Sleep: Because you are always worth it

Sleeping is usually not considered a priority by the average college student. There are sports games, parties, clubs, and jobs. And let's not forget the main reason for going to college: getting an education. All of these eat away at the limiting, 24-hour day, causing students to be deprived of sleep. Likewise, students are unable to fall asleep because of anxiety due to exams, relationship drama, homesickness, and other challenges that are part of college life. But this issue is not simply confined to the world of higher education. As many as 70 million Americans regularly don't get enough sleep, living in a world in which there are many pressures and where productivity is key. Americans, young and old, begin to view sleep as something that hinders the ability to get things done. As the Aerosmith song says: "I don't want to close my eyes / I don't want to fall asleep / ... And I don't want to miss a thing." In the end, however, sleep is one of the leading factors contributing to life expectancy, even more telling than smoking. On a daily basis, lack of sleep can cause irritability, as well as decrease concentration, alertness, and memorization capabilities. "Your daytime vigilance and your performance are related to how much sleep you get the night before," says Dr. Edwin Trayner of Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. Unfortunately, sleep is a very complex matter that even scientists don't fully understand. But there are fundamental concepts that, when kept in mind, will help everyone make better decisions regarding their sleep hygiene. "There are certain mechanisms that regulate and control sleep. Two major mechanisms work together to keep us on a sleep-wake schedule. One is our circadian rhythm, which causes us to tend to sleep at night and be awake in the daytime ... The other is the homeostatic drive, which means when certain substances build up in us, they cause our bodies to need sleep," Trayner says. In order to keep these two systems working properly, better time management is necessary. An examination of one's schedule is the first step: What time do you sleep? What time do you get up? When do you eat meals? When do you spend the longest stretch of time doing homework? Do you take naps? And if so, when? A routine time to sleep will elicit falling asleep faster and will help with the next day's level of productivity. Also, most students admit that procrastination is one of the main culprits in a student's inability to have a regular sleep cycle. Putting things off to the last minute necessitates staying up later into the night studying or finishing a project. Completing homework right away, although easier said than done, allows more time for sleep. Students have used numerous devices to remedy their sleep problems. Claire Ruffing, A&S '11, is one such example. "My personal remedy [for sleep deprivation] is to set an absolute time limit for myself. I make it realistic. Like at 1 [a.m.], I absolutely go to bed no matter what work I still have, because in order to be productive and to actually learn, I need a certain amount of sleep," Ruffing says. Kristin Borrero, A&S '11, acknowledges that students who get their work done accordingly have the opportunity to get to sleep earlier. "I try and just get [homework] done when they're assigned, and then there's no problem with ... getting to bed at a reasonable hour. Of course, you can still have a life and go to bed ... You just have to manage your time well," she says. For many people, though, time management isn't the issue. Simply falling asleep can be hard. But there are ways to help ease into a good night's rest and stay asleep. An easy, positive step to take is to make your bed sleep-friendly. Get comfortable pillows and a mattress pad. Also, don't do schoolwork or use the computer on your bed, as these activities can hinder your body's ability to recognize that the bed is for relaxation and sleep. In further pursuit of better sleep, preparing the body and mind, even throughout the day, are essential. Knowing your body and how it reacts to certain stimuli is important, and not bringing emotional issues to bed will be more conducive to falling asleep soundly. "Try to develop rituals that you think are common to yourself," Trayner says. During the day, get some exercise, even if it's just a half an hour of walking around. BC also provides wonderful stairs to use; skip the elevator. It will make you fall asleep faster and more deeply. If you exercise too close to bedtime, however, it can have the reverse effect. Instead, right before you sleep, relax your body by stretching and breathing deeply. Also, be aware of your naps during the day, which have become a staple in the sleep cycle of many college students. While some experts suggest that a nap lasting less than a half hour during the afternoon may even be beneficial for productivity, longer naps may do more harm than good. "Napping has different effects on individuals. For some people, a nap can be very good because it can restore them, make them feel more refreshed, and then perform better for the remainder of their day, and it may not affect them at night," Trayner says. "[For] other people, a nap can have the opposite effect, which is it takes away the sleep drive, so now when they lay down they're not quite as tired and it's harder to fall asleep. "If you're doing fine with napping, then I encourage napping. But if it only worsens insomnia the following night, then I think you need to try and cut the naps out," he says. Another important area to be aware of is how your body responds to different substances. Caffeine can stay in your system for as long as 20 hours, and alcohol, though a sedative, will cause you to wake up once your body burns it off. Avoid Late Night at your local dining hall. Fatty foods will not only disrupt your sleep, but it will also pack on the pounds. Finish eating your last meal two to three hours before the time you want to go to bed. Preparing your mind for sleep is also key to falling asleep easily and staying asleep. Listen to soothing music or read a simple novel. Make sure you put your iPod on "sleep," because if music continues to play during the night, the tonal changes can disrupt your sleep cycle. It's best not to choose songs that you would rather rock out to than sleep to. Or if it's a book, don't choose a page-turner that will keep you up with anticipation. Develop some type of routine that allows you to calm your mind. Suspend your to-do list to the next day by keeping Post-It notes around. When something pops into your head, jot it down and devote all effort to sleep. The note will be there in the morning to remind you. And if you still can't fall asleep, don't stare at the clock. Becoming frustrated with yourself will not make you fall asleep faster. "The longer you lay there and ruminate about why you're not sleeping, the worse," Trayner says. Get out that book or iPod again and try to relax. Just realize that you're worth relaxation and a good night's sleep. Often, we become too busy with the parts of life that are draining - work, academics, friends - that we forget to replenish ourselves with sleep. Plus, being on campus, there's always something going on, so it's hard to find a quiet place to slow down from the 100 mph whirlwind that is the life of a college student. But for physical and mental health, sleep is simply necessary.