To Sleep or Not to Sleep

As college students there is so much we attempt to cram into one day, especially at the end! But does staying up, even if it’s to get things done, leave us less prepared and energized for what’s to come the next day? 

    When it comes to getting sleep we all know we’re supposed to get a certain amount, but do we really? The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night for young adults, ages 18-25. If your sleep doesn’t meet those requirements, you might be depriving your body of benefits you didn’t even know you were missing. 

    I truly believe we’re forgetting what it feels like to be well rested. If you think about it, when was the last time you actually felt like you got enough sleep? According to Medical News Today, a mere 30 percent of students get the amount of sleep they actually need. From a college perspective, sleep is needed for two very significant things: restoring energy and crucial cognitive activity. 

    Sleep and energy levels significantly coincide. Getting enough sleep is necessary to have a healthy amount of energy throughout the day. When you feel well rested, you will feel better emotionally and physically. If you are consistently getting less than 6 hours a night you can build up “sleep debt,” from which it is difficult to recuperate. Simply put, you cannot catch up on lost sleep! 

    Sleep is also imperative for crucial cognitive activity. Most of us know that when we sleep our bodies uses that time to organize and properly store information. But do you think about the side effects if you aren’t sleeping enough? If you don’t get enough sleep it impairs your ability to concentrate, retain information, and learn. To me, sleep sounds like a relaxing tool we could use to help set ourselves up for success. For example, going over information for a test right before bed should do wonders with helping retain and properly store that information. 

    If you have a hard time sleeping or you want to build better sleeping habits, here are some tips for you: 

•    Create sleep rituals. Sleep rituals condition your body to sleep. I believe this to be the most effective way to help someone who has a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep, like me. A sleep ritual is simply always doing the same few things every night before going to bed. For me it is: brushing my teeth, turning the fan on, and reading before I go to sleep. A fan is an amazing trick to both go to sleep and stay asleep. This white noise will help you fall asleep and cancel out other interruptions that might otherwise wake you, especially in the dorms. 

•    Sleep on the correct side. The correct side to actually sleep on is your left. Research shows sleeping on your left side improves circulation to the heart, allows the brain to remove waste more easily, takes pressure off the liver, minimizes symptoms of acid reflux and more. 

•    Sleep Consistently. The hardest to accomplish and commit to, is waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day (even the weekend). This will help you fall asleep and wake up naturally, allowing you to work with your body’s clock.

•    Harmful Habits. Something you should consider if you’re having a hard time sleeping is whether or not you are practicing habits that are not helping. Alcohol and Smoking can contribute to your inability to get a good nights rest. 

Prioritizing sleep into your schedule is important but it can also be tricky, particularly at first.  However, the benefits more than pay off, physically, mentally, and emotionally. So I encourage you to plan your sleep for a few weeks and note the difference it makes. Maybe you will consider a permanent change in your sleep routine!