The events that happen in the world have caused lots of stress for modern people. Most of us struggle with high pressure, stress, anxiety and other mental health issues that make falling asleep really hard. As a result, many people already have sleep disorders like insomnia. COVID-19 made people sit at their homes and lack social life, then a new stamp of the virus arrived, a war started, and more events are happening worldwide. Now the situation isn't changing, and people will still experience high-stress levels that disturb sleep.

However, chronic lack of sleep can lead to many health diseases, like obesity and health problems. It can also greatly affect your mood, causing anxiety and making you angry. Therefore, it is vital to cope with stress and finally achieve a quality night's rest. But first, you will need to manage your stress levels.

COVID-19 vs Sleep

During the early days of the pandemic, BSC collected a survey to see whether COVID-19 had an impact on sleep quality and how it changed the way US residents sleep. Below you will see what information was collected:

• The number of people who slept for the minimum recommended hours declined even more (54% in January 2020 compared to 49% in March 2020);
• Fewer people woke up feeling rested often or frequently (30% in January 2020 compared to 24% in March 2020);
• More people in the survey described their sleep as poor quality (43% in January 2020 compared to 52% in March 2020);
• All of the symptoms of COVID-19 had a negative impact on sleep.

As you can see, the stress and symptoms of COVID-19 that still exist have a negative impact on health and sleep. So, what does all this mean for you? And what can you do to get a quality night's rest even when so many events are happening in the world today? Explore some tips below.

How to Cope With Stress & Get a Better Sleep?

Follow Your Routine

Even though the world seems hectic today, you should create and follow your routine. That is because it will bring a sense of normalcy in your day-to-day life by allowing your brain to know the steps you will take and better prepare for sleep.

In addition, most people work remotely today. This makes the routine even more unclear. Therefore, we recommend you create a clear schedule for your day, especially the pre-sleep routine. It could include everything you like and what makes you feel calm and relaxed. A sleeping schedule is essential for a quality night's rest. That is because it may help your inner clocks signal your brain to release melatonin.

It is also best for you to follow the same schedule even during weekends since we tend to oversleep when we don't need to wake up early for work. Make your pre-sleep routine soothing by including simple yet effective activities like stretching, yoga, practising meditation and so on.

Self-Care Your Way to Better Sleep

Since COVID-19, people have started to think about self-care more. However, thanks to remote work (again), "me time" becomes any time when we don't work. However, having free time for yourself will let you get better sleep. Lack of self-care may cause sleep procrastination since you will feel like you didn't spend time on things you like during the day and will want to compensate for that time at night.

So if you want to achieve better sleep, you need to find things that you like and free some time to enjoy them. We also recommend you include physical activity since it helps to reduce stress and boost the production of our happy hormone, which positively affects mental health and improves sleep.

Find a Method to Fight the Stress Madness

Trying to manage your stress is a challenging task. We are not only trying to fight stress that comes from situations happening in our personal lives but also experiencing stress about issues happening in the world. As a result, we are not more than ever prone to mental diseases and high-stress levels that affect health and sleep.

Thankfully, there are many ways to de-stressing and calm down after a hard day. For example, you can practice meditation to better manage stress. Meditation is one of the best methods to calm the nervous system. You can also combine meditation and yoga, which will allow you to reduce stress and tension in the body, which will lead to better sleep.

Aromatherapy is natural healing from stress and anxiety. It involves using essential oils that have been shown to positively affect psychical and mental health as well. You can use a diffuser to inhale soothing essential oils like lavender to calm down, relax and improve your sleep.

Use Sleep Applications

A fall asleep app is a software specially designed to help people with sleep issues find inner balance and achieve a quality night's rest. In addition, some of them may also help reduce stress and anxiety. Sleep applications may allow users to enjoy specific sounds, like the sound of rain app or pink noise, which have been shown to effectively soothe stress and promote sleep.

Other applications are focused on special techniques and practices that help reduce body tension. These may be meditation, yoga, breathing and light stretching, which are also great for relaxing your body and mind.

Final Thoughts

People in the 21st century are experiencing high levels of stress which affects mental health, wellness and sleep. However, sleep is essential, and it may also help in coping with stress as it allows our bodies to recharge. Knowing things that cause stress, ways to fight stress and tips for sleep can improve the situation.