Contents
The changes that the pandemic has caused in our dreams
Rest
In general, we have delayed going to bed and getting up, which can lead to more irregularity in sleep
Sleep, in general, is one of the most fragile things we treasure. Unless we have a robust sleep, it is easy for any external agent (light, noise, temperatures, our eating habits) to alter our sleep hygiene, and therefore make rest worse.
If many people normally find it difficult to sleep and have healthy resting habits, with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to a brutal change in habits, there are those who find even more difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep. A study carried out by the Sleep Chair of the University of Granada (UGR) and «LoMonaco» has detected several changes in the sleep routines of Spaniards since the beginning of the pandemic. «Now we go to bed later (an hour and a half on average) and in the same way, we are also getting up later. Despite this, and although it may seem that sleep time is the same, the quality of rest has decreased considerably, ”explains Dr. Alejandro Guillén Riquelme, coordinator of the Sleep and Health Promotion Laboratory and researcher at the Chair.
Comment that it has been detected that now we wake up more during the night, due to stress, anxiety, concerns for our families and the uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen. This, together, says the doctor, “the changes in routine that we have experienced because we go out less, move less, make fewer plans,” has led to a worsening in sleep hygiene.
Five changes in sleep caused by the pandemic
A study carried out by the Sleep Chair of the University of Granada and «LoMonaco» has identified the five main changes in sleep habits since the beginning of the pandemic:
1. Bedtime has been delayed by an average of one to two hours: 39% of Spaniards go to bed between one and two hours later. The vast majority agree that they go to bed later than 00:00 hours.
2. The alarm sounds later: 59% say they have delayed the alarm and wake up later. One in five respondents gets up later than even 10 in the morning. Women are more early risers than men, around 24% get up earlier compared to 5% of men.
3. Now we wake up more at night, especially women: The study confirms that, due to the pandemic, 37% of Spaniards wake up more during the night. It should be noted that the majority are women, one in two states that they wake up more now than before compared to men, who only one in four wake up more easily.
4. The quality of sleep is worse: One in three Spaniards claims to sleep worse since the pandemic arrived and, therefore, they are not satisfied with their sleep quality.
5. Increased drowsiness during the day: 28% of those surveyed claim to be more sleepy during the day. Poor sleep hygiene in a sustained way over time causes us to find ourselves with less energy to face the day and a feeling of constant fatigue during the day.
Although teleworking can cause worse sleep habits, it can also become our ally. «If we know how to set schedules and routines, teleworking helps us eliminate commuting to the workplace, which can work in our favor, “says Dr. Guillén Riquelme. On the other hand, he warns of the unhealthy routines that we can adopt working at home: «If the hours are lengthened or it costs more to separate the working hours from the hours of personal life, this implies the alteration in the usual schedules and greater anxiety at bedtime ».
Guidelines for better sleep
If what we are looking for is to sleep better, the main advice of the doctor is to strive to maintain stable sleep schedules and routines. “The fact of going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, would guarantee not only a vital order, but also the number of hours of sleep sufficient,” he explains. It also emphasizes the importance of taking care of our diet: having a balanced diet in general is key, but “special care must be taken at dinners, avoiding that they are heavy and do not include alcohol.”
It also explains that it is necessary to do sports regularly, but not in the hours before sleep. “Before going to sleep, we recommend doing relaxing activities, as well as avoiding looking at the mobile, much less putting it inside the room”, says the doctor and makes a final recommendation: “It is essential to have a mattress, bed base and pillow according to our physical needs , or if we have any ailment.