Top Ways to Ensure a Good Sleep During Stressful Times

We all know that sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being, but how can we get a proper night's rest with all that's going on right now?

We all know that sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being, but how can we get a proper night’s rest with all that’s going on right now?

In this extrarodinarly tense time, many of us are having difficulty sleeping. Our minds race, we toss and turn, then wake up feeling just as tired as before we went to bed.

BCLiving caught up with WELL Health’s chief medical officer, Dr. Michael Frankel to talk about why sleep is so important and to get some practical advice on how to catch those zzzzs…

Why do people need sleep to function properly?
Good quality and quantity of sleep is an integral part of healthy living. It is a time when our bodies and minds regenerate and recharge. It is crucial for optimal functioning of both the body and mind.

What are signs that indicate you’re not getting a good sleep?
A key sign that you’re not getting a good sleep is waking up feeling tired and feeling like you need more sleep. Daytime fatigue and irritability is an indicator that you are not getting enough sleep or enough good quality sleep.

How can we better manage stress during these difficult times?
During these times, it’s important to strive for more balance in one’s life, such as maintaining a balance between work and life when working from home, or achieving a balance in how much news you consume a day. Learning to live and be at peace with uncertainty will greatly reduce and help manage stress, and allow for a better night’s sleep. If you are finding that none of these tactics are helping and you are suffering from ongoing insomnia, you should seek out advice from a physician. One way to do that while social distancing is by booking a virtual appointment on VirtualClinic+.

3 Ways to Help You Get a Better Sleep

There are some key factors that can help ensure a good sleep, which are already widely known, such as decreasing screen time, decreasing consumption of alcohol and caffeine and observing healthy daily nutrition. In addition, you should also:

  1. Ensure you are exercising every day.
  2. Take into account your mental health. Figure out what it is that brings you peace and happiness every day and take the time to do these things.
  3. Talk about what is bothering you to someone you trust, like a significant other, so you can get it off your chest before they go to bed.