Ah sleep.
Those heavenly zzzz's seem like the hardest thing to get in college!! Sadly, for the time pressed college kid, it is also one of the most important. Without it, the rest of your life will lag. Seriously. So think about focusing in on sleep next time you want to amp up your grades or boost your social life.
Did you know?
- Students with symptoms of sleep disorders are more likely to receive poor grades in classes such as math, reading and writing than peers without symptoms of sleep disorders.
- College students with insomnia have significantly more mental health problems than college students without insomnia.
- College students with medical-related majors are more likely to have poorer quality of sleep in comparison to those with a humanities major.
- College students who pull “all-nighters” are more likely to have a lower GPA.
- Students who stay up late on school nights and make up for it by sleeping late on weekends are more likely to perform poorly in the classroom. This is because, on weekends, they are waking up at a time that is later than their internal body clock expects. The fact that their clock must get used to a new routine may affect their ability to be awake early for school at the beginning of the week when they revert back to their old routine.
- Exposure to dim lights when it should be dark may contribute to depression.
What Jane should do:
- Work Out. Physical exertion has a way of giving you energy when you need it - during the day - and making you tired when your body should rest - at night. If you must work out at night, make sure it's at least 4 hours before your bed time.
- Set a Bed Time. If you really are up until 3 or 4 am every night, start by going to bed a little bit earlier each night (15-30 minute increments). 3:00 am one night, 2:30 am the next night, and so on...
- Wake Up. Yeah, I know you heard the alarm go off for the 50th time. And that snooze button looks so tempting. Don't hit it. Wake up - more importantly, wake up at the same time each day. It will set your internal clock, make it easier to wake up in the consecutive days, and make it easier to fall asleep that night.
- Set The Mood. Dim the lights, turn down the music, and shut off the TV. Heck, turn off your cell phone. See this link http://news.discovery.com/human/depression-night-light-exposure.html to understand how falling asleep with lights on (from TVs or smart phones) can lead to depression, weight gain, and mental issues. Yucky stuff.
- Routine. 15 - 20 minutes before bed start a routine. This could constitute taking care of hygiene, meditation, journal writing, reading, anything to calm your mind.
- Tame The Tummy. Falling asleep with a rumbling tummy can interfere with a good night's rest. Eat a wholesome dinner about 4 hours before you plan on going to sleep. If you are still hungry before you need to sleep, snack on something small, preferably carbs 20-30 minutes before bed. A slice of toast or a few crackers is perfect. The carbs are easy to digest and won't inhibit your sleep.
- Limit The Caffeine. If you must, use caffeine in the morning. Even caffeine after 12 can cause sleep issues.
- Don't Sleep In On The Weekends. What!? Yes, you heard me. It will confuse your internal alarm clock and make it harder to get into good sleep habits.
Moral of the Story??? Get sleep. It's important!!!!
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