Sleepless in the city

HYDERABAD: When a netizen asked K Taraka Rama Rao, Telangana’s IT minister, if he is getting adequate sleep as he is active on Twitter 24x7, the minister replied that “my sleep cycle has gone for a toss”.  Crumbling mental health is one of the undesirable side-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. On one hand, there are healthcare workers, sanitation workers, administrators and other essential service providers who are working amid the risk of infection, and on the other hand there are several others who are under home quarantine. In this situation which can give rise to various negative emotions like fear of death, worry about the health of family members and isolation, anxiety and depression are rearing their ugly heads.

A vital parameter of health which is bearing the brunt of these unprecedented conditions is sleep. Mental health experts too agree that they have been seen a rise in the number of people worried about the quality of sleep. Explaining how the lockdown is triggering insomnia, Pragya Rashmi, a consultant psychologist, says:  “One of the symptoms given for the pandemic is insomnia. In these times of uncertainty, anxiety is higher, which in turn affects our sleep cycle. Long periods of inactivity, owing to the change in lifestyle brought by Covid-19, can affect the quality of sleep.” “Research shows that our sleep cycle is dependent on light. Sunlight is a zeitgeber (an environmental agent or event such as the occurrence of light or dark) that provides the stimulus setting or resetting a biological clock of an organism)  which tells our brains whether we should sleep or not. Since we are confined to our homes now, we are unable to get enough of this cue to sleep. 

Our pandemic diet too can lead to sluggishness and drowsiness throughout the day. The comfort meals of Indians tend to be high in carbohydrates, which can make one feel heavy. Right now, with the scarcity of green vegetables, people are eating grains and potatoes more. They are also avoiding non-veg food, which is an important source of protein,” she adds. Radhika Acharya, a psychologist, says: “ TheCovid-19 pandemic has given rise to several fears about our health, livelihood, welfare of family members etc., and these are leading to excess of neuronal activation, which does not let our brain rest and go to sleep. Sudden change in habits too can cause anxiety. For example, alcoholics are unable to find liquor in this lockdown, and that is causing them immense stress. “The absence of time anchors too is messing up our biological clock, says Pragya.

“The absence of regular time anchors is also disrupting daily routine. Weekdays, weekends and festival days are all merging into one, erasing the concept of time. This too can contribute to a disturbed sleep cycle,” she says. Stating that a change of attitude can help us in these tough times, Radhika says: “Lack of sleep can lead to increased heart rate, high blood pressure, digestion-related issues and inability to focus on tasks. The best way to address this issue is to set a timetable for ourselves, and change how we look at the situation. By controlling how we react to this lockdown, we can reduce the anxieties that come with it.”

WHO (World Health Organization) tips on managing  Covid - 19 stress:

• It is normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or angry during a crisis.Talking to people you trust can help. Contact your friends and family.
• Don’t use smoking, alcohol or other drugs to deal with your emotions.
• If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a health worker or counsellor. Have a plan, where to go to and how to seek help for physical and mental health needs if required.
• Limit worry and agitation by lessening the time you and your family spend watching or listening to media coverage that you perceive as upsetting.
• Draw on skills you have used in the past that have helped you to manage previous life’s adversities and use those skills to help you manage your emotions during the challenging time of this outbreak.

— Kakoli Mukherjee  kakoli_mukherjee@newindianexpress.com  @KakoliMukherje2