Sleep to Cope with COVID-19

Sleep is very important. In fact, not sleeping enough causes problems in all aspects of life. For example, it has been shown that poor sleep has the same effect on your ability to drive properly, much like drunk driving. Now imagine how that is affecting your ability to make correct judgments when it comes to decisions about your financial future!

You need to ensure that you're sleeping well so that your mind is refreshed, alert and capable of coming up with well-considered financial solutions to help you stabilise your finances and get through this period.

Why you can't sleep right

Our lives have been turned upside down in the past few weeks with new realities such as 'social distancing' and 'lockdown', as well as heightened worry about our health and financial situations. All of these increase stress and anxiety, which badly affect our sleeping patterns. Even if you're one of the lucky ones who are still earning a salary at this time, just knowing about COVID-19 is enough to trigger stress.

How to sleep better

One of the easiest steps you can take to help you sleep better right now is to set firm boundaries around work and rest. Decide on a time when you will log off work and stop checking and responding to work-related notifications. Consider closing all work-related apps and programmes on your devices after hours and over weekends. And remember to switch off those electronic devices before bedtime, as the blue light they give off actually stimulates the mind to stay awake. You might also need to consider either cutting down on, or entirely avoiding, stimulants like caffeine and depressants like alcohol.

And don't forget to get regular exercise and a good dose of sunshine whenever you can! Phased lockdown means that regular exercise within a reasonable distance of your home is an option once again, so use it.

Now that you're sleeping better...

Another tip you can follow, once you've got a daily routine that works for you and helps you manage your stress and workload, is to plan your life when your mental function is at its most optimal: in the morning after you've woken up, done your exercises and eaten your breakfast, and have activated your mind and body. Of course, your optimal time of the day could be different, say late afternoon, so you may want to test that. But generally, morning is better.

The free comparative tool on Hippo.co.za lets you evaluate personal loan options that can help you stabilise your finances and survive this period with not just your mental and physical wellness intact, but your financial wellness too.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or medical advice.