While the sleeplessness that has come with the past year certainly makes sense—anxiety is at an all-time high, our circadian rhythms are all thrown off—there’s some interesting research around sleep and coronavirus. A small study published in March of last year found that melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, can be helpful in protecting our bodies against COVID. While the research was preliminary and this potential correlation certainly needs to be studied more, it has been given to coronavirus patients who are seriously ill as part of their treatment plan. Melatonin supplementation aside, researchers believe sleep is still a crucial element when we think of all the ways we can strengthen our immune systems in the face of the pandemic. “We do know that in a general sense, sleep has a positive impact on the immune system,” says Dr. Katrine Wallace, PhD, adjunct professor and epidemiologist at the University of Illinois. “Ample sleep supports the immune system, which then can reduce the risk of infection, and improve outcomes for people fighting a virus. On the other hand, serious sleeping problems, including sleep disorders (insomnia, sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disruption), can interfere with the healthy functioning of the immune system.” Long story short: Getting sleep is important, but it’s especially important right now. And sadly, thanks to COVID insomnia, most of us aren’t getting enough of it. We reached out to experts to find out what we can do to get more sleep in 2021—here’s what they had to say.
How to sleep better when you have COVID insomnia
Use your new time budget to your advantage
While it’s true that the pandemic is the reason many of us aren’t sleeping, there have also been some advantages to it, like getting time back that you would have spent commuting. “Invest some of that in eating an earlier dinner so you can get to sleep earlier,” suggests Dr. Ben Smarr, assistant professor at UCSD’s Department of Bioengineering and the Halicioglu Data Science Institute and Science Advisor to Oura. “Remember, if you’re home all day, you can leave pots boiling and ovens baking, and hop up to stir and check between meetings. This means you could eat out less, eat healthier at home, wind down earlier in the day without the stress of meal prep as soon as you get home from your job, like in previous years.”
Give in to what is
Having a routine around sleep is one of the first things sleep doctors will recommend to someone struggling to fall and stay asleep, but the pandemic has left many of us routine-less, partially because we feel like if we commit to a routine during lockdown we’re giving up hope that things will change. But Dr. Smarr suggests giving in to what is right now, because it will probably help your sleep exponentially. “You can spare yourself the stress of constantly checking for changes and if you have kids, thinking about when they’ll go back to non-virtual school,” he says. “Focus on the routine, including sleep routines, and let the outside world fall away a little bit. The shared sense of expectation will couple with the reduction in stressful news to increase your sleep quality.”
Maintain a consistent sleep-wake cycle
What is day? What is night? There’s been a lot of that feeling in the last year. But getting up and going to sleep at the same time every day is especially important right now. “For 2021, instead of staying up late and rolling out of bed ten minutes before your first virtual meeting, we recommend that you develop a consistent bedtime and wake time routine that helps you make a habit of getting an adequate amount of sleep,” says Dr. Michelle Drerup, PsyD, of Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center. “Try to maintain a consistent sleep-wake cycle—even on weekends or days off when you might want to sleep in.”
Expose yourself to sunshine every day
We know, we know: It’s cold out there. But bundling up and getting some exposure to the sun every day (while wearing sunscreen, of course), can work wonders for your sleep. “A daily dose of sunlight has numerous benefits that are especially important during the pandemic, including helping to elevate mood and improve our sleep patterns,” explains Dr. Drerup. “Your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates periods of sleep and wakefulness, is triggered by light and darkness. Getting generous amounts of natural light during the day and limiting light exposure (including blue light from devices) at night helps keep your circadian rhythm in sync and sleep patterns on track.”
Consider a sleep app
Sleep apps have gotten advanced in recent years, with WAVE Sleep bursting on the scene at the beginning of 2021. The app, which combines relaxation techniques with “sleep stories” all set to relaxing music. “Our original library of sleep tracks are a considered combination of brainwave stimulating synth tones and immersive recordings of real world sound environments,” explains Matthew Wong, director of music at WAVE. “In the WAVE studio, we love analog instruments, often using vintage synths such as the Juno 60, Prophet as well as a plethora of live instruments. Sonically our palette uses sounds from ambient music environments, but we combine these sounds with Brianwave-stimulating synth tones and sound environments to create an optimal sleep experience.” And if that doesn’t work, there are also sleep podcasts that exist for the sole purpose of lulling you to sleep. If you’re having a hard time sleeping right now, rest assured—we get where you’re coming from. But there’s a lot you can do to get more shut-eye, starting with these tips. Next up, here are possible reasons why you can’t sleep.
Sources
Neurology Today: “Sleep Neurologists Call It ‘COVID-Somnia’—Increased Sleep Disturbances Linked to the Pandemic.“Cell Discovery: “Network-based drug repurposing for novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2"Dr. Katrine Wallace, PhD, adjunct professor and epidemiologist at the University of IllinoisDr. Ben Smarr, assistant professor at UCSD’s Department of Bioengineering and the Halicioglu Data Science Institute and Science Advisor to OuraDr. Michelle Drerup, PsyD, of Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders CenterMatthew Wong, director of music at WAVE Sleep.
