Difficulty sleeping, stress, anxiety, a general fear that the world is ending, anguish for the future and work from home in non-ergonomic situations, perhaps with the PC on the legs lying on the bed. If during the lockdown we experienced these situations and while not underestimating them, we considered them less important than the tragic news of the pandemic, now a phase 3 has also arrived for our well-being, to recover psychologically, perhaps starting from good sleep which is the first element that makes us feel better. The suggestions, which are based on GIJTR, the Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in South Africa, are within everyone's reach. Here they are:
Look for natural light: just staying in the window while the sun is shining for a few minutes in the morning can help you wake up and send those signals to your body about when it's time to work and when it's time to rest.
Divide work time and rest time: when working from home it is extremely important to send signals to your brain to clearly delimit when it is time to work and when it is time to rest. This is essential for increasing productivity during the day and making sure you can sleep at night. Have a designated workspace, and stick to clear working hours rather than continuously diving.
Having a technological <clame>: in the evening we may be tempted to work late or continue to watch our favorite TV show; this means that we continue to expose ourselves to the light and feed our mind with more information (exciting or frightening, both are stimulating). To counter this, sleep well and feel rested, try setting a sort of curfew, moving away from the phone and laptop and give your mind the opportunity to settle down with relaxation before going to bed.
Stick to regular meals: working at home may have changed habits, especially when it comes to snacks to be consumed all day. Do your best to adhere to regular meals to maintain a proper schedule and thus keep track of your body's natural sleep signals. Being at home could lead to snacks that are richer in comfort food (which have more sugar and are high in fat) and irregular meals. Caffeine and other stimulants affect alertness and make it more difficult to fall asleep if consumed later in the day.
Reduce Stress: Stress and anxiety are the main culprits of sleep problems, whether they are making it impossible to slip away or making you turn and turn all night. Make sure you have tools to deal with stress and anxiety when they arise - this could mean awareness, breathing techniques or talking about your concerns with a friend or medical advisor. Make the effort to get in touch using old and new formats - email, phone, chat apps and so on are all great ways to compensate for gloomy feelings.
It is completely normal to feel upset right now - this is a new situation for all of us and there is no "right" way to react. Do what you need to feel comfortable and get the rest you need. These are uncertain and stressful times, nobody knows exactly the future.