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April 23, 2025
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5 Ways to Protect Your Sleep During Stressful Times
By Kate Oyston
If you’re having a hard time drifting off to sleep these days, you’re not alone. Given the current political climate, it’s no surprise Canadians’ sleep is taking a hit: in fact, in a new survey from Endy*, 47% reported their sleep quality had decreased because of the current daily news cycle.We know how important a good night’s sleep is: it’s what empowers you to jump out of bed each morning, ready to take on the day. So we sat down with sleep expert Amanda Jewson (BSW, RSW) to spill her top five tips to protect your sleep, even when you’re feeling stressed:
1. Stick to a consistent sleep-wake schedule (even when you don’t want to)
Often when you’re stressed, your routine is the first thing that goes. It’s so easy to stay up late at night, scrolling through the news on your phone or ticking items off your to-do list to regain a sense of control. Amanda advises against this though. Her suggestion? “Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (yes, even weekends!) keeps your body clock regulated and protects your natural sleep drive.”Your body craves routine, and when you alter your bedtime or push back your morning alarms, even for a day or two, it throws your sleep cycle out of whack.2. Ditch the doom-scroll before bed
If there’s one message Amanda wants to shout from the rooftops, it’s that “your phone is not your friend at bedtime!” She says, “The combination of blue light and emotionally triggering content (hello, breaking news at 10:47 p.m.) keeps your brain wired when it should be winding down.” Her recommendation is to set a “tech curfew” 30-60 minutes before bed, with no screens allowed - only a good book or a relaxing nighttime routine.Once you’ve set your tech curfew, make sure you actually stick to it! Keep your phone out of sight and out of reach to avoid temptation.3. Get out of bed if you can’t sleep
We’ve all had those nights where we’re tossing and turning, or counting sheep to no avail. If you’ve been at it for more than 20 minutes, Amanda proposes getting up and doing something calm and non-stimulating in low light, like reading or a puzzle. “Lying in bed wide awake trains your brain to associate the bed with wakefulness—leading to insomnia later on! Beds are for sleeping only!”Return to your bed only when you feel truly ready to sleep.4. Stress lives in the body, so shake it out!
“Physical movement helps metabolize stress hormones,” says Amanda. “Even 20 minutes of walking, stretching, or dancing around your kitchen can help you burn off that anxious energy and prepare your body for rest.” If you have a friend or family member to move with you, even better!For bonus points, take that energy outside: getting sunlight exposure in the morning and experiencing darkness at night (when it’s safe to do so) helps anchor your circadian rhythm, reinforcing that sleep-wake cycle we mentioned earlier.5. Channel the stress: Take action where you can
When the news is inspiring feelings of doom and gloom, it can be easy to feel helpless. Amanda has ideas for how to turn it around though: “Taking small, meaningful action - like donating, volunteering, or simply helping a neighbour - can ease that anxiety and create a sense of agency. Doing good feels good, and that emotional relief can translate into better, more peaceful sleep.”We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! While uncertain times may spike anxiety and make it hard to get that precious shut-eye, following these tips can help make the most of your rest time to maximize your sleep.*These findings are from a survey conducted by Endy from April 10th to April 11th, 2025, among a representative sample of 1500 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.Shareon social media
