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The Daily PollBEING STUCK INSIDE for weeks on end is certainly changing the way people go about their daily lives. But it’s apparently changing their nightly lives too.
Researchers at King’s College London have found that most people are reporting better sleep and more intense dreams since the UK’s lockdown on 23 March.
Among other reasons, it’s being put down to students not having to go to school and workers not having to commute to work. But have you been sleeping better or worse in the past few weeks?
Poll: Has the stay-at-home order been affecting your sleep?
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Drunk every night so not sure.
@Aunties: You are up early! :-)
@David Corrigan: maybe they haven’t gone to bed
@Forest Hump: it would be some party then.
@Aunties: Same.
@Aunties: it has to stop.
I’ve even started to social distance in my dreams.
@John Condon: That’s funny, last night i was giving a speech telling everyone to wash their hands and to avoid touching their face.
@Richard Sweeney: I had the weirdest dream last night. I did a tour of the mater ICU and I was on the Late Late show describing to Ryan what I’d seen. Was so vivid Weird.
@Brian Hunt: Well I had a dream I was going out with Ryan Tubridy:)
I’m a (non-frontline) healthcare worker so still going to work every day. But my sleep is disturbed, vivid dreams, generally unsettled.
We’ve a new born… Lockdown began on March 1st for us and the lack of sleep also.
@Brendan Brennan: Congratulations on the new arrival!
@Brendan Brennan: Me too, he was born on 8th of March, oh the night feeds. Back to work today after 5 weeks off. Lol, my Fitbit tells me I get 4hrs sleep on average. Congrats to you both.
As an Elder Lemom with more years on the clock than I care to remember, I have a daily routine of walking the equivalent of 3 to 4 miles with Alfie (the dog) around 2 local housing estates, and I credit my walking routine with my regular sleeping pattern.
@Noel Martin: same Noel. Up the same time, bed at 11. Can’t work from home so I have to keep active. Dogs walked 3 times a day around the estate. I’ve got a home gym set up out back. Only thing different i get now is an early afternoon nap. Diets stayed perfect. Meditate more. Breathing exercises. Other than the corona virus my stress levels are zero. Zoom calls with family friends and even gym friends for a workout have been my Netflix.
Not knock the rest of you. I used be a terrible sleeper. More video games til 1am then up at 7am so probably got by on 3-4 hours sleep for too long. If you can do one thing with this lockdown for the good. Fix your sleep. Best thing for your immune system and long term health.
@Noel Martin: as an Elder(ish) Lemon I walk around the same distance as you with my 2 dogs but unfortunately it does nothing for my insomnia
@Rebekah Corbett: here’s some things to try. No caffeine 8 hours before bed. HRV breathing first thing in the morning , last thing at night. Nice YouTube 10min video for each. Walking isn’t just enough, you may not be tired enough. Try find a routine or circuit of exercises you can do daily to get the blood flowing. Air squats , yoga, some type of movement. Turn all the lights off an hour before you go to bed, leave on only a salt lamp(mimics sunset) stretch before bed. Try a warm shower. One thing that really helped me, was a weighted blanket, if you try this make sure you get the weight right.(10% of body weight) if you’re taking a long time to fall asleep get up and walk around the house a little. Sit on the couch and practice breathing again.
@Rebekah Corbett: but the best thing to do, as we are creatures of habit, is to break the habits that are keeping you awake (caffeine , phone screens, tv, lack of exercise, stress) and replace them with positive habits… that and sticking to an exact same go to bed , and get up time each day. Over time you’re body and mind will get into sync. Hope this helps.
@Martin McFly: thanks Martin. Have always been a lousy sleeper. I don’t drink caffeine after 2pm but I do watch the TV before bed so I’ll try cutting that out.
I do believe I would have gone dullaly but for music. I signed up for Spotify due to having excess cash now that I’m only buying groceries. Spot of gardening, some walks. I have to my amazement found out a little bit more about myself. Unusually yesterday while cooking the Sunday lunch for my family, a song came on and I very unexpectedly weeped for a short while. I have elderly loved ones in quaranteen and I assume it’s because I’ve “withheld” any thoughts about them.
My little 5 year old grabbed my leg and gave me a hug without saying a word. Take care all.
I wake up at least 5 times a night. I absolutely hate this! I understand the importance of it and agree with it but it’s crushing me.
@Carlin Ite: ditto. Stay strong
@Carlin Ite: I’m waking up at least 5 times a day, its ridiculous at this stage
@Carlin Ite: me too. It’s a head wreck. I have Parkinson’s and need to rest. Just not happening.
