underestimate how truly detrimental it can be. The bright light from our screens awakens the brain, therefore it’s important to not only have a winddown before bed, but also to avoid looking at your screen during the night by investing in an alarm clock, and turning off your internet. To be even more scientific, the blue light emitted from our screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that controls our sleep cycle. Studies have shown that it only becomes harmful after prolonged exposure, so if you do go on your phone before bed, make sure you limit it to around half an hour! But I would recommend you avoid it altogether; there’s always something new to see on your phone, and as it requires so little energy, it can be easy to scroll for hours – I promise you, cutting down on your use of technology at night will be the best thing you can do for your sleep!
SECOND – CREATE CLEAR BOUNDARIES
It is really important that you maintain your room as a place associated with sleep rather than work, particularly whilst many people are still finding themselves working from home. Our brains associate places with activities, so focus on aligning your bed with sleep, rather than the stressful workings of your laptop. During the day, make sure you work at a desk, or even better, in a different room altogether. You can also heighten your bedroom’s association with sleep by making sure your bed is super comfortable, and the room dark and silent when you’re ready to turn in.
“Humans are creatures of habit, thus keeping a consistent body clock is another strategy that really helps you dose off easier.”
THIRD – EXERCISE
With the reduced number of outings, and the remained closure of gyms, it is vital that we still fit time in for exercise. Not only is exercise great for your physical and mental wellbeing, but it is also extremely beneficial for sleep. Is it really a surprise that you’re not tired at night, when you’ve barely tired yourself out at all? It doesn’t necessarily have to be high intensity exercise, even something as light as a 20-minute walk could really make a difference—but don’t do vigorous exercise too close to bedtime as that will only wake you up instead!
FOURTH – CONSISTENCY
Humans are creatures of habit, thus keeping a consistent body clock is another strategy that really helps you dose off easier. This is another thing that may be falling by the wayside now that people do not have to go into work, but if you attempt to maintain a routine, you will soon see your body settle into the pattern, and falling asleep will become much less of a struggle. Regulating your body’s clock in this way also means you are more likely to sleep through the night without interruption.
FIFTH – PRODUCTS
Finally, there are many products and apps on the market that are designed to help you improve your sleep. It’s worth having a research to decide which are best for you as everyone is different—for example, I find most things ineffective, whilst others can’t live without them. I have, however, fallen in love with a thisworks® sleep spray, which you can get from Boots and Amazon. Before this spray, I was always sceptical about such ‘sleep-inducing’ products, but now I nod off so much faster if I spray the heavenly lavender scent on my pillow—even if it is placebo, it does the job for me! You may also find great use of the Headspace app, which is filled with programmes designed to improve sleep. For instance, the app contains short 3-minute recordings to listen to in preparation for bed, as well as longer recordings, or even music, to fall asleep to. Many people also swear by podcasts. One of my friends particularly recommends ‘Boring Books for Bedtime’, claiming that nothing helps her fall asleep quicker than somebody readying instruction manuals! Understandable really.
Aimee Seddon
Featured image courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.