The four main causes of coronasomnia and how to combat them.
Thousands of people have been reporting significant sleep issues during the ongoing pandemic. Many people are experiencing insomnia caused by the COVID-19 situation in the world. This was labelled as coronasomnia. In particular, we can point to four main factors that have contributed to the issue.
Distress and anxiety
The pandemic created a lot of worries for many people. What about health and the virus? Are we and our loved ones at risk? How about thefinancal problems or not seeing our friends? The pandemic heightened many worries and reatednew causes for concern.
What to do about it: Find ways to bring stress down. Cut down on media and news consumption, meditate, do relaxation exercises, take time for yourself, and let go of issues that are not yours to solve.
Late nights
It’s easy to go to bed late when we stay at home all day. Netflix and other temptations can distract us from/work during the day and after we decide to rest. This often means that our schedules shift and slide towards the early hours of the morning and our body begins to lose its sense of when we are supposed to be up and active and when it is time to sleep. It’s called revenge bedtime procrastination. On days when we manage to go to sleep earlier, we might not be able to drift off right away, making the problem worse.
What to do about it: Go to bed around the same time every night and wake up at the same time too, even on the weekends. A regular schedule is the best way to get higher quality sleep on a consistent basis, even if giving up sleeping in is not always easy.
Lack of exercise
If you have a mostly sedentary lifestyle during the pandemic, it also can contribute to a poor rest. We need to move around a little for better health and a lack of movement can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
What to do about it: Try to get some exercise in the mornings, not before bed, and move by walking, dancing, doing a workout routine, or in any other way. Even mild exercise is significantly better than no exercise.
Too many gadgets
The pandemic has made us overly reliant on our devices for everything, from companionship to learning. This has helped us stay in touch and entertain us, but it might also influence our sleep, especially if we use them before bed and in bed, gadgets emit a blue light that the body can interpret as daylight, prompting us to stay awake longer.coronasomnia
What to do about it: Reduce the use of your devices before bed and in the evening in general. There are apps and filters that reduce the blue light and make it easier to fall asleep if we need to use a gadge later at night. You can also opt for a book or a more relaxing activity instead.
These four tips should help you reduce coronasomnia.
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