Sleep Medicine Specialist Discusses How People Can Improve Sleeping Schedule During COVID-19 Outbreak

Jim Donovan reports.

GOOD MORNING I'M JIMDONOVAN BROADCASTING FROM MYHOME IN THIS AGE OF SOCIALDISTANCING.A LIEUTENANT OF FOLKS DURINGTHE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ARELOSING SLEEP.WE WANTED TO GET SOME ANSWERSON HOW PEOPLE CAN IMPROVETHAT.JIM ME IS DOCTOR HAMILTON FROMA CERTIFIED SLEEP MEDICINESPECIALIST, AND MEDICALDIRECTOR OF SLEEP LABS ATVIRTUA IN MOUNT HOLY ANDJEFFERSON IN WASHINGTONTOWNSHIP.GOOD MORNING, DOCTOR HAMILTON.HI, GOOD MORNING, JIM.SO A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHTNOW EVEN IF THEY DENT HAVE AHISTORY OF SLEEP PROBLEMS THEYMAY NOT GET REST THAT THEYNEED.WHAT DO YOU ADVISE YOURPATIENTS AND OTHERS.FOR ONE THING WE ARE ALLEXPERIENCING A LOT OF STRESS.THAT IS NORMAL.BUT AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TOTURN OFF WHAT IS GOING ON INTHE WORLD.THAT MENS SHUTTING OFF NEWS.THERE IS A LOT OF ANXIETYSTRESSFUL THOUGHTS.WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS IF YOUHAVE RACING THOUGHTS SPENT ACOUPLE HOURS, WRITE FOR 15MINUTES, 30 MINUTES ABOUT THETHINGS GOING THROUGH YOURHEAD.IT MIGHT BE RANDOM THOUGHTS.WHATEVER IT IS, YOU MAY COMEUP WITH SOLUTIONS, COPING, MAYWRITE A TO DO LIST, BUT ITGETS SOME OF THE THOUGHTS OUTOF YOUR HEAD AND PUTS THEM ONPAPER WHICH IS HELPFUL.A LIEUTENANT OF FOLKS WHENTHEY HAVE ISSUES SLEEPING,THEY GET TO THE MEDICINECABINET FROM TIME-TO-TIME.YES.ISN'T IT A LONG DRAWN OUTSTRETCH ARE THERE RISKS OF THEPEOPLE SELF MEDICATING FOR TOOLONG.LOTS OF OPTIONS AND SOMEHAVE SIDE EFFECTS.IF YOU FINE YOURSELF TAKING ASLEEP AID EVERY NIGHT, YOUWILL DEVELOP DEPENDENS, YOUWILL BE DEPENDENT ON A SLEEPAID.SOON THAT STARTS IN THE TO BEENOUGH.YOU GO UP.YOU DEVELOP TOLERANCE.SO, I WOULD START GOODHYGIENE, POWER DOWNELECTRONICS, 30 TO 60 MINUTES.IT ALLOWS NATURAL MELATONIN TOBE SECRETED.AND DIM LIGHTING, MOOD MUSIC.HOW ABOUT A BEDTIME RITUAL.YOU LIKE ADULT COLORING BOOKS.AIM SITTING THERE.IT CALMS ME DOWN.IT LEVELS ME OUT.EXACTLY.STAY AT HOME, EVERYBODYSTUCK INSIDE, AND YOU KNOWTHEY ARE GETTING COUPED UP.THEY ARE IN THE LEAVING.SOME ARE NOT LEAVING THEIRHOUSE AT ALL.WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO GETOUTSIDE A LITTLE BIT.YOU KNOW, JIM IT IS ALLABOUT SUNLIGHT.FOR ONE THING SUNLIGHT, LIGHTHELPS OUR RHYTHM, IT KEEPS USIN STEP.IT WAKES US UP, IT PROVIDESVITAMIN D.THAT HELPS OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMWHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVESTRONG, ROBUST RIGHT NEWVITAMIN D AND IMMUNE SYSTEM.WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS WEWILL SEE INCREASE OFSEASONALLY EFFECTIVE DISORDEROR WINTER BLUES IN ITS PLACEBECAUSE WE ARE ALL COUPED UP.WE HAVE TO GET OUT, GETSUNLIGHT TO HELP OUR MOOD, OURIMMUNE SYSTEM, OUR ENERGY.WEAR YOUR SUN SCREEN.IF YOU CANNOT GET OUTSIDE SITBY AN OPENED WINDOW TO GETYOUR SUNLIGHT.A LOT OF PEOPLE DEVELOPHABITS.IF WE'RE STUCK IN THIS ROUTINEFOR A IN OR TWO, WILL THATPLAY A LASTING EFFECT AS FARAS OUR SLEEP HYGIENISTCONCERN.IT SURE CAN.WHEN YOU TRAVEL DIFFERENT TIMEZONES YOU GET JET LAG.YOU GET OVER IT.YOU BOUNCE BACK.WE ARE DEVELOPING A SOCIAL JETLAG.MOST PEOPLE SHOULD GET OVERIT.FOR SOME IF YOU HAVE A REGULARSCHEDULE IT CAN PERPETUATEINTO A LONG LASTING CHRONICINSOMNIA WHICH CAN BE MUCHMORE DIFFICULT TO TREAT.IT IS IMPORTANT TO SCHEDULELIFE.SET A MORNING ALARM, GET OUTOF BED, TAKE A SHOWER, GETDRESSED, DAILY, ACTIVITY, ANDALL OF THAT STILL MAKES ADIFFERENCE.DOCTOR HAMILTON YOU HAVEHELPED ME ON THIS CRAZYMORNING SHIFT SCHEDULE BEFORESO WE APPRECIATE YOU JIM USNOW.