While sleep can elude you at any time, COVID-19 is causing more people than ever to miss out on their kip. Research from Public Health England (PHE) has found that four in 10 adults are having more trouble than usual with their sleep during the outbreak.
As a result, PHE has added advice on how to look after your sleep to its Every Mind Matters platform, which aims to support peoples mental health during the pandemic and beyond. You can find that advice about your sleep here.
We spoke to sleep expert Colin Espie, who has contributed to the campaign, about the importance of sleep for your mental health and how you can improve it.
Sleep is a fundamental deliverer of mental health and wellbeing. People who sleep well are protected to some degree from mental health problems, and people who have mental health problems have more difficulty with sleeping. It means if we can improve sleep theres the potential to do a lot of good for mental health.
Sleep is a primary driver of emotional health. During our sleep our memories are consolidated, our emotion is regulated, the important is filtered out from the trivial, and the urgent is prioritised. All that is going on during sleep, and I think people are a little more aware of that fact at the moment. They notice theyve been dreaming more, sleeping a bit different. They should see that as reassuring the brain is working in your sleep to help sort stuff out.
Sleep is not something we do to ourselves its not an action like walking. Its more like hearing or breathing. Its something thats largely involuntary. Good sleepers are not good at sleeping. Theyve not got a skillset. Its more something that requires us to corral it, to find a good space in our life for it.
One of the calls to action I put in the Every Mind Matters campaign is to encourage people to use the opportunity the situation has provided, when our schedules can be more flexible, to experiment and find the best time period start time, end time and total time to be in bed. Maybe youve not got it exactly the way it should be for you.
Theres no value thats right for all people its whatever fits best. Theres a range, most requirements are between X and Y, but you still have to find out whats best for you. If youre somebody who naturally sleeps seven hours, lets say, then if your seven-hour sleep is over a seven-hour period in bed, youre going to have a better experience than if you spend nine hours in bed, because youll have two hours not sleeping. You might still get the same amount of sleep but its more broken.
Its about quantity and quality of sleep. The quality is going to be at its best when youre able to judge, this is the amount of time I need in bed to get the sleep I need. You want to adjust the sleep window to the right duration, so you can fill that period mostly with sleep.
I think the problem arises where the environment that youre in is strongly associated with wakefulness. The prelude to most things is associated with the thing youre about to do. At night we get into our pyjamas, brush our teeth, turn the lights out. All of this triggers a natural progression into going to bed and sleeping. The problem arises if you have things in there that are more connected with other things. Replying to emails, uploading photos to Instagram these things are not obviously connected with the destination point, which is sleep. If sleep has become a problem for you, then they may not be helpful.
However, what Im trying to do is avoid being prescriptive, saying you need eight hours sleep, or shouldnt watch TV in bed. What Im saying is find out how much sleep you need, and Im encouraging people to stand back from their current pattern and try some experiments.
The point of an experiment is to evaluate the results, so you need to have data. That could be from a diary, or simply from your own conclusions. Theres a balancing point between doing all these things. You should do them from the mental perspective that you dont want to overthink sleep. You dont want to try to engineer it. Remember, good sleepers are not good at sleeping were doing these things to set up patterns, working out what the patterns might be, then we let sleep do its stuff. That happens naturally and spontaneously.
This is a time of uncertainty. Of course you could shy away from thinking things through, but maybe sometimes we need to think about them. The point is that when youre tired and lying in bed its not the best time to figure stuff out.
Even if you have things you want to think through, dont do that in your sleep period. Make a point of doing that during your waking day, rather than when youre going to sleep. I call that putting the day to rest. Then if something crops up in the middle of the night, its likely to be something youve already thought about. You can say, Ive already thought about that.
Helping a child settle can break our sleep pattern they're back to sleep and were not. We can get a bit frustrated and before we know it weve got ourselves hyped up and we cant sleep.
