Month: September 2020

Ever since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, much of the working population has cooped themselves up within their respective houses. With most people working from home, nearly all their daily routines have taken a beating. 

The set routine of waking up early and getting ready for work is no longer a necessity as the formal dressing has more or less been done away with. 

Be it eating habits or sleep routines, they have impacted all the habits and routines we take for granted. From the time we wake up, till we hit the sack at night, we develop a habit of falling into a set routine. Many of them become habits that we take to the grave. These habits have been developed over the years, with many habits even being followed after being set in place from early childhood.

Impact on sleep habits

The information overload can have a direct impact on life, and with the normal commute and work schedule vanishing, there is a high risk of one’s sleep schedule getting defenestrated. One may end up staying awake later than usual as they get engrossed in the latest news headlines. 

To find a proper sleep schedule, these steps could help. 

• First, decide when you need to get up for work while accounting for the lesser commitments in the morning. Working back, if you aim for seven hours of sleep and need to wake up by 6 am, plan to get to bed by 11 pm at the latest.
• Begin winding down one hour before bedtime and prepare to sleep. Get off your phone, computer, TV or other screens by 10 pm. Why not set a recurring alarm on the phone to prepare the mind for sleep.
• With the uncertainties lingering in our lives, setting aside time to recharge is essential. Stay on social media and watch the news as little as possible. Instead, find something relaxing. 
• You can relax through exercise, by praying, reading books you enjoy, listening to music, spending time with family, or rediscovering a creative hobby.

These habits will definitely ensure that you are able to get a sound sleep at night and wake up recharged for starting on a new day ready to face challenges thrown at you.

Sleep may seem to be a simple and basic everyday routine. Yet a lack of it at any given instance can have devastating consequences for a person’s mental and physical well-being. But if one is looking to improve their sleeping habits, good sleep hygiene can transform their life. 

The term “sleep hygiene” involves quite a few healthy sleep habits. These habits can help improve one to not only fall asleep but also to experience high-quality sleep. 

While the required amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, it depends on the factors such as an individual’s age, lifestyle and even their health condition. By strictly following sleep hygiene, one can significantly improve the quality of their sleep, which in turn can positively impact their performance in everyday life. 

 

If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, working on a few aspects of sleep hygiene can help: 

• Be disciplined: Given the COVID-19 crisis, it’s easy to disrupt one’s circadian rhythm. Instead, go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time each morning, including the weekends. The consistency will ensure your body is well-rested daily.
   
• Exercise: It’s only in recent history that humans have used scientific innovations to design a life where lesser effort is required for living. But the body still needs to expend energy to remain and perform at its best. Therefore, it’s necessary to get some exercise during the day, as this can help one fall asleep a lot more easily at night.

• Ideal bedroom environment: It’s crucial to ensure that your bedroom is quiet and not brightly lit up. The room should also be well ventilated to maintain a cool temperature so that the body feels comfortable before you doze off into calming sleep.
   
• Limit screen time: Technology has made its way into quite a few aspects of human life, and so have screens. However, looking at these screens before sleeping is not advisable as the blue light emitted from them can reduce the melatonin (a hormone crucial for sleep) levels in the body. So avoid using electronic devices such as television, computers, and smartphones in the bedroom, especially before sleeping.

Sure, it is always a great idea to sit an hour or two on your mobile, but do it not before sleeping. Use your mobile at least 3 hours before sleeping. There are a number of hobbies you may do in your free time using your mobile phone. For instance, reading an online book, watching YouTube, gambling free casino games with a free spins bonus, scrolling an Instagram feed, etc. Everything to keep you entertained and relaxed!

Eat just right: It’s good to avoid large meals, coffee, and alcohol before going to bed. Such items can come in the way of good sleep by disrupting the body’s sleep mechanisms. The saying “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper” is excellent advice if you’re trying to sleep better.

It’s also important to know that the quality of sleep one experiences also depends on their behaviour during the day until bedtime. While maintaining good sleep hygiene helps you experience quality sleep, like mastering any habit, consistency, and practice are essential. 

Sleep hygiene plays a critical role and impacts the quality of sleep one experiences day after day. If one finds it hard to sleep or wants to improve their sleeping habits, trying the steps above can help. However, if the difficulty in sleeping persists, please consult a medical professional.