At home, there is no doubt you are finding that you have more time to sleep than before. Whether you are a busy working mom, stay-at-home dad, freelancer, or corporate employee, you probably had hopes of catching up on that much-needed sleep during this quarantine.
So why are you still so exhausted??
Short answer?
Stress.
Reduced activity.
Coronavirus Depression.
Stress.
With the added stress coming from the news, the productivity competition, and homeschooling, we are having more trouble getting to sleep and staying to sleep. With so much extra time and so much bad news out there, we are struggling to find the peace we need to have a beautiful, restful night sleep.
Reduced activity.
Believe it or not, the more active you are, and the more things you check off your to-do list, the more energy you have. Energy begets energy. More activity also results in better sleep.
Without our daily dose of exercise and previous productivity, we are left feeling restless and lethargic.
Coronavirus Depression.
The days are bleeding into one another and we are missing our schedule, our friends, and our normal. Financial difficulties are coming up, we may have lost our jobs or feel them threatened, we are worried about our children’s education, and the state of the world. You might be feeling anxious or depressed due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19.
So what do we do to get our energy back?
Maintain a schedule.
One of the comforts we found in our lives before COVID-19 was the schedule. Waking up for work at a certain time, lunch with friends on Wednesdays, and getting into bed by 10 pm. The unstructured activity of our days now can lead to passivity and idleness, making us feel depressed.
So, schedule your day. Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. Make a to-do list the night before and check those items off your list during the day.
Get outside.
Take a walk and get outside of the house. Getting some activity in and getting some sunshine will get those endorphins flowing and help you to get better sleep.
Limit your news exposure.
Pick one or two times a day when you check the news and that’s it. You can stay updated but limits it’s the effect on you. Try to avoid looking at the news before bed as it can increase your restlessness and prevent you from getting that calm, wonderful sleep you need.
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