Blame Your Sleepless Nights on the Pandemic

The vast majority of people have struggled with sleep during COVID. Some are turning to sleep tracking apps for help.

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By Paola de Varona, Associate News Editor At the beginning of the pandemic, I barely slept. Most nights I'd look up from the island I was painstakingly creating on Animal Crossing to see the sun peeking between my blinds. At the sight of daylight, I'd panic and force myself to nap into the afternoon.   Some people were having bizarre dreams, others were desperate to find the right melatonin supplement. Everyone was asking the same question: How do you sleep when a global crisis is unfolding all around you?   Turns out, there's a term for that. Today's Top Story Having Trouble Sleeping? Blame it on Coronasomnia The past year has been erratic, to say the least, and our sleeping habits are reflecting the anxiety we're feeling. While people may be getting more shut-eye since events and commutes have been canceled, the vast majority of people have experienced the opposite. Experts are referring to this drastic increase in pandemic insomnia as "Coronasomnia."   And, unsurprisingly in the age of technology and wellness trends, people are more interested than ever in optimizing those few hours of peace every night.   Introducing sleep tracking: the cousin of step pedometers, screen time reports, and hydration apps. Mobile sleep apps and trackers are gaining in popularity, allowing people to measure their sleep patterns.   "You can do 10 million things in a day, especially things that are meant to better your health—going to the gym, exercising," says Nina Ottaviano, a social media consultant who started tracking her sleep after receiving a Fitbit as a Christmas gift five years ago. "But if you're not sleeping, your body doesn't have time to recover. How good is anything else that you did?"   What are they good for? Basically, to tell you how much you slept the night before. Some of this technology touts the ability to wake you up in a lighter part of your rest, as opposed to REM sleep. But experts say those functions are less accurate and would likely require a brain scan. Know More Getting anxious about tracking your data? You guessed it, there's a word for how you're feeling. Orthosomnia refers to the risks involved with becoming preoccupied with improving sleep metrics. If it's stressing you out, consider taking a break. Feel Better Even if you had a restless night, you might still feel inclined to push yourself the next day. But if your tracker tells you that you slept poorly the night before, a good next step is to change up your planned activities. Maybe swap out a heavy cardio session for some deep breathing exercises and yoga. Or my personal favorite: Take a nap before dinnertime. READ MORE Many Americans thought life would have returned to normal by now. A Verywell Health survey back in March 2021 found that 21% of Americans thought we'd return to pre-pandemic life in six months, so approximately sometime in September. Now, we're entering the fall and winter seasons and the virus is still circulating among us. You Should Probably Stop Working So Hard "You snooze you lose" may be way off base. In a recent study, researchers examined how biases toward productivity affect how people experience leisure, happiness levels, and mental health. They found that if you view leisure as a "waste of time," then you're more likely to feel depressed, anxious, and stressed. READ MORE Get Your Kids Vaccinated, Your State Might Require It Last week, California became the first state to require children in public and private schools to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend in-person classes. The policy won't go into effect until the shot receives full approval from the FDA for children. Currently, Pfizer has emergency use authorization for kids 12 and up. "Based on current projections for full approval for ages 12+, we anticipate the requirement would apply to grades 7-12 starting on July 1, 2022," California state documents say. Experts say other states will likely follow their lead. READ MORE   Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy, MPhil, executive coach and psychologist based in Singapore, shares how you can look at leisure time a bit differently in order to enjoy it more. Reframe [leisure as] actually spending time to buy exponentially more time, energy, and performance. Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy, MPhil Executive coach and psychologist based in Singapore   Keep Reading   ■ Insiders in Apple's Health Care Organization Say Its Leaders Suppress Concerns and Mislead Executives. Business Insider     ■ A Botched Circumcision and its Aftermath. New Yorker     ■ Quitting Zyrtec is 'Total Hell'. Elemental More From Verywell 6 Positive Lifestyle Factors That Promote Good Health READ MORE Can Certain Vitamins Help Prevent and Treat Inflammation? READ MORE Pneumonia Vaccine Options: What's the Difference? READ MORE   How'd we do? If you have any feedback, send us a note at   feedback@verywell.com.       You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 verywellhealth.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy