So, it’s here. A pandemic. Covid-19. Novel Coronavirus. I think of all the individuals I have worked with over time to help improve their sleep, and all I can think of is – I bet it’s falling to pieces right now. I wanted to take some time to write about some of the key things that you can be doing to protect your sleep in this time of uncertainty.
Sleep 101
Let’s get back to the very basics of how sleep happens. Most people take it for granted. You lie down, you fall asleep. Nothing more to think about it. However, sleep is actually an extremely complicated process that we’re still continuing to learn more about. For the sake of this post, I’m going to focus on the basics of what you need to remember when it comes to addressing your sleep issues.
In sleep 101, the first and most important lesson is: SLEEP IS AN INVOLUNTARY PROCESS. What does this mean? It means the amount of cognitive control that you have over your sleep is exactly 0%. You cannot force yourself to sleep, and in fact, the harder you try, the less likely it will be that you sleep.
Some of us, are more prone to sleep issues than others. Insomnia is sort of our “go to” stress reaction. In fact, if you identify with any of these predisposing factors below, you’re more at risk for insomnia:
- Poor sleeper all my life
- Chronic pain/discomfort
- Hormonal fluctuations
- High need for control
- “Light” sleeper
- Depression
- “Type A” personality
- A body that tends to be ready for action (physiological hyperarousal)
- Worry or fret a lot
- Anxiety
- High energy/intensity
- A very active mind (cognitive hyperarousal)
If you have any of the above predisposing factors, then it means that when a “precipitating event” such as a pandemic hits, you’re more likely to develop insomnia than someone without those predisposing factors. Stressful life events disrupt our sleep. But, for most people, when the stressful life event is over, their sleep returns to normal. However, for some, it persists. So, we have to look at the three main components of sleep, and how we can work with those components to help your sleep return to a more normal state.
There are three main components.
- Your sleep drive
- Your circadian rhythm
- Your cognitive and physiological arousal level
Sleep Drive
What drives your sleep? Well, your sleep drive! Hah. Hah. Hah…. Okay your sleep drive is one important factor in coaxing your body to sleep. Your sleep drive is basically our body’s biological thirst for sleep. We have to get at least some sleep to live. It is impossible to live the rest of our lives without sleep. We may not get as much sleep as we want, but we will still sleep some. Sleep drive is like your hunger drive. The longer it’s been since you’ve slept, the higher your sleep drive.
I go into a lot of detail about this in my post, stop sabotaging your sleep drive. If you’re sleeping more, spending more time in bed, napping more, or using up less energy, these all weaken your sleep drive, meaning that your body has LESS need for sleep than it did before. And, if you need less sleep but you’re still trying to get 8 hours, well that means you may be lying in bed awake at night.
So, how has your lifestyle changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic that could be draining your sleep drive?
Are you less active than you were prior to the shelter in place order? Are you walking less? Are you sitting more? Even if you’re saying “no! I’m exercising every day!” I want you to look deeper at your normal routine in your life. How “busy” were you before all this? How much commotion was going on in your life? How are things different?
Are you spending more time in bed than you usually do? Is your morning more relaxed? Less hustle and bustle? It might be nice, but this could be secretly sabotaging your sleep drive.
Are you drinking more coffee because you can? Is your coffee maker getting more use than in months prior?
THE FIX:
Only go to bed when you are sleepy, yes, *really sleepy.* This is different than fatigue and mental exhaustion. Sleepiness means a high propensity to fall asleep. Meaning, it’s hard to keep your eyes open – you might accidentally fall asleep. This is true sleepiness and many people mistake fatigue with sleepiness. They are different!
Make sure you are spending as much time up and active as you did prior to sheltering at home- engage in home projects, gardening, work, conversations with others.
Exercise: Get up and walk. Walk your stairs. Walk outside. Walk around the block. Take your 15 minute break every 1-2 hours and get your body moving (in a socially distant appropriate way).
Limit your caffeine intake. 1-2 cups in the morning is okay. Any more caffeine after that, can sabotage your drive. Now, I know those of you who say “caffeine doesn’t affect me.” But guess what, if you’re having problems sleeping – it’s a great idea to greatly reduce it because it certainly isn’t helping you get your sleep back on track. Opt for another drink that can give you an emotional pick-me-up. Herbal tea? Sparkling Water? Decaf Coffee? A smoothie? Get creative.