@Ann Moynihan: sorry to hear that Ann look after yourself
Essential worker here so I’m not sleeping any better or any worse. I think the worry of it all is causing the more lack of sleep. Dont know what you’re going to face when you wake up.
@Christina Colling: plus a toddler who doesnt sleep doesnt help matters
@Christina Colling: you are going to face your house, your fridge, your TV. And that’s all. Maybe a shop later on. It’s not like your going to battle, is it? I also have a toddler in a small appartment so honestly i think it’s all about attitude. Switch off the news, keep the head down, and get by, day to day.
@Michelle Prendergast: she is an essential worker so facing more than just a toddler
@Michelle Prendergast: it would be nice if people read the comments properly before jumping to judgement. She is an ESSENTIAL WORKER so she is facing a battle every day. She doesn’t have the luxury (and it really is a luxury) of staying at home.
Thank you so much for your work Christina.
@Michelle Prendergast: shut up. One thing ppl can do is complain, so let them. Im tired of selfrightous, allsaints attitudes all around. Not everyone is watching netflix and relaxing trough this.Not everyone have gardens and balconies. Ppl have different problems and circumstances. The way you are responding to her shows your attidute alright.Its miserable.
It’s great. No alarm. No hurry to get up. Nothing to do but watch Netflix and eat junk food
@Mattress Dick: sounds like a dream. I’m an essential worker unfortunately. Grrrr
@Mattress Dick: Might be worth thinking of helping someone in need – and less smug…
@Wishywashy: same.
@Ale Ceaser: Might be worth getting a sense of humour – and being less judgemental
@Ale Ceaser: might be worth thinking he needed a break from a stressful job, and how do you know he is not helping others????
@Anthony Edward Healy: ‘nothing to do’ – says a lot…
@HectorPickaxe: laziness is funny¡
When you are dreaming of being in supermarket and there is no wine left….that’s when you know it’s getting bad
Teething baby cares not about his parent’s sleep. Daddy nurse still has to go out to work though…
@David Brosnan: Hang in there David, enjoy your little lad, these things will pass. …my mother used to rub whisky on my gums when I was teething apparently :o . …nowadays we’d be put into care!
Staying up late because I’m off …but still waking up for work
No, normal sleep pattern, thankfully still employed on the frontline and very grateful for my employment.
@Joe Moore: we are grateful for you
Staying awake till all hours and during the day finding my self drift………
I’m getting way more exercise but am finding sleep elusive. Have been watchng the caffeine levels in the afternoons. I get enough sleep but when I am sleeping it feels like I am awake the entire night, processing the day. This is has been the way for me over the years but the past month or so has been more “busy” at night in my head!
Sticking to a routine, but I don’t miss the 5.45AM wake up and hour long commute every day. I am happy getting up at 8 and then having a proper breakfast taking my time before my video calls. Hopefully this shows more people are capable of remote work in the future after this ends.
The best in years! No early mornings at 5.30am, no evenings rushing around collecting kids, making dinner, doing homework, bed time routine, trying to clean and prep
Affect my sleep, going to sleep at 5am has become the norm.
Sleeping far better.
No work stress, given up cigarettes and getting into a routine of early to bed, early to rise whereas before I was a night owl.
Given lots of time for reflection and makes you think we spend most our life running around too busy to appreciate things.
I’d imagine a lot of people may change their lifestyles after this is over
Sticking to same routine. Get up at 7am…go for a run…bed at 10pm. (I am lucky enough to work from home in between that)
Affect my sleep, going to bed sleep at 5am has become the norm.
I live with a noisy early bird who is working from home so definitely worse but on the plus side my earplugs arrived yesterday :)
All over the shop
Bed early, up early dogs walked before 7. WFH. lunch time nap with the dutchess. Whats not to like.
No longer constrained by the boundaries of time, sleep has been glorious.
Definitely worse but not too bad, too many box sets :)
My body seems to need less sleep since I’m getting less exercise and the days bring far less sensory stimulation (so maybe fewer cases for the sleep-brain to make sense of). I’m waking up at least 1hr before my alarm most days now. Though, I was hungover today from all the sugar and coffee (off them for Lent) on Sunday, so only woke 5 mins before the alarm.
Never slept better
Yeah, I’ve been getting 8 hours a day. Not sure if I should ring the doctor or not.
I go to bed later and get up at the usual time. Always tired as a result.
Bunch of pussies.
Sleep is sleep. Get 4 to 5 hours and shut the f*ck up
@Tony Driver: you need a good hug when this is all over.
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