Shut-Eye in the Time of COVID
Sleep disturbances have always been common among clients seeking therapy, and they’re hard to tackle because insomnia can have so many possible causes. Consequently, it’s almost impossible to come up with a cookie-cutter solution that works for everyone, but here are some tips to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Maintain a bedtime schedule. In general, if you can stick to a routine that works for you (rather than one that is arbitrarily imposed upon you,) your general level of anxiety and stress will decrease and that will make it easier for you to fall asleep. Obviously, COVID has disrupted our schedules and it’s easy to lose track of time. At a minimum, try to keep a regular bedtime. The Sleep Council recommends a bedtime between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. If that doesn’t gel with your night owl ways or your work schedule, that’s okay, but try to choose a time you can stick to that allows for 7-8 hours of sleep on average. Having a regular time will help your body recognize when it’s time to start getting sleepy.
Don’t take prescription sleeping medications unless you have no other choice. Trust me on this one: all of them are extremely habit-forming and they’re considered controlled substances which means if you start taking them, they’re difficult to get off of and every time you change cities, doctors will treat you like a junkie. Also, while patients report high levels of overall satisfaction, many studies have shown that most patients on these medications don’t get that much more sleep. Are they deadly? When taken as prescribed, no, but you will not be able to sleep at all for a while if you try to get off of them.
If you have to go to sleep extra early and it’s not happening for you, try taking a Benadryl. Motion sickness OTC meds like Dramamine also cause drowsiness. I’m not recommending these as a regular stopgap, but we’ve all been there.
Don’t toss and turn in bed. If you don’t fall asleep in 20 minutes or so, get up and at least move across the room. Do something else for a while, preferably something that doesn’t involve a screen. If you are really feeling upset about not being able to get to sleep and a soothing movie is just what the doctor ordered, that’s okay, but definitely avoid anything overstimulating like “doom scrolling” on the news or social media.
Only use your bed for sleep. Don’t study, eat, or routinely watch TV in bed. In general, I actually recommend leaving TVs, iPads, and phones out of the bedroom entirely. They do actually emit signals that can mess with your sleep even when they’re off.
Use a clock in your bedroom with a dimmable face so that you can’t obsessively watch the hours go by if you’re feeling restless.
Remember that even if you go 24 hours without sleep, you might feel like a zombie the next day, but you will survive and you probably will still be about as productive as you need to be.
Seriously evaluate the amount of caffeine you’re consuming as well as alcohol. I know it’s hard, but this is important. Try not to have any caffeine after 1 p.m. (earlier is better.) Be mindful of the fact that caffeine is in a lot of things you might not expect: tea, most soda, and chocolate. Try to keep that happy hour drink to just one if beauty rest is essential to you that night. It’s healthier anyway. You know it’s true.
Embrace bedtime stories. Lots of apps like Calm, Slumber, Oak, and Headspace offer guided meditations, guided imagery, ASMR, and bedtime stories. You can also try the Sleep With Me podcast if you prefer to be “bored to sleep.” I don’t judge. Do what works for you!
Remember that you’re not a mutant. Lots of adults have trouble sleeping. It’s a scary world out there. It’s okay.'
Take a hot bath.
Try some aromatherapy. Take it a step further and get a body wrap you can pop in the microwave and make yourself a lovely bolster for under your neck to warm you up and relax all those tight muscles while you enjoy it with a little lavender oil sprinkled on top.
Try a satin sleep mask to drown out all the pesky light that sneaks in around the corners of your curtains.
Take a short walk.
Crack your window open just a touch. (But try to close it before you nod off because it is really cold in Colorado right now.)
Sleep with your pet or without your pet. Some people nod off easier with their fluffy pal, others get disrupted by it. Whatever you’re doing now, change it up for a few nights and see what happens.
We’re in this together! What are your favorite tips for nodding off?
