Sleep tight ... especially in the time of the coronavirus

"I hope you are resting enough and sleeping well," I recently wrote to a friend in the old country.

Sleep has always been an integral part of good health, and being healthy is even more important during these COVID-19 times than ever before.

Even when life was calmer, I have blogged in plenty about sleep.  Like:

Back in 2015, I remarked about the income inequality aspect in sleep too--"The less you make, the likelier you are to sleep less than six hours a night"!
In 2016, I was concerned that our eyes being focused on electronic gadgets for hours on, especially before bed time, is seriously screwing up our sleep patterns.
A year later, I happily noted that my boring life includes good sleep: "The more all our daily practices are aligned, the better off we will be.  Of course, the downside is that others then refer to us as being regimented and boring.  I will gladly take "boring" because I don't ever want to have sleep issues."

Now, the coronavirus makes me sleep even more, because there is very little to do.

It is not only the hours of sleep, but it is also about the regular schedule, which is what I wrote about in 2016: "All I know about sleep is very simple: go to bed about the same time, and wake up about the same time,  Weekday or weekend. America or India."

It is all about a rhythm to life.  The rhythm that makes me boring to many ;)  It is a rhythm that is also largely in sync with sunrise and sundown.  The kind of rhythm that our ancestors in east Africa experienced.  This circadian rhythm is a prescription for good health over the next two years of COVID-19:

Social distancing and washing hands have become the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, but there is another powerfully protective resource immediately available to all: your circadian rhythm.

A powerful booster shot.  How can we maintain a robust circadian rhythm? "Sleep is the most profound predictor of a healthy circadian rhythm."

So, yes, washing your hands. Stay apart for now so that we can come together later.  And, sleep well.  And, oh, pay no attention to that orange man behind the curtain!