Hey CV-19, we’re taking Labor Day back.
With Labor Day in clear sight, one can’t help but wonder if the long weekend will be more than just another scene from Groundhog Day? Will we simply wake up in the same day we’ve been living for the last 6-months – or can we break free? The effects of COVID-19 have melted time and space, blurring boundaries and decimating rituals and habits we once used to not only compartmentalize our lives but keep us mentally and physically well.
Yes, losing daily anchor points like our kids going to school, heading to work with a 6-buck latte in our hands, Jazzercising at the gym or just having a night out with friends has spun our internal calendars and clocks like a washing machine. That said, what if we used this Labor Day as an opportunity to break COVID-19’s shackles? What if we ripped the long-weekend free from CV-19’s invisible grip to reestablish requisite habits of good mental and physical health? And one habit (and perhaps our most vital resource) that we are particularly interested in is a good night’s sleep.
Let’s first take a quick look at how fundamentally important a good night’s sleep is.
- Top of the list might be the fact that sleep fuels healthy immune systems.
- Sleep also elevates brain function, relating to decision making, complex thinking, memory and learning.
- When it comes to energy levels, sleep helps significantly elevate your mood, which fights off feelings of depression. Sawing some solid logs also helps fend off disorders related to anxiety, bipolar and post-traumatic stress, not to mention cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.
- Your heart also needs the Sandman’s supports for its health, by giving it a break to rest. Studies show that regularly getting less than 6 hours of sleep leads to a 48% greater chance of heart disease and a 15% greater chance of a stroke.
- Poor sleep is also correlated with obesity, as low energy and fatigue lead to poor eating habits.
Bottom line, a good night’s sleep is about as important as the air we breathe.
Now that we’ve reacquainted ourselves with the vital virtues of sleep, let’s look at how we can use this long Labor Day weekend to combat COVID-19’s attack on our slumber.
- First off, try and reestablish a schedule by setting a wake-up time, a wind-down time and bedtime.
- When you rise and shine, you might as well shower and get dressed like the good old days!
- Remember your bed’s for sleep, not working, watching TV, or eating lasagna. Keep your sheets sacred.
- Make sure you’re getting some sunlight every day too, as your circadian rhythm (your sleep cycle) depends on it!
- Be the boss of your day and make time to exercise, stretch, meditate, down-dog, or whatever boosts your buoy and calms you down.
- Despite the fact eating and drinking too much may feel like all we have these days… overindulging can wreak havoc on sleep.
- Last but not least, go easy on too much “bad” news and excessive screen time especially at night. Make sure to find some good news where you can and go read a book!
Labor Day has always marked the unofficial transition from summer to fall. Let’s show COVID-19 we have what it takes to use the long weekend to mark the official reestablishing of vital parts of our lives which we need and deserve like our sleep. We’re all in this together so let’s make sure we get our rest!
During these crazy times, it’s essential to be able to pick your head up and take stock in what’s going on all around us and how it affects us. At Unbound we pride ourselves on keeping a finger on the pulse of how the World’s turning, so we can help our clients act accordingly. Going beyond the obvious and digging deep into the onion is where unique insights lie. And we live for insights, because that’s where opportunities are born.
