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On a recent members Zoom call, several people mentioned that they were having trouble sleeping or staying asleep at night. Some thought it might be due to Covid anxieties, others had their own theories and solutions.
No matter what the reason, if getting some zzzz’s are a problem for you, here are a few suggestions to try:
- When you go to bed, are you feeling relaxed? If you feel stressed or worried it’s better to watch some tv or read a book to try to calm yourself to feel a bit more relaxed before bed, otherwise you’ll end up tossing and turning the night away.
- Do you go to bed at a regular time no matter what or do you wait till you are sleepy. Experts say you should go at a regular time and get up at a regular time to help set your body rhythm clock. Ensuring you have enough activity in a day is also an important way of preparing your body to rest at nighttime.
- Are you getting enough light exposure during the day? If you don’t get enough light during the day, the low light levels confuses our body clocks. If you prefer not to be outside, try to sit beside a window frequently and expose yourself to as much daylight as possible.
- It’s tempting to send that last email or check the news or weather in the middle of the night, but experts say we should put all devices away an hour before bed as the light they emit causes wakefulness.
If you’d like a few more ideas to help you get that good night’s sleep, here’s Matt Walker, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of California, talking about 4 Tips for Better Sleep.
