Thank you," "To Our Heroes" and "We Love You," read some of the signs. Hundreds of cars drove past Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Friday evening to give thanks to medical staff. Bridgewater Courier News

The coronavirus is causing fear, stress and anxiety for many, potentially preventing them from getting a good nights sleep.

Xue Ming, a professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a specialist in sleep disorders, said in a statement that sleep helps the immune system fight inflammation, infection and disease while producing proteins that are needed to recover from illness.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety, often fueled by reading news on screens, which is extending bedtimes, exposing people to blue light and keeping the adrenaline system up," Ming said. "Also, our daily routines have changed work and school hours are less structured, and people are sleeping in later than usual. Without strong discipline, a person could sleep later, following their biologic circadian rhythm, which is more than 24 hours."

Reduce stress:NJ mental health efforts, tips to combat stress during coronavirus crisis

All of theMyCentralJerseycoverage of the coronavirus is being provided for free to our readers. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to MyCentralJersey.com atMyCentralJersey.com/subscribe.

Making sure your child gets enough quality sleep is important for health and development.(Photo: PeopleImages, Getty Images)

Ming offered the following suggestions toavoidsleep disruption:

The earliest sign of depression is sleep disruption, Ming stated, and depression makes sleep fragmented even though some depressed persons sleep longer.

"Anti-depressants can further suppress the quality REM sleep," she said. "Sleep deprivation also can lead to irritability, hyper-reactivity and mood swings."

Among the supplements that help with insomnia include amino acids, such as glutamate, Ming stated, and they are involved in the production of GABA, a major sleep neurotransmitter.

Coronavirus tips: : How to handle groceries during the pandemic

When insomnia persists, Ming suggested herbal supplements, such as tryptophan, which also is an amino acid; melatonin or valerian root.

"A balanced diet rich in proteins ensures GABA synthesis," Ming said. "Vitamins and essential minerals are important to bodily functions that maintain sleep health. For example, vitamin B and D play important roles in biochemical pathways in the cells.

"Sleep aids should not be used frequently or long-term, however," she continued "Always seek the advice of your physician before using these sleep aids. For example, valerian root has been reported to cause liver damage in some people."

When sick, the body needs more sleep to increase immunity, Ming stated, and a natural defense mechanism adapts inflammation-induced sleep, which helps fight infection.

"If your sleep is disrupted by a chronic cough, use cough medicine at bedtime under a physicians guidance," Ming suggested.

Keeping a bedtime routine and regular sleep time can condition your body to fall and stay asleep, she stated.

About two hours before bedtime, Ming suggested dimming the lights; practicingmeditation, yoga and deep breathing; listen to light music; wear a visor or sunglasses if in a lighted environment,and wear earplugs if necessary.

"Do not drink caffeinated or hot beverages or take a shower as that can rev up your adrenaline system," she suggested. "Stop using any blue light-emitting device, which can affect your bodys production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. Avoid anything that prompts anxiety, such as an argument, watching horror movies, vigorous exercise, hot beverages or shower/bath, which are all counter-productive for falling and staying asleep.

Also avoid alcohol at bedtime. While alcohol can induce sleep, when the alcohol level drops a few hours later, your sleep becomes fragmented. Likewise, eating close to bedtime can lead to gastric reflux due to a full stomach, which can disrupt sleep."

Circadian rhythm dictates the optimal times for falling asleep effortlessly and can vary by age, Ming stated.

The best time for adults is to go to sleep is from 9 to 11 p.m. earlier if elderly and they should get seven to nine hours of sleep, she suggested. For older teens and young adults, the optimal time to go to sleep is between 10 p.m. to midnight and haveeight to 10 hours of sleep, she continued. For young children and those who are school age, a bedtime between 7 and 8 p.m. is optimal, with nine to 11 hours of sleep, she concluded.

Email: bmakin@gannettnj.com

Bob Makin covers Rutgers for MyCentralJersey.com and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey. To get unlimited access to his informative and entertainingwork,please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Read or Share this story: https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/health/2020/04/07/coronavirus-tips-how-maintain-healthy-sleeping-habits-stress-anxiety/2951354001/

Continue reading here:
Coronavirus tips: How to maintain healthy sleeping habits during the pandemic - My Central Jersey

Comments are closed.