You Deserve a Break – 5 Ways to Prioritize ‘Me’ Time During the Pandemic

Daily life already comes with more than enough stress. During the pandemic, people all over the world have struggled to stay calm. According to the American Psychological Association, U.S. adults report an average 5.9 stress level. In 2019, adults in the U.S. reported an average 4.9 stress level. Parents with children under 18 have it even worse. They report a 6.7 stress level.

Clearly, people need to find ways to prioritize “me” time and find opportunities to relax. That might sound impossible when trying to juggle your responsibilities during a pandemic. The following five approaches could make your situation a little easier.

Structure Your Day to Include Relaxation

Following a structured schedule lets you add intentional relaxation time to your day. Look for a few minutes of downtime shortly after putting the kids to bed, at the end of your workday, or in the morning before the rest of your household gets up.

Ideally, you should structure your day to include several relaxing moments. That way, you can look forward to your next break. When you feel like you’re at your breaking point, you can always remember that you have 10 minutes of scheduled relaxation in a couple of hours. Read more

How often do you experience sleep troubles? Is it daily or once in a while, and do you know the reason? Having sleep troubles is unhealthy as you need sleep to be healthy and function well every day. However, some things that people do knowingly or unknowingly could be wrecking their sleep. Figure out what some of the strange things are, as most people could be suffering from sleep troubles they can control. And they can easily switch habits or behaviors they have to improve on their sleep. As you read on are some surprising things that wreck your sleep without your knowledge.

Not washing your bed pillow 

How often do you think of washing your pillows? Most people change the cover, and yet pillows collect a lot of dirty stuff, for instance, dead skin, dirt, mold, hair, dust mites, pet dander, and fungus, among many others. These cause allergic symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and itchy eyes interfering with your sleep. Allergies are a risk factor for disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. Thus, it is best to replace your pillow every one and a half years and wash them often. As you clean them change your beddings as well, including the mattress cover of your hybrid mattress to maintain cleanliness.

Working in bed 

The mantra most sleep specialists recommend is to use your bed for sleep and sex only. If you have to work at home, avoid the temptation of having to work in bed because it is cozy. Since working in bed, whether during the day or at night, causes you to associate your bedroom with work and other things. It should stay out of the bedroom. Keep work-related realities out of your sleep space. Such as stress and deadlines, pressure and productivity, focus, and alertness will cause you sleep troubles. Do soothing and relaxing activities like sleep yoga instead. Read more