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pandemic sleep: the rules have changed
canadians need to embrace their new sleep routines, says psychology professor.
may 1 2020
3 minute read
there's no such thing as the 'right' way to sleep during these unprecedented times. stock/getty
as thousands of canadians spend their evenings downing night caps, zooming with friends or watching late-night movies, sleep routines have gone out the window. stress and anxiety brought by on by the pandemic, as well as hanging out with your family for 24 hours a day, has made many of us into lousy sleepers — or chronic insomniacs. and the fallout — crying, screaming and other generally ugly behaviour when faced with work or family challenges during the day — is real.
julie carrier, a psychology professor at the university of montreal and the scientific director of canadian sleep and circadian network and the campaign, sleep on it , says there has been a major increase in sleep complaints. “people are waking up often during the night due to stress and anxiety,” she says. “it’s normal.”
but instead of beating themselves up about their new sleep routines, canadians need to embrace their new reality — and run with it, she says. keep in mind that a few rules still apply to ensure you’re getting a proper sleep
maintain a regular sleep routine — even if it’s totally out of whack. so maybe the last time you went to bed at 10 pm was sometime in early march. instead you’ve spent the last two months working after the kids go to bed, baking sourdough bread or zoning out watching netflix. that’s okay, says carrier. “if you pick a new sleep schedule — keep it,” she says, even if that’s midnight to 8 pm. as long as your body knows it’s going to sleep at the same time every day, it will adapt.
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if you’re going to drink, do it during happy hour. given the seemingly endless line-ups at liquor stores across the country — not to mention the impressive sales figures — canadians are boozing it up. and alcohol can wreak havoc with your sleep. “it makes your sleep more fitful,” says carrier. so ensure that you drink as long before bedtime as possible. “we are all tempted to have a nightcap,” says carrier. but it doesn’t pay off in the end. instead, drink earlier.
ensure you get 7-9 hours. how much sleep you get shouldn’t change, says carrier, “even if you think you don’t need it.” she says that while teens and kids can also benefit from the extra sleep time, adults still need 7-9 hours to function optimally. adequate sleep ensures you have a more level mood, manage stress more effectively and boost your immunity. plus you’ll avoid eating all the bread you just baked — since a lack of sleep can lead to overeating.
reduce distractions. reading endless news reports of fatality rates in countries around the world is the worst for sleep, says carrier. she says it’s okay to relax while surfing on your phone, but keep the blue light setting off or lower the amount of light it emits. and stick to word searches or meditative apps, rather than news. “anything that calms you down is a good idea,” she says. “have an hour of relaxation to prepare your brain to go to bed.”
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naps are fine. if you’re finding you’re whiling away your afternoons napping on the couch, it’s not a bad thing, says carrier. just ensure that couch time isn’t leading to sleeplessness at night. if you’re having no issues getting a fitful sleep, naps can be a great way of breaking up the monotony. but if you’re waking up at 3 am, skip the napping.
remove your phone from the bedroom at bedtime. listening to notifications pinging all night disrupts your sleep — even if you don’t wake up, says carrier. she suggests turning all notifications off, and putting your cell phone somewhere where you can’t see or hear it. otherwise, “your brain is always processing something,” she says.
work out. even if you didn’t spring for the peloton subscription, working in some fitness can go a long way in improving the quality of your sleep. “moving around is important for your sleep,” says carrier. “and a lot of people are doing a lot less physical activity.” so go for a walk, short jog or do some push-ups to bring on some better sleep.
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