If you really struggle to get back to sleep, I usually encourage people to follow what I call the quarter of an hour rule. Give yourself a quarter of an hour or so to fall back to sleep (dont clock-watch, though), but if youre not managing to fall asleep then its all right. Get up, have a drink, potter around, read a book, and soon enough youll feel sleepy. Go back to bed then. Dont overthink it if you cant accept lying awake and trusting that sleep will come, and you need to break a building sense of frustration, then get up and break it.
Sleep is a free gift. Its a biological inevitability. Your dog, the birds, the insects, if theyre good sleepers its not because they avoid caffeine or dont use devices. Theyre sleeping well because this is the rhythm of life. What we need to understand is that were not in control of our sleep, and thats a good thing. The people who sleep well dont try to control it. They have no idea how they do it they just go to bed and fall asleep.
So by trusting sleep I mean that we want to get into the position where sleep can work for us like that. What we do is manoeuvre it into that position. So we go to bed at a regular time, get up at a regular time, and the interval between these things is the right interval for us. People who struggle with their sleep often want to control it, which is admirable, but its a subtle thing you do want to take action, but you want to take the position where the action leads you to trust that sleep is there for you.
Visit link:
Struggling With Your Sleep During The Pandemic? You're Not Alone, And This Advice Can Help - Coach
- Mind uploading won't lead to immortality - Life 2.0 ... [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2016]
- Mind uploading won't lead to immortality - Life 2.0 ... [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- Mind uploading in fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- Mind Uploading [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- Trasferimento della mente - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2016]
- Mind Uploading FAQs [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2016]
- Mind uploading - RationalWiki [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2016]
- Brain Uploading - TV Tropes [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2016]
- Carboncopies.org Foundation [Last Updated On: July 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 1st, 2016]
- The History of SIM, Whole Brain Emulation and Mind Uploading [Last Updated On: July 31st, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 31st, 2016]
- What are the Benefits of Mind Uploading? - Lifeboat [Last Updated On: November 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 12th, 2016]
- 2100 Technology | Timeline | 22nd Century | Future ... [Last Updated On: November 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 21st, 2016]
- Unsterblichkeit Wikipedia [Last Updated On: November 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 23rd, 2016]
- Mind uploading - Transhumanism Wiki - Wikia [Last Updated On: December 2nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 2nd, 2016]
- Make Money from Images, Documents and Photos Uploading [Last Updated On: December 7th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 7th, 2016]
- Immortal but Damned to Hell on Earth - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2017]
- Faultlines, black holes and glaciers: mapping uncharted territories - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- How to keep your children safe online as it's revealed half of six-year-olds use the internet - Mirror.co.uk [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Yetunde Olasiyan: Between Having a Voice & the Need to Show Off on Social Media - Bella Naija [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- How a WiFi Pilot Program Is Helping Students in the Rio Grande Valley - Texas Public Radio [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Looking for a New Job? 4 Ways to Job Search Discreetly - U.S. News & World Report (blog) [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Khloe Kardashian narrowly avoids a wardrobe malfunction in sexy underwear photo - OK! Magazine [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- How a WiFi Pilot Program Is Helping Students in the Rio Grande Valley - KWBU [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Connectivity in a digital world - Iowa City Press Citizen [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Does Your Vision for Your Life Cause You to Look Up...or Down? - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- How to improve your LinkedIn profile - ArabianBusiness.com [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- How a WiFi Pilot Program Is Helping Students in the Rio Grande Valley - KUT [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Deal: New customers can get Google Play Music and YouTube Red free for 4 months - Android Authority (blog) [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Procurious and SOPO Launch Innovative Online Community Platform for Government Procurement Professionals - PR Newswire UK (press release) [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Breaking Down Global Silos (Part 2): Lessons Learned from Conflict - Spend Matters [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Robbie Williams' wife Ayda proves she's the best ever as she completely overshares with hilarious birthday card to him - The Sun [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Morality and Murder Collide in Two New Horror Movies - Film School Rejects [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Jefferson schools urged to use cable TV station - Daily Union [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Olly Murs sings Happy Birthday to Robbie Williams with full backing band in sweet video - The Sun [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Eric Adler Is Living The Dream With The New England Patriots - Cape Cod Chronicle [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Squash review: Drop and compress your way to smaller image files in a flash - Macworld [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- It's time to get tech-savvy with The Mind Lab by Unitec! - Scoop.co.nz [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Tennyson soundtracks movies for your mind with Like What - Straight.com [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Fake news, who benefits? - Shelbyville Times-Gazette (blog) [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Crazy Videos on YouTube That No One Can Explain - Thrillist [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Barbie becomes a hologram version of herself - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- The Owl at the Window review: They the living - Irish Times [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Tax Software: The Basics Work, but Peace of Mind Costs Extra - New York Times [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- How To Run A Rogue Government Twitter Account With An Anonymous Email Address And A Burner Phone - UPROXX [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- The three reasons YouTubers keep imploding, from a YouTuber - Polygon [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- SnailBlitz 2017: Citizen Scientists Wanted - NBC Southern California [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Breakdown In Immigration Screening: The Devil Is In The Details - Daily Caller [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Appealing Social Security Decisions Online - Danbury News Times [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2017]
- Nikon D5600 Review: Hoping to Make Photo Transfers a Snap - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: February 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 26th, 2017]
- How to file your social security appeal online - KARE [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Comparison: 3 Platforms Paying You in Bitcoin for Uploading Images - Nigeria Today [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- How to file your social security appeal online - WZZM13.com [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- How To File Your Social Security Appeal Online - WFMYNews2.com [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- B2B processes get smarter in the cloud - TechTarget [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Data limits are the worsthere's how to stay under yours - Popular Science [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Overcome problems with public cloud storage providers - TechTarget [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- From AI to Anxiety Relief, The Brain Needs a Body - Big Think [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- The Modest Problem of Death: On Mark O'Connell's To Be a Machine - lareviewofbooks [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Mind the gap: burn and destroy mission in Bengal fields leaves a few questions - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: March 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 5th, 2017]
- A man with vitiligo who was called 'zebra' by bullies has defied their cruel comments by becoming a model - The Sun [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- Cam Site Launches iTunes-Like Marketplace Of Oral Sex For Women - AskMen [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2017]
- Everything new in Stellaris: Utopia, one of Paradox's biggest game ... - PC Gamer [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2017]
- Paytm to continue free uploading of money - Business Standard [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- Paytm to continue free uploading of money | Free Press Journal - Free Press Journal [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- How to upload photos to Instagram from a PC: Upload your favourite images to Instagram on Windows 10 without a ... - PC Advisor [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- 2017 Foresight Fellows Announced in Molecular Machines, Space, Longevity, Artificial Intelligence - Benzinga [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- Best Practices for 2017 SEO Audits [PODCAST] - Search Engine Journal [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Science to Beat the Death: 200 300 years old human in the Future! - Sri Lanka Guardian [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Microsoft's Windows 10 Creators Update lives up to its name - Engadget [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2017]
- Film reviews: Ghost In The Shell and other releases - Herald Scotland [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- Death of a Dystopian - The New Yorker [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Stealth Rick and Morty premiere a delightful surprise - Marquette Wire [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Severe Weather Risk on Wednesday - WEAR [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- Showtime docu-series sees the 'Dark' side of tech - LA Daily News [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- Report It - Maui Now [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- The perils and false rewards of parenting in the era of 'digi-discipline' - Minnesota Public Radio News [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Elon Musk: Australian man pens desperate letter to download his brain - NEWS.com.au [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Police body cameras part of Dothan's new integrated system - Dothan Eagle [Last Updated On: April 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 10th, 2017]
- This Is the Dawn of Brain Tech, But How Far Can It Go? - Singularity Hub [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]
- 7 easy ways to make your iPhone videos look pro - CNET [Last Updated On: April 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 13th, 2017]