✓ Does life in quarantine cause you insomnia? You are not alone

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Quarantine insomnia

The link between anxiety and sleep

Everything becomes a concern

It seems that the pandemic has since Coronavirus has turned upside down everything we previously considered normal: from errands, to what we're eating to the way we celebrate birthdays. There is a sense of hypervigilance and a thread of anxiety which is perceptible even in the most trivial actions.

Did you just get your mail? You disinfected the bag, but now what are you doing, are you also disinfecting its contents? Did you wash your hands long enough after touching the inbox? Everything becomes a concern.

And do you know what happens when you worry incessantly, all day, every day? Sleep is affected.

L'anxiety and insomnia they practically go hand in hand. According to Dr., a psychologist in Washington DC and author of Hack Your Anxiety, lack of sleep can cause increased anxiety and, conversely, anxiety can cause insomnia.

At a time when we are doing our best to stay healthy, our sleep is destroying ours immune system. When we sleep, our body produces and releases proteins called cytokines, which are integral in fighting viruses and other microbes. If we don't sleep, we don't produce cytokines, and we are less ready to trigger an immune response.

Insomnia in children

How Much Should Babies Sleep?

And not only adults have this problem. With schools closed and daily routines totally changed, not to mention a decrease in physical activity, babies get up later and may not sleep well.

L'AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends children to sleep every day according to age:

4-12 months: 12-16 hours (including naps)
1-2 years: 11-14 hours (including naps)
3-5 years: 10-13 hours (including naps)
6-12 years: 9-12 hours
13-18 years: 8-10 hours

Tips for the whole family to sleep well

Children

Have one bedtime routine and a sleep schedule is key to ensuring young children, from infants to school-age children, a adequate sleep, even if it is difficult at the moment. A warm bath, a story and a little pampering before going to bed will make it easier for children to sleep.

It is also important to include some physical activity every day. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the daily changes we're going through - working from home, trying to do homework, planning shopping - but getting children to exercise is important both for their physical development and mental health, but also for their physical development. improve sleep.

Teenagers

Teens need more sleep than they realize and with the onset of puberty and the resulting biological changes, it can be more difficult to fall asleep. Adding the stress of isolation and the anxiety of a global crisis can only exacerbate their inability to fall asleep at a decent hour.

Teens should have one too evening routine to promote sleep. For example, ditching technology an hour before bed gives them the chance to relax and unwind from a day spent immersed in social media, online classes etc., not to mention the blue light from the screens that can disrupt production. of melatonin and consequently hinders sleep.

Adults

Parents also need to rest properly. The most important thing we can do for our families right now is to take care of ourselves and that means prioritizing sleep, not only for them but for us as well.

How to clear your mind

So what can we do to sleep better?

How can we sleep better when it feels like our world is crumbling around us? According to the doctor, the trick to fooling insomnia is keep your brain busy from a task that can distract us.

"I'm a huge fan of distraction," he explains. "For example, counting backwards is to keep the mind slightly focused, but too much. The trick is to engage the mind and free her, without incurring thoughts that can lead to anxiety ".
The apps of meditation and mindfulness are great ways to fall asleep or go back to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Read also: Insomnia in pregnancy, 9 tips to fight it

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