If you can’t sleep, stop trying. Seriously. STOP TRYING. The harder you try to sleep, the less sleep you’re going to get. If your body isn’t allowing you to fall asleep within a reasonable amount of time, trying harder will not make sleep happen. So, if you’re awake, and you can’t sleep, give up on trying. Read a book. Listen to music. Do anything other than trying to sleep.
Stop lying in bed. Stop lying in bed. Stop lying in bed. GET OUT OF YOUR BED. Unless you have small children screaming at you to get out of bed, it can be tempting to spend way more time in bed than you usually do. Are you working from your bed? Are you binge watching Tiger King from bed? Are you reading in bed? Are you scrolling on your phone in bed? Are you lying in bed wondering what you’re going to do the rest of the day? I’ve got an idea, GET OUT OF YOUR BED. The t-shirt I’m wearing right now says “SERIOUSLY GET OUT OF BED” okay?! K. I know you’ll take that advice, AND you won’t just move to the recliner.
Circadian Rhythm
You can think of your circadian rhythm like your body’s underlying schedule or routine. During certain times of the day it produces various hormones. Our body thrives on routine and it gets its cues from the routine in our lives. Cues like – when we wake up, when we eat our meals, certain activities we do during the day, when we get ready for bed, how dark it is at night, etc etc etc. Check this out for more detailed information about circadian rhythms.
So, how has your circadian rhythm been disrupted from sheltering in place / social distancing?
Do you have the same schedule that you used to? How has your wake time and sleep time changed? What regular routine has been disrupted?
THE FIX:
Wake up at the same time every day I mean it. I know you don’t like hearing this, but if your sleep is suffering, it’s one of the number one things you can do for yourself. Yes, even on the weekends. Yes, even if you had a “bad” night. Yes, even if you have nothing to do in the morning. Get up, even if that means setting your alarm clock, or even setting five of them.
Expose yourself to bright light in the morning. Our circadian rhythm responds to light and dark. In the morning, we want to expose it to light so it can get the cues that it’s time to be alert! Open your blinds. Have a cup of coffee outside. Go for a walk around the block. Let your eyes see natural sunlight.
Put down the electronics at night. I know it’s tempting. There is *so much information* out there. Memes and more memes. News articles and updates. Social media posts that make you laugh, cry, or want to throw your phone across the room. So, put down the electronics. Even if you have the “night mode on” electronics can still cause problems. Use the last hour or two before bed to really wind down. Read a book. Work on a puzzle. Meditate. Engage in gentle yoga. Take a hot shower. Sit outside on a patio and enjoy a cup of chamomile tea. Cue your body into “sleep zone.”
Dim the lights in the evening. No, you don’t have to keep it completely dark, but don’t leave every bright light on. Our brain responds to light, from any source.
Engage in as much routine as you can. Eat your meals around the same time. Exercise around the same time. Try to recreate the life pre-Covid19 as much as you can.
Tired but wired
If you feel like you’re doing all of the above and more, then it’s possible your main problem may be the familiar culprit… ANXIETY. And since this post has already become so long, I’m going to save ANXIETY for the next post so that I can properly dedicate time to how this plays into our sleep. For now, work on your sleep drive and your circadian rhythm. Remember, any change that you put in to place, you need to put into place consistently. Doing one thing on one day is not going to dramatically alter your sleep. It takes time for new habits to turn into real change.
Remind yourself that a) you are getting some sleep and b) a couple rough nights of sleep means that your sleep drive has increased, and you’re more likely to sleep better on the next night.
Be Kind to Yourself
Lastly, a word of compassion. These are difficult times. You are likely stressed in at least one, or possibly multiple ways from the scope of this pandemic. If you’ve worked with me before on your sleep, then all that I am saying is familiar. But please, be kind to yourself. You’ve never been through anything like this before. None of us have. If you’re finding yourself reaching for a prescription sleep aid, don’t beat yourself up. If you’re lying in bed all day with the covers over your head. It’s okay. You’re coping in the best way that you can right now. And, if you’d like some added support to try to boost those coping skills, please feel free to reach out.
Please check back for my next post about anxiety and insomnia.
Kathryn Tipton has passion for sleep and wants to help you return to sleeping through the night. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), a non-pharmacological treatment to help clients gain control over their insomnia and improve the quality of their sleep. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology. Her private practice is located in central Houston, in the Montrose district. Additionally, she conducts sessions online/via ZOOM or Facetime with clients from the comfort of their own home or office.