The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many aspects of daily life, including, for me. Spending most of my time indoors and on electronic devices made it increasingly difficult to keep track of time, leading my once-consistent sleep schedule to deteriorate.
The Blurred Lines Between Work and Personal Space
During the pandemic, my sleep habits took a serious hit. Like many, I found myself working from home, which blurred the line between my personal space and work environment. What used to be a place of relaxation and rest became a makeshift office, and my sleep cycle paid the price. Without a clear separation between work and home, I started working late into the night, responding to emails from bed and scrolling through social media long after I should have been asleep. This constant connectivity made it hard to switch off, and I found myself lying awake, staring at the ceiling as my mind raced through unfinished tasks. Psychologically, the bedroom was no longer synonymous with relaxation but had become a site of ongoing professional engagement. This constant mental engagement with work made it increasingly difficult for my mind to switch off and transition into a state of rest. The lack of a clear, physical separation from my professional duties induced greater stress levels, which further contributed to sleep difficulties. In the end, the pandemic-induced convergence of work and personal spaces played a critical role in my struggle with insomnia
The Loss of Routine
Over time, my once-consistent sleep schedule was completely destroyed. The lack of routine was another major factor. Before the pandemic, I had a clear structure: waking up at a set time, commuting to work, and returning home to unwind. But with the onset of Covid-19, those boundaries disappeared. I could start work whenever I wanted, which often led to late nights and unpredictable wake-up times. My body clock became confused, and I struggled to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. The erosion of a regular schedule was detrimental to maintaining healthy sleep habits.
Rebuilding a Healthy Sleep Routine
After months of this unhealthy pattern, I knew something had to change. I began by re-establishing a firm boundary between work and rest. Here are the two main solutions i implemented:
- I created a dedicated workspace, keeping my bedroom off-limits for work-related activities. This small shift helped me mentally separate the two environments.
- I also started a bedtime routine to signal to my brain that it was time to wind down. Dimming the lights, reading a book, and avoiding screens for an hour before bed became my new norm. Over time, these changes helped me reset my internal clock and improve my sleep quality.
Rebuilding a healthy sleep routine after the pandemic wasn’t easy, but by reclaiming the boundaries between work and home, and establishing a calming bedtime ritual, I managed to restore my sleep cycle. If you’re struggling with similar issues, try these small steps . Your sleep will thank you