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“He would lie in the bed and finally, with daylight, he would go to sleep. After all, he said to himself, it is probably only insomnia. Many must have it.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Clean Well Lighted Place
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| | | | As we ever so slowly turn the corner and make our way towards the lives we lived before the virus, there are still issues that linger. One that I hear about often from clients is insomnia. It's not surprising that we've all had our share of sleepless nights over the past year. But insomnia (now being referenced as coronasomnia) can be an insidious interloper that's like an unwelcome house guest — not so easy to get rid of once it settles in.
Some of the reasons why sleep can be so hard to come by are:
- Changes to daily life are one of the most obvious reason for sleep loss. Working/schooling from home has thrown everyone off and there are times when we don't even know what day it is. This can be very disruptive to getting the necessary rest needed to keep everything going.
- The transition back to work/school has its own set of stressors. So much alone time can make it difficult to suddenly being around a lot of people and cause social anxiety. It can feel overstimulating and a bit overwhelming.
- Circadian rhythms are also out of whack. Too much time indoors means not enough natural light to signal our hormonal system's sleep/wake cycles.
- Excessive TV (Cobra Kai anyone?) overstimulates us from too much blue light which is a known sleep disruptor. According to earlytorise.com, watching television is a very inefficient way of learning, is mind numbing, and is a drain on your energy. And that's true regardless of what you watch.
- Stress over the past year has been off the chart. Financial stress, work stress, homeschooling, wearing masks which keep us safe but inhibit breathing, being "locked down" with your loved ones and even trying to find toilet paper! Most of these issues didn't exist prior to 2020.
So what can you do about coronasomnia? According to the Sleep Foundation, here are a few suggestions: - Limit screen time before bed. Put down devices/stop watching television an hour before bed. Preferably around 9PM.
- Set a good night-time routine and follow it. This is what you can do the hour between shutting off the TV and actually getting into bed. Prep for the next day, wash your face, or read a few pages of a good book.
- Set an alarm and wake up at the same time daily. This helps reset circadian rhythms. Ten o'clock p.m. to six o'clock a.m. is the ideal time to get rest.
- Get plenty of exercise. Walking 20 minutes (or more) a day can help reduce cortisol, a stress hormone, which can inhibit getting to sleep as well as staying asleep.
- Going outside and soaking up the natural light is another helpful way to reset circadian rhythms which also helps us get to sleep and stay asleep.
- Foster good connection with others. This improves mental wellbeing which is good for just about everything.
- Watch out for naps… they can make it worse. If you miss a few hours of sleep, try not to fixate on it or try to catch up with naps. Your body is resilient. Tell yourself you're going to have a good day and do your best to ignore the "what ifs" that pop into your head. If you truly need a rest, try a mindfulness technique like a guided meditation to restore your energy.
Not sleeping well is not just an inconvenience, it can wreak havoc on your overall health. If you're getting sleep these days, count your blessings. If not, try some of the tips above. Take action and get yourself back on track today! |
| | | HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MAY |
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FREE DAILY MEDITATION CHALLENGE STARTS MAY 1st
As the April Walking Challenge winds down, we'll be shifting gears to a Daily Meditation Challenge for May. Click here to join the Facebook group where we all stay connected and accountable. If you're already there, that's great!
Looking forward to seeing you there. |
| | CLEAN EATING PLUS WORKOUT PLAN
STARTS MAY 10th
Welcome to Clean Eating Made Easy!
A simple eating plan boosted with easy workouts to give you the results you want FASTER. Be sure to take advantage of the early bird special!
Click here for more info. |
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| Thanks for checking in. Enjoy the Spring weather and as always I'm ...
Wishing you well,
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133 Washington Street, Norwell, MA 02061 ~ www.YourInfiniteWellness.com ~ 617.678.4088 |
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