5 Tips to Overcome Pandemic Anxiety & Get a Good Night’s Sleep

When Coronavirus struck the world, everything went haywire. Irrespective of the age, the virus-infected everyone from children to adults and took millions of lives. Moreover, the fear and home-confinement led to problems like depression, anxiety, and stress. Worse, it even triggered a new form of insomnia which is now being called Coronasomnia.

Unsplash | The anxiety resulting from Coronavirus has led many people to experience a new kind of insomnia which is being termed Coronasomnia

Coronasomnia, or sleep disorders springing from the pandemic, arose because of the constant worry about death, social isolation, job loss, life uncertainty, and the unsure future of the Covid-19 vaccine. If you’re suffering from this problem, we feel for you. But we’d also like to make you aware of the fact that ignoring it can result in high blood pressure and several mental health issues.

After thorough research and suggestions from Joey Holt, Amerisleep COO, and sleep expert, we’ve brought you the following tips to combat Coronasomnia.

Read – How to choose a mattress to get better sleep?

Be an early riser

Holt suggests that people should be early birds instead of night owls. Getting up early and exposing yourself to natural sunlight can make a huge difference in your sleeping pattern, especially if it’s followed by transitioning to less light at night. Habits like morning workouts, leaving your office desk at lunch, or simply walking or running for an hour can improve your sleep.

Unsplash | Getting up early and exposing yourself to natural sunlight can help improve your sleeping pattern

Separate your work and personal life

With work shifting to home, people have transformed their bedrooms into offices. We know work is necessary, but so is sleep! That’s why you should refrain from turning your bedroom into a mini-office. Also, avoid using phones regularly. The phone is the biggest enemy of your sleep. It will keep distracting you time and again, but you need to be strong-willed and avoid it.

Learn to say no to caffeine

Nowadays, many people depend on tea and coffee for energy, but they forget that too much caffeine can harm their bodies. Holt advises people to avoid using caffeine-rich products after 2 p.m. Caffeine needs at least 8 hours to get metabolized, so if you consume it after 2 p.m., it will keep you awake and hamper your sleep routine. That’s why people should drink decaf as post-lunch refreshment because it keeps your REM sleep in check.

No more power naps

Even though power naps are a must for working individuals, people should stop taking them. Nowadays, everyone follows a hectic schedule, and it’s next to impossible to avoid naps, but taking a nap can keep you awake at night. Sleep experts say that naps disturb the sleep cycle and cause difficulty in sleeping at night.

Practice calmness

If you’re suffering from mental health problems, sleeping on time might be challenging for you. Try some breathing exercises to calm your body and oxygenate your blood. Usually, bewildered individuals go through a lot of difficulties while sleeping and also have frequent nightmares. To escape these problems, stay patient and calm yourself down.

Read – Tips to calm you

Unsplash | Meditating and practicing breathing exercises regularly helps one sleep better

Summing it up

As the first step, learn to accept yourself and your issues. You can neither change nor induce good habits overnight. Everything takes time, and this will take too. Following a proper schedule and habits that don’t disrupt your sleeping patterns can help you overcome this phase.