As the country has gone through one of the most turbulent times in its history, an essential part of our lifecycle was highly affected-sleep. Many of us had to pull through all-nighters, and now we are finding it hard to go back to our regular sleep routine. After a few days of irregularity, our sleep cycle becomes disrupted. This is often referred to as social jelag, which is detrimental to our quality of life.
We suffer when we are too excited and energised (which has been the case for the last few weeks) to take a break during the day or sleep at night. Being too tired is not a guarantee of sound sleep, and we ought to ensure our body and mind are optimally conditioned for a good night's sleep.
We should start with the timing to get back to our regular sleep schedule. Let's try to pick a wake-up time and stick to it. When we can fix the wake-up time, we can start focusing on the desired bedtime. Instead of changing it drastically, we can make adjustments of 15-30 minutes over several days. This way, we should be able to recover the sleep timings.
With the situation stabilising gradually, we should find time to relax before bedtime. Although difficult, let's resolve to turn off digital devices at least an hour before bed. Practice something relaxing, e.g., yoga or stretching. Make it a ritual before switching off the lights, and it will help correct sleep disruptions.
Exercising is always good for healthy sleep. It does not need to be intense. Just going for a walk after dinner suffices. It should be completed a few hours before bedtime for more intense exercises.
Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Harvard Medical School stated that food is important for our sleep cycle. Many of us may not had the chance to eat properly in the last few weeks, which negatively affected our sleep. We should start getting our meal routine back on track. If we were binging on caffeine or sugary drinks before, it's time to stop. Switch to decaffeinated teas or soothing drinks, add fruits to the dinner menu and curtail acidic items. An early dinner followed by fasting until the next day's breakfast may be a way to regain the regular sleep cycle.
There are instances when we are in bed, but sleeping is hard. Dr. Robbins advised that instead of tossing around, it is better to get up, walk around or do something relaxing, then go back to bed only when we feel tired.
Even with all the techniques, we must remember that significant sleep has been lost due to recent events. That means our body may need some additional sleep time, as explained by Dr. Robbins. Even if we have established bedtime and wake-up time, this is something we need to allow for our body to get back to 100%. So, if we need to sleep more for the first few weeks, let's have that.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
