{"id":26103,"date":"2020-10-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/family-sleep-tips-pandemic\/"},"modified":"2023-06-28T21:38:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T21:38:14","slug":"family-sleep-tips-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/family-sleep-tips-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Sleep Tips for Your Family During the Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If your family’s sleep habits have been out of whack since the COVID-19 pandemic began, you’re not alone. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the stress brought on by an infectious disease outbreak can lead to changes in sleep patterns<\/a>, difficulty sleeping, and worsening of mental health conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a single mom, I can tell you first-hand that getting a good night’s sleep has been a real challenge for me these last seven months. There were many times I’d wake up in the middle of the night<\/a> with worry and then struggle to get back to sleep. (Thankfully, my daughter’s sleep has remained mostly stable, with a few nights here and there of tossing and turning due to anxiety<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that kids across the country are back in school\u2014whether that’s virtually or in-person or a mix of both\u2014and you’re juggling work priorities while overseeing their education, it’s more important than ever to get back into a good sleep routine. That’s because sleep is key to ensuring you perform your best on the job, and it’s also a must when it comes to a child’s growth and development<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for a good night’s sleep during a pandemic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The good news is, you can get your family back to peaceful slumber with the following advice from experts, as well as a few tips I’ve found helpful for myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meditate to calm anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The other night, I woke up from a deep slumber<\/a> and couldn’t fall back asleep. I started to count the hours\/minutes\/seconds until the alarm would go off in the morning, panicking that I’d never get back to sleep. Then I decided to stop worrying and do something about it: I pulled out my Calm app<\/a> and did a five-minute deep-sleep meditation<\/a> that helped me drift right off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to those occasional middle-of-the-night guided meditations, I try to meditate every day for five to 15 minutes. It’s made a huge difference in my sleep, anxiety levels, confidence, and happiness. Science supports this: Research shows meditation can help ease insomnia<\/a>, which is often caused by stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise regularly\u2014and get your kids involved<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I work out virtually about three or four times a week, plus I do one very small group session in person. It gives structure to my days, teaches me discipline, helps me stay fit, and provides me with a social outlet. Plus, studies show exercise can improve sleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD, fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and author of Become Your Child’s Sleep Coach: The Bedtime Doctor’s 5-Step Guide, Ages 3-10<\/em><\/a>, notes that physical activity is also important for kids. Here, she shares some ideas for helping your little ones get some energy out so they can sleep better at night:<\/p>\n\n\n\n