If you haven’t been able to sleep since Covid19 hit your town, you’re not alone. Simultaneously starting to the do work in this country to dismantle systemic racism, and our part – however small or impactful – has taken a toll on all of us. We all know that NO activist is a good activist without their health and some sleep, but how can you sleep when every second is another horror story about a friend’s parent dying of the Corona Virus or a black American being violated by their own country? It’s not easy.
According to this article; Sleep specialist Dr. Shelby Harris says that she isn’t surprised the Covid-19 crisis and lock downs around the world have been causing us sleep distress.
“I’m seeing more and more nightmares, depression, insomnia, and even early PTSD in my clinic,” the former director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at New York’s Montefiore Medical Center said
Here are some tips to get ahead of your insomnia, so you can take down the patriarchy:
Stop looking at your phone two hours before bedtime, no matter how hard it is. And when you go to sleep (here’s the hard part) put your phone in the other room. Countless studies have told us that scrolling activates the brain, but when you’re scrolling heartbreaking, anxiety-provoking content – it amplifies the result of not sleeping. Also.. if you’re a believer in EMF, it’s not great for you to sleep in a room with all those signals zapping around your noggin. If you do watch TV or read before bed, try and keep the content light and on the funnier side if possible. Save that heavy lit and film for the day light hours or weekends for now, til we get this sleep thing under control.
Take a life-affirming, healthy, non-addictive, sleep-inviting supplement. Skip the ambien unless things are dire. Future Kind is a vegan vitamin company started by vegans for vegans. The company’s products are all made in the USA, 100% vegan and cruelty-free. Take ’em.
If things do get dire – try CBD oil or marijuana edibles of your choice. You can even take CBD on top of the vegan sleep aid and double down. We love Shar Organics for CBD products because it’s woman-LGBTQ-family owned, and it’s super clean. For Mary J, we have a friend – if you want/ need contact she even ships delicious vegan edibles State-wide! (You can DM us on IG for her DM!)
Try a weighted blanket. We know it’s summer, but with the AC on you’ll want a blanket anyway. We find they cocoon us and give us a general sense of well-being. There’s something very primal about being snugged inside, womb-like even. There are countless brands to try- and the prices range from affordable to very pricey. Here’s one we like and have used because it uses tiny lead-free glass beads internally instead of micro-plastic beads which aren’t good for you or the environment.
A high end diffuser that emits calming scents like lavender all day could put you in a different headspace coming evening. The AroMini Essential Oil scent machine uses cold-air diffusion technology to release nano-particles that leave behind no residue and provide a subtle and consistent scented environment, plus it’s far prettier than most diffusers.
Do at home yoga or take a walk or hike whenever you can. A little bit of movement can really help when it’s time for lights out.
And finally – if NONE of the items above work – call your Doctor. There is no shame in talking to a psychiatrist about how you’re doing, and what you need to not just survive -but thrive. Meds exist for a purpose, and when holistic options fail – it’s great to have alternative routes.
cover photo via Ben Blennerhassett on Unsplash