Many of us are experiencing a sleep debt. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep (approximately eight hours per night) while nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia.
Nap Attack!
There’s nothing like a comfy bed, beckoning you to nap. And that may not be such a bad thing! In a society where we often tend to be sleep-deprived, short naps are becoming one tool to help improve mood, alertness and performance while reducing mistakes and accidents. They give us a way to relax and rejuvenate. So, jump in bed and pull the covers up to your ears! Aah…
To get the most out of napping, the National Sleep Foundation offers the following tips:
- Naps should be the right length, about 20-30 minutes, to maximize short-term alertness. This way, nappers won’t get groggy or have a difficult time going to sleep that night.
- Naps should be in the right environment, where the temperature is comfortable, noise is limited and little light is filtering in.
- Naps shouldn’t be too late in the day, when they could affect your nighttime sleep, or too early in the day when your body might not be ready for more sleep
Being overtired can cause:
- Moodiness
- Higher susceptibility to illness
- Lack of energy
- Stress
- Anger
- Motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents
- Lack of concentration
- Difficulty retaining new information
Lack of adequate sleep often causes students’ grades to drop—sometimes dramatically. Staying up late to study and then getting up early in the morning to do it all over again are counter-effective strategies. And the practice of sleep-deprived all-nighters? That creates a sleep debt that can be tough to overcome.
Ways to Get Quality Sleep
So, how can you get good sleep on a regular basis? The experts suggest a few simple tactics that can help:
- Get on a Schedule. It’s helpful to get to bed around the same time each night so your body gets used to a regular sleeping schedule.
- Don’t Make Your Bed a Key Study Space. It comes highly recommended that activities like studying, reading, and any other type of work or stress-related activity NOT be done while in bed. This presents a problem for students who have only their beds and desk chairs in which to sit and complete their schoolwork. So, consider using common areas (if they are quiet enough) and the library instead.
- Realize Alcohol Won’t Help the Situation. A common misperception is that alcohol will help you sleep. Though drinking before bed may help some people fall asleep, it doesn’t guarantee a quality night of sleep. Often, it causes the drinker to wake up several times during the night, which can be just as detrimental as only getting a few hours in the first place.
- Avoid Watching the Clock! Often, keeping an eye on your alarm clock can stress you out and make it even more difficult to fall asleep. Consider turning your clock around after you set your alarm, or putting it in a bedside drawer where you can hear your alarm in the morning but not see the time at night.
- Establish a Relaxing Routine. Half an hour to an hour before bed, take a shower, read… anything that will help you wind down toward the sleep phase of the evening.
- Use White Noise. Consider using “white noise” to help you fall asleep (like a fan).
- Go for Comfort. Try to make your bed as comfortable as possible with soft blankets, pillows and more.
- Stop Noshing. Finish eating about two hours before bed so the digestion process doesn’t get in the way of your snoozing process.
- Cool Down. Avoid exercise right before bed—a workout in the late afternoon is ideal, because it gives your body adequate time to cool down (and a dropping body temperature is what the brain associates with sleep).
Get to know the facts when it comes to sleep. You deserve your share of zzzs!
Sources: The Centers for Disease Control; www.sleepfoundation.org; www.sleep-deprivation.com