Over the past decade, we have begun to work 24 hours a day, rather than 8-12 hours with lunch breaks. We get used to a certain regime of the day and sleep, but the transfer to "remote" destroys all plans. At first we sleep a lot, and then the regime goes astray.

Lack of sleep affects relationships, work productivity, school productivity, and decision making in general. Factors including our use of modern technology, shifting to teleworking, self-isolation and anxiety about COVID-19 can affect sleep quality.

During a pandemic, one of the experts' recommendations is social distancing and self-isolation when symptoms appear or against the background of a worsening epidemiological situation. In connection with the transition to "remote", there is time to make up for lost sleep as a result of a busy lifestyle. but sleeping too much after a severe sleep deficit may not be beneficial.

Sleep and Regime Disorders

We spend a third of our lives sleeping and it should be good for our health, but sleep disturbances compromise safety, affect mental well-being, and lead to loss of productivity and poor well-being.

Shifting from the routine of nine to five to working 24/7 has changed sleep. Time spent behind screens on social networks, moving from the office to home, to work remotely, also affect our sleep. New templates can interfere with optimal performance on a day-to-day basis.

How much sleep do you need at different ages

As you get older, the recommended amount of sleep starts to decrease, but even as a teenager, 10 hours is still recommended. Good restorative sleep is essential to daily life.

Research shows that it is the quality of sleep, rather than the quantity, that has a greater impact on health and daytime functioning. According to one study, 35% of people feel they are not getting enough sleep, and this affects both their physical and mental health. Insomnia affects 30 to 45% of the adult population.

Sleep and restrictions about COVID-19

Sleep disorders cause serious individual and social problems and pose a major public health problem. Many people find it difficult to fall asleep due to the fact that they go to bed with gadgets (finishing work); in other cases, there is a problem with maintaining sleep patterns due to work at home and changes in the usual rhythm of life.

Glowing screens, digital technology and the need to be connected to electronics 24/7 make many people sleep 2-3 hours less than the minimum required amount. COVID-19 and the anxiety surrounding it can have a negative impact on a person's sleep patterns.

The constant renewal of social media contributes to disrupted sleep patterns, impairing our ability to deal with this anxiety. Long time in front of the screen affects the circadian rhythm of the brain. 

The blue light on your phone lowers the levels of the sleep hormone melatonin, which keeps your brain awake at night. According to sleep experts, this leads to a "lag in the biological clock" because the release of melatonin is delayed, leading to a delay in sleep phases and a form of "social jet lag." It directly affects a person's mood, behavior, memory and learning. It affects many systems in the body, including by weakening the immune system.

Can we retrain our brains to sleep earlier?

We can restore our circadian rhythm to detect a “sleep signal” that the brain thinks is a trigger for falling asleep. By adhering to expert advice on social isolation, we can use this time to restore sleep patterns, which will help improve health. What doctors call "sleep hygiene" can also help. 

Try basic steps that act as your bedtime routine to help restore your brain and improve the quality and quantity of sleep. The treatments are easy to implement and, if performed on a daily, repetitive cycle, can help improve the quality and quantity of sleep.

10 tips for keeping your night sleep routine

1. Set clear sleep and wake times; stick to it strictly every day, including weekends.
2. If you have a habit of taking a nap during the day, do it no longer than 45-60 minutes of nap, and do not go to bed later than 3 pm.
3. Avoid drinking too much alcohol four hours before bed and try not to smoke.
4. Avoid caffeine six hours before bed. Drinks, caffeinated foods include coffee, tea and a variety of sodas, as well as chocolate.
5. Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods four hours before bed. A light snack before bed is allowed (yogurt, fruits, vegetables, nuts).
6. Exercise regularly, but don't exercise right before bed, rather go out for a walk.
7. The mattress should be comfortable. If it is too hard or soft, sleep will be poor.
8. Choose a comfortable temperature for sleeping (usually 16-18 degrees) and ventilate the room well for at least 15-20 minutes before bed.
9. Block out all distracting noise (cover windows, doors) and eliminate as much light as possible (curtains, blinds).
10. Use the bed only and exclusively for sleep and sex. Do not watch TV in the bedroom, do not play on the phone, and even more so, do not use the bed as an office, work room or meeting room.

Everyone reacts differently to external stimuli, and the coronavirus outbreak can be stressful. It is important to take care of yourself during the period of self-isolation. 

Sleep experts recommend following a sleep hygiene regimen for an average of 2-6 weeks to notice an improvement in the quality and quantity of sleep. Working from home and virtual communications are made possible by the Internet, but it also has drawbacks when it comes to health and wellness.A source