Aglobal pandemicbrings with it countless terrible effects.
Lost routines and ways of life that help us feel whole.
And a big one: Troublesleeping.
Morgan Johnson
If thats what youve been dealing with, youre not alone.
Here, seven women share how the new coronavirus pandemic has affected their sleep.
Im pregnant and having nightmares that Ill be alone in the delivery room.
Im a special ed teacher for kids who are considered to be medically fragile.
My husband is a patient safety attendant in a hospitalhe transports patients around.
I just hit the third trimester.
Im waking up a lot more, 5 to 10 times a night.
I dont know if Ill get that.
I think Ive had a lot more trouble sleeping because of that.
And definitely a lot more anxiety.Britney E., 27
2.
Im having middle-of-the-night panic attacks.
Im originally from Berlin.
After two years in Seattle, I currently live in Sarajevo.
I moved here for work and have a long-distance relationship with my partner, who still lives in Seattle.
After such a night, I tend to wake up completely exhausted and off the rails.
Now that I work from home, I cut myself more slack.
When I was struggling physically or mentally before, I used to push through.
I have nightmares about being quarantined away from family.
I havent really slept since this started.
Ive hadtoo much anxiety, too much uncertainty.
My mom is immune-compromised, over 60, with on-again-off-again diabetes issues.
Shes also prone to pneumonia on top of being a lifetime smoker.
Meanwhile, my dad is over 65, has high blood pressure, and is a former cigar smoker.
It has no water, appliances, heat, or cell signal.
When I finally break out of the nightmare, Im covered in sweat and feel sick to my stomach.
Theres no chance of any sleep after that.
I also splurged and bought a weightedsleep maskand a newbody pillowto do everything I can to combat the insomnia.
Im sleeping 12+ hours a night.
Believe it or not, I am sleeping atonmore.
Now its 12-hour nights and sometimes a three-hour nap during the day at any time, even the evening.
It 100% feels like my body is trying to cope with stress, like Im physically recovering.
There is also avoidance there.
I call it stress sleeping.
When I got divorced two years ago, it became my prime coping mechanism.
Whenever I would get too overwhelmed with life and being awake, Id go to sleep.
I havent been home in a long time, so Im feeling extra guilty because of that.
If something happened, I couldnt forgive myself.
Jackie B., 34
5.
Ive been having weirder and more vivid dreams than usual.
Im an essential workerI schedule package deliveriesand I have multiple sclerosis.
My job has been crazy because were trying to keep people safe.
Im still working at an office with about 50 people, give or take.
My dreams have just been weird.
In some, Im trying to retrace my steps and maybe right some wrongs along the way.
My partner, who has no health conditions, has had issues sleeping as well.
And because hes restless, that adds to my restlessness too.Lacie P., 42
6.
Night sweats and insomnia are my new reality.
Ive always had some trouble with sleeping, but Ive been struggling more than ever.
Hes staying up hours into the night and has never experienced sleeplessness like this before.
I just have to keep getting up when Id rather stay in bed.
Ive been dreaming of terrifying disasters.
I have the autoimmune disorders lupus and Sjrogrens syndrome, along with fibromyalgia.
My dreams have slowed a bit now, as I have tried to calm my mind.
Its sad though because as a result I feel like I am not dreaming almost at all.
I think subconsciously I am afraid to let myREM sleep take over.
My sleep is now extremely shallow, as if I am only skimming the surface.
On bad days it lasts almost until I go to bed again.
