The Bigger Picture: Quality Sleep

I can't remember a time before the pandemic when I couldn't fall asleep and stay asleep. Falling asleep was never hard for me, although I was not out as soon as my head hit the pillow. I'd welcome Netflix, a book, or even a wind-down playlist to make the shift to bedtime. If you've ever struggled with sleep, please know that this isn't a light flex because no sleep is wack AF. 

But when the pandemic happened, and working from home and logging in for class and every virtual birthday party turned happy hour, it was tough to turn my brain off. Initially, I was perplexed when bouts of insomnia happened, mainly because I'd spent the first few months proclaiming being at home was as good as it could get for social introverts like myself. But I quickly realized there was more time than there were things to do at home, short of working more and reading journal articles for school research. And then it happened - between 3-4 AM, I'd find myself in a vicious cycle where I was up, and my mind would be racing with thoughts that I couldn't turn off.

At first, I shrugged it off and used the time to catch up on my work to-do list and inbox. And then, it got the best of me when being up for consecutive nights started happening. I felt horrible, I was cranky, and it didn't take much for me to cry in between meetings randomly. I kept asking myself who I'd pissed off to deserve sleep deprivation. But it turned out that I wasn't alone. A quick Google search revealed how many people struggled to get a good night's sleep at the height of the pandemic. Adding insult to injury, I also learned about racial disparities related to insomnia and the pandemic. 

My rabbit hole of scouring the web morphed into researching the what and why, and importantly, how to find my way back to consistent 8-hour-a-night sleep. By no means is there some magical anecdote, but I've learned where there's room for intentionality, there's progress. Below are a few themes I've learned and some tips that have helped me get back to becoming more consistent in getting some much-needed Z's. 

1) Consider the disparities between race, gender, and rest

I sought to understand these disparities and view race and gender as intersectional nuances through available conceptual frameworks. The racial sleep gap is a matter of unequal access to safe, reliable, and comfortable sleep environments, and sleeping inequality has a long history. For Black women, sleep health is understudied, especially ethnic-gender identities and intra-racial differences in sleep and stress. 

2) Evaluate activities leading up to bedtime 

Like many people, spending a ridiculous amount of time in front of a screen felt quite normal. If it wasn't my work laptop or the tv, it was me and my cell phone in bed. While there is research on screen time, it is believed that total screen time per se does not affect adults' sleep. The use of screens at night and before bed is potentially problematic. So, watching all those random Reels and TikTok videos your friends send you before bedtime can be an issue. 

3) Create bedtime rituals you look forward to 

Being plagued with insomnia intensified my anxiety before bedtime. The thought of getting another night of trash sleep wasn't helpful, so I invested in rituals that could reshape how I'd approach wind-down. I had already acknowledged the causes of my lack of sleep (e.g., stress and fear of the unknown). Although there was no solution to eradicate either, I focused on apps that included activities like meditation before bed or stretching to clear my mind's racing thoughts. The shift didn't happen overnight, but with consistency, I could see a positive change. 

4) Seek out professional help when sleep issues continue

Our experiences are unique and complex, so valuing the power of seeking professional help is paramount if sleep issues exist. 

At the end of the day, we all need different things. Experiment to understand what works best for you, and see an expert if you believe you need professional help. There are no absolute rules or tips, so find activities tailored to your specific needs. Today is another opportunity to get good, quality sleep.