When I first heard that I was going to be working from home the first thought that I had was, “Great. I am going to get more sleep.”

The morning show has been my shift ever since I started working at Delta Media. It works because I am definitely a morning person and always have been. Just ask my mom. I was the kid bugging her at the crack of dawn for a bowl of cereal. It makes sense that I host a morning radio show.

Before this pandemic started, my routine was pretty straight-forward. The alarm buzzed at 4 am. I abruptly jumped out of bed with no time for the snooze button. I rushed into the shower, dived into an outfit, downed a cup of coffee and I hurried off to Carencro.

So when the Governor announced the “Stay At Home Order,” to try and minimize the spread of COVID-19 and Delta Media decided to have us broadcast from home, I was very excited.

I thought, “Yes! More sleep!”

Thinking I may be able to sleep 30 minutes longer, possibly. Believe me, even 20 minutes can a big difference when dealing with hours just after midnight.

But here we are, rolling into week two and I feel as if I am getting less sleep. I get up at exactly the same time and start work right away. Since I am not heading into the office, I do not need to take a shower. I have discovered that I need more time to do the same daily tasks. Mostly because the laptop I am using is not as efficient as the computers in the studio at Delta Media. And for some reason, I am staying awake later at night, which is weird.

In the world that existed pre-COVID-19, I could pass out just after 8 pm without trying. Now I am laying, waiting and waiting to drift off to sleep. I realize that I may be spending too much time being immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to reports, it can be harder to fall asleep during a crisis. During quarantine, individuals may experience stress, anxiety, and boredom. With less stimulation, our brains are more active making it difficult to relax. We are restless. It is a side effect of cabin fever. This is one reason, it is a good idea to figure things to do while at home. Now is the time to start gardening, artwork or cleaning and organizing.

Sleep is important. Sleep resets the body and helps it heal. It will make your immune system stronger and able to fight infections. You will need your body to be strong as possible with this COVID-19 crisis looming. Experts recommend trying to get 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night. If you have trouble falling asleep, there are a few things that you can do.

First of all, make sure your room is completely dark. It is easier for the mind to relax when there is no visible light. This is including light from a device. So no scrolling on Facebook or watching Youtube before bed. According to a report, when the room is dark, the brain releases melatonin. Melatonin creates a feeling of calm.

The next thing to do, to make falling asleep easier, is to stick to a schedule. Set a bedtime and wake up time. The human body operates better when on a routine.

And finally, try not to stress. Stress and anxiety disrupts sleep. So take a break from media reports.

Source: Why Sleep is Vital