The pandemic has profoundly disrupted our normal daily routines, and sleeping well at night is no exception. With all the uncertainty in the world right now, it’s no surprise that stress levels have skyrocketed and restless nights are almost becoming commonplace.
And while it’s relatively normal to have difficulty sleeping from time to time, being plagued with sleepless nights and experiencing bouts of insomnia can start to take a heavy toll on our physical and mental health. Fatigue can not only make you feel groggy and irritable but it can also affect your ability to function or even focus the next day.
People who previously had no significant sleeping problems are now finding it tougher to maintain a healthy sleep schedule as it can be hard to keep track of time when you’re being confined to your own homes. On top of that, it can also be really tempting to burn the midnight oil and oversleep each morning if you are working from home and have no structured office hours.
According to a recent study conducted by PURE Group Singapore (2020), two thirds of Singaporeans out of over a 1,000 respondents don’t take regular breaks when working from home and one quarter have stated that their work-life balance has ‘blurred’. They also found that fewer people (65% as compared to 71% in 2019) were satisfied with their health and wellness during the Circuit Breaker period.
So why is sleep so important during a pandemic? Well, sleeping well is critical because it comes with various benefits including, strengthening your immune system, increasing productivity during the day and improving your mental health. The latter is particularly crucial right now as research by PURE Group Singapore (2020) shows that 1 in 5 Singaporeans suffer from mental health issues, 40% of which were attributed to sleep related problems.
In order to avoid lying awake for hours on end, we need to make it a point to set our sleeping pattern straight once and for all. Whether you’ve been having sleeping problems long before the pandemic or only recently, here are some tips and tricks for improving your sleep and getting a good night’s rest!
1. Set a sleep schedule
To acclimate to a consistent sleep-wake schedule, be sure to establish a daily routine for yourself. If you adhere to a regular bedtime and avoid sleeping too late at night, you’ll find that falling asleep will come naturally to your body’s internal clock. This will ultimately improve the quality of your sleep in the long run.
2. Listen to ASMR
ASMR, sometimes called ‘brain tingles’, produces a pleasurable tingling sensation that has been known to induce a state of relaxation that causes feelings of sleepiness.
According to the American Sleep Association (ASA), a study done in 2015 with a total of 475 participants showed that 98% of this group sought out ASMR to help them relax.
Check out this article from our blog on five ASMR artists you can watch on YouTube to help you cope with your circuit breaker stress!
3. Embrace Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can help to relieve stress and anxiety symptoms which may help to improve sleep indirectly. If you don’t want to use over-the-counter prescription medications, scented candles are an all-natural way to help aid sleep.
Related Article: 5 Scented Calming Candles To Have At Home For The Trying Times
4. Practice relaxation techniques
Create a relaxing nightly routine and try to avoid screen time at least an hour before you head to bed. Instead of browsing social media on your phones or working at your desktop, try your best to unwind by doing something to de-stress.
This can include mindfulness meditation, listening to calming music or an audio book and even reading by a soft light. Once you’ve built these into your routine, you’ll realise that sleeping will come easily to you over time!
5. Pamper your face
Overnight sleep masks are known to help you sleep better because of their purported properties. They are a low-risk, non-chemical alternative as compared to more conventional sleep aids and they’re just as effective.
Take the Laneige sleep mask for instance. This intensive moisture sleeping mask not only purifies your skin but it also comes with ‘Sleep-tox’, an aromatic sleep scent which allows you to have a good night’s sleep. Use this at night and you’ll wake up feeling bright and revitalized in the morning for sure.
6. Be careful with naps
If you’re home all day, it may be tempting to make up for a poor night’s sleep by napping during the day. While short power naps may help, it’s best to avoid taking too many naps throughout the day as napping for too long may make it harder for you to sleep at night. Try your best to limit yourself to just one nap so you can get more hours in at night!
7. Listen to calming music
The perfect way to unwind at the end of the night would be to listen to music that relaxes you and puts you to sleep. With the compact Sonos One smart speaker that’s equipped with built-in voice control, you’ll be able to fill your room with just about any genre of music and have that playing at a fantastic audio quality. And, if you pair two Sonos Ones together in the same room, you’ll get an even richer sound!
8. Stay active during the day
It’s easy to forgo exercising during lockdown but it’s now more important than ever to stay active during the day. Regular daily activity helps you sleep better at night so be sure to engage in other forms of exercise if you can’t hit the gym as you usually do.
Try going for socially distanced walks or maybe take up yoga and attempt other forms of workouts that you can do from home. Keeping fit is the quickest way to increase the amount of time you spend in the deep restorative stages of sleep at night.
9. Invest in a good bed
It’s no secret that a good night’s sleep is dependent on the type and quality of bed you’re sleeping on. If you’re having trouble sleeping and you suspect that your bed is the reason why you’re not getting sufficient sleep at night then perhaps it’s time to invest in a quality mattress!
With the brand-new, state-of-the-art Sonno mattress, you will be guaranteed to sleep well and what’s more, they provide free shipping along with a 100% risk-free and 100 nights home trial so you can test the product out for yourself.
10. Sleep on a good pillow
And finally, what would a great mattress be without a good pillow to rest your head on?
Made from natural linen, M Pillow is different from your regular head rest as its fibres are much stronger and durable compared to other fabrics. Not only does the linen material help to prevent fungal infection on your skin but it also boasts good moisture absorption that can be helpful when you get night sweats or hot flushes.
Having an all-encompassing pillow like this is exactly how you can boost sleep and alleviate neck pain of any sort!
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