Google data suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has upset the sleeping pattern of many people across the globe -- that's all based on the top search queries for the month of April.
April was the month when the whole world was hit by the knowledge that community transmission of the coronavirus has started, which led to widespread stress and anxiety. Employees are suddenly made to work in a work-from-home setup, which was particularly challenging, especially for those with children.
According to Google Trends, searches for the terms "can't sleep" and "insomnia" soared in April.
The data does not reveal the precise cause for the spike, but the timeline coincides with the height of the worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns.
Harvard researchers in May warned that the pandemic could greatly affect a person's sleep pattern, which could pave the way for mental health complications. In the report, researchers said that frequent sleeplessness can worsen both physical and mental health problems.
The uncertainty about what will happen and the constant news cycle of mounting deaths and confirmed COVID-19 cases could easily lead to anxiety, which in turn, can wreak havoc with our sleep cycle. If you've been having a hard time getting a shut-eye lately, here's some advice.
Put your phone down
You may be already sleepy, but getting into bed with your phone will only cause you to give in to mindless scrolling, which could last for hours. Give yourself time to rest and leave your phone alone.
Try charging or leaving your phone in another room so you won't get tempted, picking it up every time you hear a notification or two. Speaking of notifications, it's best to keep your device on silent or turn it off altogether.
Tire yourself
If going out isn't an option, pick an activity you can do indoors that will use up your energy. That being said, why not try and build a workout routine?
If exercising doesn't sound appealing to you, then clean. Try and be physically active, not just for your health, but also to make your body feel like it needs resting so you can sleep at night.
Avoid over-caffeinating yourself
You can still have your morning coffee -- let no one take that away from you -- but try if you can to forego your after-lunch cup. Avoiding caffeine is extremely hard, but remember that your goal is to get yourself to be and actually sleep, so best resist the temptation.
