It’s almost time for a general election, which means that for many of us, our screen time will be going up by at least 50% over the next 48 hours.
No matter which way you’re voting, elections can raise a lot of anxiety and as much as you may usually have a healthy relationship with your phone, turning away from the endless stream of exit polls, commentary and hot takes is almost impossible.
So, how do you possibly settle down to sleep in these circumstances? Martin Seeley at MattressNextDay has provided his tips for getting some much-needed slumber in these tense times.
How to sleep better during the election
Start your day with a calming routine
While this may sound completely impossible, Seeley advises avoiding looking at your phone first thing, or looking at the news.
Seeley explained that this means your day starts more positively, which is actually very hard to argue with.
Give yourself a digital curfew
If you want to settle into a good sleep, Seeley advises that you stop going on social media at least two hours before bed, whether you’re reading about the election or not.
He said: “Set yourself a strict bedtime and stick to it, not allowing yourself to read ‘just a few more tweets’.”
Let’s be real, nobody needs to read more tweets.
Try some mindfulness techniques throughout the day
If there were ever a time to dip your toes into mindfulness, an election is the time. Seeley advises practicing some deep breathing exercises that you can use during the day to help with stress and anxiety levels, not just at night time.
Develop a relaxing pre-sleep routine
Seeley said: “Gentle exercise like yoga before bed can also help regulate cortisol levels and help you fall asleep – and stay asleep.
“Run yourself a bath, light some candles, or try a journaling ‘brain dump’, where you can scribble down all your thoughts to help clear your mind and stop them racing through your head as you’re trying to drift off.”
Self-care in the face of an election? Sold.
Try the 10-3-2-1-0 method
Stop drinking caffeine 10 hours before you go to bed, as it takes 10 hours for caffeine to leave your bloodstream.
Wait 3 hours before going to bed after eating a big meal and drinking alcohol. Finish work and other stimulating tasks 2 hours before sleep, to allow your mind to relax and wind down – which includes looking at anything election-related!
Finally, turn off screens 1 hour before bed, to stop the blue light affecting melatonin production.