Lockdown wreaks havoc on sleep cycles

PATNA: Amid the third phase of the Covid-19 lockdown, stress and anxiety have altered the sleep schedules of many youngsters in the city. Those, who used to sleep for almost eight hours every night, are struggling to go to bed early now.
Kankarbagh resident Anjali Singh noticed that her sleep pattern was adversely affected by the lockdown. She said, “I always slept before 11pm, but the current lockdown has changed my routine completely.Working from home and not getting enough sleep these days is really stressful.”
Bailey Road resident Aryan Raj even consulted a psychiatrist due to acute sleep deprivation. “Insufficient sleep began affecting my mental health. I, therefore, got in touch with a psychiatrist, who asked me to rely on physical exercises and a healthy diet,” he told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, psychiatrists claimed that stress and insomnia were connected. Santosh Kumar, nodal officer of the de-addiction centre at the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, pointed out, “Working from home and lack of a proper routine have disrupted the sleep patterns of many people. Some of them are consuming medicines without consulting doctors, which has affected their mental health.”
Talking about different ways to improve the sleep cycle during the lockdown, Santosh said, “Condition your mind in such a way that you go to bed only if you feel sleepy. Also, try exercises and meditation.”
Clinical psychologist Binda Singh claimed, “This lockdown has resulted in a number of ailments, including sleep disorders. I am receiving a lot of calls from patients seeking help.”
Citing the example of a Muzaffarpur man, who recently contacted her, Binda said, “He is so stressed due to the lockdown that he is unable to sleep well.”