Sleep
"It is now time for us to reclaim our right to a full night of sleep without embarrassment or that unfortunate stigma of laziness." - Matt Walker, Sleep Is Your Superpower, TED2019
Sleep
As a student, getting to bed on time consistently is one of the greatest challenges in our lives. We struggle to prioritize sleep because it seems trivial compared to work, assignments & projects, time with friends, and scrolling to watch one more video.
But, with the practice and effort, anyone can make their sleep habits mostly consistent!
Sleep Awareness Week
Around the third week of March is Sleep Awareness Week! Use these links to get back on track and fight against sleep deprivation.
Sleep Myths
It can give you an energy boost... but, ultimately, napping throws your sleep schedule out-of-whack!
Have you ever napped, woke up, and has to ask yourself "what day is it?"
Many will try to use naps to catch up on sleep. But naps are not reliable for coping with sleep deprivation, and napping too long can make you disoriented and sluggish.
TRY THIS:
- Nap during the daytime
- Limit your daytime naps to 30 minutes
- If you work at night, nap late in the day before work
Relaxation and drowsiness from alcohol is where this myth comes from.
In truth, alcohol disturbs the heart rate during sleep making your body systems more alert. Even though you feel sleepy, the effects of alcohol disrupt the overall quality of rest - hence the grogginess when you wake up.
TRY THIS:
- Drink water - zero calories and prevents dehydration
- Drink chamomile tea - research shows it can be soothing and induce slumber
- Drink tart cherry juice - tart cherries are rich in melatonin
- Avoid caffeine - coffee, black or green tea, and soda
Your body temperature lowers as natural response to sleep. If the room is too warm, you could wake up from night sweats! Try sleeping in mid-60s Fahrenheit (15.5°C - 25.5°C).
Unless the exercise is too intense, working out and stretching before bed can have no effect on sleep. Regular physical activity promotes better sleep
If you do choose to exercise vigorously at night, give yourself 1-2 hours before you wind down to give your body time to relax.
Hitting snooze too many times - and having multiple alarms - interrupts the natural sleep cycle. You will feel more refreshed with an un-fragmented sleep cycle, even if its to get an extra 30 minutes.
TRY THIS:
- Put your alarm out of reach, especially if it's your phone
- Reward yourself with a treat for waking up on time
- Wake up to a smell - set a diffuser to go off or a coffee machine to brew 10 minutes before your alarm
- Download these FREE apps!
"Coronasomnia"
"Coronasomnia" is a term coined by researchers explaining how the pandemic caused a wide-spread increase in less quality of sleep for all ages. While we are slowly getting back to "normal", we cannot deny that our daily habits were curtailed. There is a loss of balance between work and home life from having them intertwined in quarantine. And we spent A LOT more time on our devices which emits blue light. Blue light tricks the brain into thinking it's daytime making it hard to settle into sleep.
2022 Sleep Awareness
Explore Slumber Yard's webpage to learn why we lose sleep, how the pandemic affected our sleep habits, and how to get better sleep in ONE WEEK. If you want to enhance your sleep experience, download this plan that breaks down steps for each day of the week!
Want more facts on sleep hygiene? Look here:
Sleep Health Journal - Is Sleep a Luxury for College Students?
Sleep Foundation - Why Do We Need Sleep?
Sleep Foundation - Myths and Facts About Sleep
CDC - Sleep and Sleep Disorders
Slumber Yard- Celebrating Sleep Awareness In 2022: Start Sleeping Better In One Week
Some of the links on this page may require additional software to view.