NG LifeMag EMAG Feb 2024 - Flipbook - Page 37
Bush昀椀res are o昀琀en
unpredictable, and people
may experience weeks of
uncertainty about whether
they or their loved ones are at
immediate risk.
This uncertainty can produce
anxiety over an extended
period of 琀椀me, interfere with
the ability to get quality sleep
and lead to sleep depriva琀椀on.
We all feel anxious some琀椀mes
and this can be an adap琀椀ve
emo琀椀on. Anxiety can help us
focus on what we need to do
for survival. Anxiety causes
us to be ‘hyper-aroused’ and
prepares us for ‘昀椀ght or 昀氀ight’.
A problem arises, however, if
our hyper-arousal is ongoing.
We can’t get good quality sleep
if our body is ready to 昀椀ght or
昀氀ee when we go to bed.
Sleep depriva琀椀on makes
everyone react more
emo琀椀onally to events. It
is good to know that if we
are sleep deprived, we may
have more problems making
sensible decisions quickly
and/or helping our loved ones
in also dealing with the crisis.
There are things you can do
to minimise di昀케cul琀椀es.
Being well organised and
having a good plan well
before the emergency
happens can help you ‘turn
o昀昀’ at night. Instead of your
mind ‘cha琀琀ering’ with worries,
tell yourself that you have
planned everything you
possibly can and problemsolving during the night is
unhelpful. Sleep is not the
琀椀me to plan things – in fact
that ra琀椀onal part of our brain
is not very ac琀椀ve during sleep,
drowsiness or with sleep
depriva琀椀on. If we are hyperaroused and trying to sleep
the parts of our brain that
deal with emo琀椀ons are ac琀椀ve
and it is easy to catastrophise
about possible future events.