Whether it is because of current geopolitical conflicts, or the upcoming major elections, many aspects of current events can be stressful. Sometimes, the worries related to the current situation and the future are such that they can go as far as disrupt sleep. If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep due to stress from the news, experts shared to the British media Stylist their Tips for sleeping better despite these events.
Indeed, many factors can impact the quality of sleep, whether the rhythm of lifehealth status, bad habits, but also stress and anxiety according to the Health Insurance website. “Although personal stress can affect sleep (for example before an exam the next day or dealing with a personal health problem), political and societal events can also impact psychological health”, explains in the columns of Stylist UK Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep specialist. Moreover, sleep quality during such periods could be affected by stress, but also by the time spent in front of screens to follow the latest news. Indeed, numerous works have shown the impact of blue light from screens on sleep.
How to sleep better despite stressful news? 4 tips from sleep experts
If you are affected by news-related stress in your daily life, don’t panic. Here are 4 expert recommendations to succeed in good sleep despite stressful current events.
Remove screens from the bedroom
And avoid using screens before to sleepespecially removing them from the sleeping area is a well-known tip for getting a better night’s sleep, it would be even more important to avoid being contaminated by the stress of current events before going to bed according to experts.It may be a drastic change, but your sleep routine will benefit from removing all technology from your bedroom, including your phone and television“, explains Dr. Hana Patel, physician and sleep expert. She adds that “this is particularly important as events such as elections approachwhen the news and our social media feeds are flooded with political and often emotional content”. In order to sleep better, she suggests that “bedtime routine should focus on relaxation and the real “return to calm”, which is easier when technology is not used in the bedroom”.
Take time to process your thoughts
The onset of stressful events can cause many people to find themselves in knots in their brains at bedtime, making it difficult for them to fall asleep peacefully. According to experts, we should not ignore these concerns but give them time to express themselves, in order to better understand them.While we don’t want election stress to impact our sleep, it’s important toclear out feelings of anxiety that we feelas this can lead to other health problems commonly caused by chronic stress“, explains Hana Patel. She therefore recommends set aside “worry time” to deal with these anxious thoughts : “It only takes 10 minutes a day, but repeating “worry time” should lead to a slightly calmer mind, which is especially important as bedtime approaches”.
Practice a relaxing activity
To relax before going to sleep, there’s nothing like find an activity to relax you and calm you down. Many hobbies can be chosen according to each person’s personality. Psychologist Barbara Santini advises “techniques such as journaling, which can be effective in managing anxiety; by externalizing your worries on paper, you can take a step back and reduce the weight of internalized stress”. But it can also be any activity that helps you relax and think about something else at bedtime.
Knowing when to seek help
If, despite all your efforts to create a relaxing and reassuring environment conducive to your sleep, you still cannot sleep peacefully, experts recommend do not hesitate to get help from a professional. “For those who find the other measures insufficient, cognitive behavioral therapy pour insomnia may be an effective treatment because it addresses the underlying thoughts and behaviors that disrupt sleep“, advocates Barbara Santini in particular.
Sources :
- Can’t sleep in the run-up to the election? Try these 4 expert-approved tips for better rest – Stylist – 13 juin 2024
- Adult insomnia: definition and contributing factors – Ameli.fr
