Covid Awareness

INSOMNIA DURING COVID

Most people believe insomnia to be the inability to sleep. People with insomnia find it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Insomnia is the feeling of insufficient or reduced sleep because of one or more of the following: (a) difficulty falling asleep (b) trouble remaining asleep (c) awakening too early or, (d) non-restorative sleep. The effects of insomnia can be devastating. Insomnia leads to daytime sleepiness, lethargy, and a general feeling of being sick or unwell, both mentally and physically. Irritability, the frustration of not getting enough sleep, and anxiety are commonly associated with the symptoms of insomnia. Furthermore, symptoms like difficulty sleeping at night, waking during the night, feeling tired after a night's sleep, poor concentration and focus, waking earlier than desired, daytime fatigue or sleepiness, being uncoordinated, tension headaches, difficulty socializing and worrying about sleeping are also very common in people of all ages. 

Insomnia is caused by physical and psychological factors. It is due to disruption in circadian rhythm, jet lags, environmental noise, job-shift changes, and extreme heat or the cold environment; psychological issues (bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders), medical conditions like chronic pain, heart failure, acid-reflux disease, sleep apnea or asthma; hormonal shifts during menstruation and other factors like sleeping next to a snoring partner or an overactive mind. Sometimes an underlying medical condition causes chronic insomnia, while transient insomnia may be due to a recent event or occurrence. A person is diagnosed with transient insomnia when the symptoms continue to persist for more than three days. Transient insomnia occurs while trying to fall asleep, during the night, or near the morning. Chronic insomnia lasts for months, and sometimes for years. According to the National Institution of Health, for a majority of patients, chronic insomnia is a side effect of their primary problems. Acute insomnia, also called short-term insomnia persists for several weeks but lasts for less than three months with an identifiable cause. Acute insomnia, also called adjustment insomnia, occurs when one experiences a stressful event, such as the death of a loved one or starting a new job.

Ever since the lockdown, sleep experts have been getting many concerns regarding insomnia, not only from people who have had sleep disorders but also from people who have other issues. A prevalent association exists between anxiety and sleep disturbance. Anxiety and insomnia work in a frustratingly cyclical way. When we cannot sleep, it can generate more anxiety as we worry about getting things done the next day. With COVID-19 dominating the world, there has been a rise in uncertainty and unpredictability about the future. People are worried about their job security, their savings, their loved ones in different cities, or life, in general after the lockdown. Anxiety levels are high, which may lead to fragmented sleep or unusual sleep schedules. The stress from thinking about all this reflects in our quality of sleep. No amount of counting sheep or counting backward is going to help. People are narrating poorer or less sleep than usual, whereas others are relishing in the fact that they do not have to get up at a fixed time each day and are sleeping more than usual. Being isolated at home for days is affecting our usual routines of sleeping and pretty much everything. With people working from home, there is an increase in the usage of mobiles and laptops. The increase in screen time is making sleep patterns of many individuals worse. The blue rays expelled from the screens can suppress the natural production of melatonin, a hormone that the body makes to help us sleep. People who are not working now or for weekly hours due to COVID-19 may be tempted to oversleep each morning. Sleeping more than seven to eight hours per night can make waking up on time much harder and challenging, even if you use an alarm. Over-sleepers may also feel groggy, irritable, and unfocused throughout the day. 

Though sleeping pills can bring some relief initially, the danger associated with it far outweighs its benefits. A whole approach involving analysing the state of mind, dietary habits, and lifestyle can give permanent relief. Flowing natural remedies might help an individual in overcoming insomnia and might help in getting a deep, peaceful sleep day after day. Some of the natural remedies that might help an individual are-

Meditate for 15 minutes or so before going to bed. Majority of the sleep problems occur because of the inability of our mind to be able to relax and be in the present moment. Do a small prayer before retiring to stress.

As far as possible, we must go to bed by 10 p.m. As suggested by Ayurveda and research, it is the easiest to fall asleep by 10 pm and the quality of rest is deeper if we go to bed before 10 p.m. 

Limit your screen time.

Exceptionally, go to bed only when you feel drowsy. If we go to bed before feeling sleepy, it might create anxiety regarding the arrival of sleep, the major cause of sleeplessness. If you do not fall asleep within half an hour of going to sleep, wake up and meditate or read a book. Do not fret or fight to get sleep. Any effort to get sleep will only make it worse. 

Follow the time-tested rule of having a king-size breakfast, a medium-sized lunch, and a small dinner. 

If you find yourself worrying over the onset of sleep, listen to calm soothing music or some audiobooks to distract yourself.

Drink lots of water. However, minimize your intake of water after 6 pm to prevent sleep disturbance due to the need for urinating during the period of sleep.

Limit your intake on chocolates, colas, or foods containing caffeine before bedtime. Caffeine stimulates your brain and makes it difficult for you to fall asleep. It is the case with smoking, too.

Exercise regularly. As exercising increases alertness and raises body temperature, doing it around 4 hours before time makes the body temperature fall during sleep, facilitating faster sleep. However, exercising close to bedtime can stimulate you and disrupt your sleep patterns. Too vigorous (to exhaustion) exercises should also be avoided.

Sleep is a critical biological process, and the fact is that it is always important. When defying the COVID-19 pandemic, though, sleep becomes even more essential because of its wide-ranging benefits for physical and mental health. It is believed that routines, sun exposure, and scheduling screen time could help individuals combat insomnia during the lockdown