Time for shutdown

I have not slept yet its 521 in the morning and I am eating ramen alone in the kitchen downstairs model Chrissy Teigen said last Friday venting about quarantine anxiety on her Instagram stories Sleep and the lack of it has always been a hot topic But never before have we had a universal cause for its disruption mdash a virus A popular TikTok video shows a teenager fuelled with rage smacking her bed mattress and on Twitter you wont miss people tweeting Anyone up at an unearthly hourAccording to a study released by Bengalurubased sleep solutions startup Wakefitco last week the lockdown has altered the sleep schedules of 67 per cent of the 1500 respondents they surveyed From this sample 46 per cent would sleep before 11 pm prior to the lockdown and only 39 per cent do so now while 35 per cent have started sleeping after 12 amDealing with demotivationA writer working for a media company Tess Joss was never one to indulge in bingewatching Postlockdown the activity is now equivalent to an essential good for her I think Ill spiral if I quit this she says Joss was accustomed to a strict work and sleep routine The 32yearold would travel from Chembur to her Lower Parel office for her 7 am shift finish work by 330 pm and go to bed by 1030 pm Now her eyes arent shut before 1 am even though her shift timing remains the same while working from home Noon naps she says are dangerous because they last for at least two hours which only delays bedtimeTess JossAnother of Joss concerns is the weight gain owing to constant snackingShe attributes this change to the lack of physical activity since her commute to office would exhaust her In fact Joss hadnt even realised that her routine was disrupted all this while until she engaged in a discussion with her friends last week I have stopped watching the news due to the overload of information and it made me feel better Im also someone who prefers handson work I love to draw but the material in front of me is still untouched I cant make sense of this demotivation she shares When the lockdown ends Joss hopes to engage in physical activityWhy go to bedConsultant psychiatrist at Breach Candy and Lilavati Hospitals Dr Vihang Vahia says that currently while the focus is on preventive measures minimal attention is given to finance and emotions Drawing from a webinar he attended by Maclean Hospitals Dr Christopher Palmer he says that broadly there are two kinds of people right now busy and bored While healthcare water and sanitation workers farmers government and bank officers are working tirelessly the latter group is facing job insecurity Being at home is like solitary confinement You lose track of what is day and night he saysDr Vihang VahiaThe importance of sleep cannot be undermined at a time like this A study in the journal Sleep showed that a shorter duration of it was associated with an increased susceptibility to common cold In the monthly reviews journal Nature Reviews Immunology Michael R Irwin one of the worlds foremost experts on psychoneuroimmunology suggests that sleep provides a survival advantage it supports the immune system and helps vaccines work Referencing a proverb Vahia adds Dont worry yourself sick If you worry about what you dont want youll get what you dont wantSpacing outWith college lectures scheduled from 830 am until 1 or 3 pm Shreya Nairs bedtime would vary although she made it a rule to sleep before 1 am On Fridays and Saturdays though she would often stay up all night to study or bingewatch when she didnt have anywhere to be the next morning Once the lockdown was announced the Wadala resident saw her sleep schedule change massively I sleep only by 5 am and wake up by 12 pm This is mostly because in the day I find it difficult to focus on anything as the entire family is awake engaged with watching TV There is thus a lack of privacy So at night I can focus better due to fewer distractions If I start writing an assignment after midnight I might finish it in two hours of focused work as opposed to it taking much longer in the day mdash due to distraction procrastination and the constant anxiety that TV news induces she sharesShreya NairAlthough Nair 23 says this schedule hasnt affected her health yet she acknowledges that it might not be sustainable It is difficult to change this pattern but she is hopeful of doing it once her online classes begin this week She adds Once the lockdown ends I will definitely make an effort to bring life back to whatever new normal we adoptBrushing away negativityThis thought of marna hi hai toh kya kare ie learned helplessness isnt helping anyone When Charles Darwin mentioned his theory of survival of the fittest he wasnt referring to physical fitness but adapting to the emerging reality Vahia says So instead of contemplating about What is this life ask yourself What purpose have I set in my life What do I want to do now and in the futureAnother cause for sleeprelated concerns he gets from clients is loneliness People tell me that theyre sleeping during the day because the night makes them anxious There is nothing to do then and everyone is asleep he says advising When you have bad thoughts at night write them down on a paper and tell yourself that you will think about it in the morning As much as possible refrain from medication to induce sleep Vahia believes that alcohol wont solve the problem it affects consciousness and could make you feel worse And if you do want to talk to someone dont text Pick up the phone and engage in a meaningful conversationwith themSteps for sound sleepDr Vahia recommends the TIPP skill suggested by psychiatrist Dr Blaise Aguirre Here is how you can go about itTemperature In India it is often said that if youre angry go bathe in cold water Similarly use this method to be more mindful Dip a towel into icy water and dab it on your face like a cold compressIntense exercise Do something that is physical and repetitive mdash cut vegetables climb up and down a flight of stairs or skip a ropePaced breathing and progressive muscle relaxation Calm down through yoga or meditation Relaxation will leave you with energy to cope when things get bad Ask yourself how many difficulties youve overcome in the past mdash if you can overcome a bad boss why cant you overcome restrictions around a virus outbreakCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news