For many of us, the COVID outbreak is causing increased levels of stress and anxiety. Combine this with the clocks moving back for the end of daylight savings, and the quality of your sleep is probably less than ideal at the moment.

We asked Dr Lydia Makarie Rofail – a respiratory and sleep medicine physician, and Head of the Sleep Disorders Unit at Macquarie University Hospital – for some advice about how we can get a better night’s sleep during these challenging times.

“General things people can do include establishing normal patterns, regular wake times, reading a calm book before bed, and trying to keep up with regular exercise during the day,” Lydia says. “The exercise doesn’t have to be outside – it can be as simple as some star jumps in your living room.”

She says that if you’re struggling to get to sleep, you shouldn’t lie in bed worrying about it.

“Get up and go sit in a chair in a dark room, try some relaxation techniques and then try to go back to sleep in bed.”

A recent national survey revealed that 20-35 per cent of Australians experienced disrupted sleep, inadequate sleep duration, daytime fatigue or excessive sleepiness and irritability. Interestingly, only 50 per cent of these people had sleep disorders – the remainder were attributed to poor sleep habits or choices which limited sleep opportunity.

“If you are concerned about your sleep, the first step is to speak to your GP,” Lydia says. “It’s normal to wake up a couple of times throughout the night, but becomes an issue if you can’t get back to sleep after 30 to 60 minutes. Not getting sufficient sleep or sleeping but not feeling like you’ve had sufficient satisfaction from sleep – that’s when it’s a concern.”

As for how much sleep we need, a study by the National Sleep Foundation deducted that most adults (26-64 years old) need between seven and nine hours sleep to function appropriately. So, what can we do to help achieve this?

“We should all think, ‘what can I do today to help get to sleep tonight?’ – exercise, routine and relaxation,” says Lydia.

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Want to learn more about sleeping well? Watch Lydia’s presentation at MQ Health’s recent seminar Get Better Sleep for Better Health: