Wellness in the time of COVID-19 - Part 3

Welcome to part 3 of the COVID wellness series. This week the topic is an important one: sleep. I also thought I’d share some personal experiences from the week.

This week I went back to work after three weeks of annual leave, which brought many mixed feelings. It was initially meant to be a wonderful trip to Japan, which I had been planning for over a year. Instead it became an impromptu trip to Tasmania, which then got cut short. Needless to say, having your holiday plans changed is annoying, stressful and disappointing. But I made the most of what holiday I had. As I counted down the days to my return to the frontline, however, a growing sense of apprehension occurred. I’ve heard some colleagues and friends of mine describe this same experience in the lead up to returning from some time off work. Will it be mayhem? What awaits me?

Naturally one of the first manifestations of our emotions, especially stress, is a change in sleep - whether quality, quantity or both. Luckily, I had some tools and strategies to help get a good night’s sleep prior to my return to work.

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene focuses on practices and routines that optimise your chances of good sleep. Common tips include:

· Minimise screen time and switch off screens at least 1 hour before bed

· Use your bed only for sleep (and sex) - don’t eat, work or watch TV in bed as this means your brain associates bed with wakeful activities

· Minimise stimulants such as caffeine prior to bed

· Get regular exercise - but not too late in the day

· Try and get at least 8 hours of sleep. This is obviously challenging for many of us, but where you can, trim down on night time streaming or go to bed earlier.

· Limit daytime naps to 30 minutes. We’ve all experienced the so-called “sleep inertia” when we nap too long and wake up more tired than when we started. Thirty minutes or less is the sweet spot to feeling refreshed whilst not preventing you getting to sleep that night.

· Have a regular bedtime routine - this one I find the most helpful. All the things we had as children before bed (and try to practice with our children now) helps mentally prepare us for rest and winding down.

To help elaborate, I’ll share my own bedtime routine as an example, which I start about an hour before bedtime.

· I turn OFF the television, after usually watching something light and funny that doesn’t require too much thinking.

· I have a shower which includes a night-time skincare routine as well which gets me ready for sleep (lavender moisturiser etc.).

· Then, depending on my mood, I do one of three things, usually for 15-20 minutes: I meditate or listen to a sleep story (see previous post about apps), I do some light stretching or I read a book.

Having the same routine every night (even when I come home at 1am from a long shift) helps me settle. Whilst there is no good clinical evidence for sleep hygiene, anecdotally I have these strategies very helpful. I hope you find some of these tips useful too.

Until next week, stay well,

-A

Last weeks photo was of a beautiful sunset in Broome, WA. At a time when there is a lot of stress in the world, remember there is also still beauty. Why not watch a sunset or sunrise from your window, backyard or balcony this week.

Helen Rhodes23 April 2020