by Nico D’Alessio
Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for academic success and overall well-being. However, many students struggle with sleep issues, leading to decreased concentration and performance. To combat this problem, I have compiled strategies to help students achieve better sleep.
1. Creating a Consistent Sleep Schedule
According to the National Sleep Foundation, a regular sleep schedule can significantly improve various aspects of your life, including mental and physical health, stress management, alertness, safety behaviors, and heart health. To set a consistent sleep schedule, start by prioritizing your sleep. Recognize the benefits of quality sleep and make it a non-negotiable part of your daily routine, despite the demands of work, school, or family commitments. Additionally, use bedtime reminders and wake-up alarms to maintain a consistent schedule, helping you avoid oversleeping and ensuring you start your day on time.
Implementing a wind-down routine is also crucial for better sleep. This routine should include relaxing activities like reading, meditating, journaling, or listening to calming music to help your mind and body prepare for sleep. Consistency in this routine can lead to better sleep quality over time. If you find you’re not getting enough sleep, typically seven to nine hours for most adults, you can mitigate sleep debt by sleeping an extra 1-2 hours on weekends or taking short naps when possible. This approach can help offset the sleep deficit accumulated during the week, ensuring you feel more rested and function better daily.
2. Creating a Sleep-Friendly Environment.
According to the Sleep foundation. Creating a relaxing bedroom environment is essential for a good night’s sleep, as it significantly affects sleep quality and duration, which in turn impacts overall health. Optimizing your bedroom involves managing temperature, noise, light, and comfort. The ideal sleep temperature is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, though personal preferences may vary. A quiet bedroom can be achieved by using white noise machines or noise-blocking curtains. Minimizing light exposure, especially from screens, helps regulate circadian rhythms. Comfortable mattresses and bedding tailored to individual preferences also contribute to better sleep. Regular cleaning and using calming scents like lavender can enhance relaxation.
Improving your sleep environment doesn’t have to be expensive. Cost-effective measures include adjusting thermostat settings, using additional or fewer bedding layers to achieve comfort, and employing affordable noise-masking tools. Keeping light levels low with dimmer lights and avoiding screens before bed helps promote sleep. Choosing the right mattress and pillows based on personal sleep preferences, as well as maintaining a clean bedroom to reduce allergens, further supports restful sleep. Incorporating soothing scents and maintaining regular bedding hygiene can also significantly improve sleep quality and overall well-being.
3. Reducing Blue Light Exposure.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, blue light, while environmentally friendly, can negatively impact sleep and potentially contribute to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Historically, evenings were much darker before the advent of artificial lighting, but now, widespread illumination disrupts our circadian rhythms, leading to sleep problems and possible health risks. Blue wavelengths, in particular, are disruptive at night despite their benefits during the day, such as enhancing attention and mood. The increase in screen use and energy-efficient lighting has elevated our exposure to blue light after sundown.
Exposure to light at night, even dim light, can suppress melatonin secretion, a hormone crucial for regulating circadian rhythms. This suppression can lead to sleep issues and is linked to increased risks of depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. Blue light is especially potent in suppressing melatonin and disrupting sleep patterns compared to other light colors. Studies have shown that blocking blue light with goggles or specialized glasses can mitigate its effects. For better sleep, it is advisable to avoid blue light before bed by limiting screen use and opting for lighting that emits less blue light.
Self study.
Using some of these practices, I conducted an experiment on myself to test how the tips alter my sleep. The experiment involved sleeping for three days without any of the tips and then three days implementing the tips to see how they affected my sleep pattern. Hours of sleep were measured by the last pickup on my iPhone and the first pickup.
Without Tips:
- Wednesday, May 1st: Received six hours and 13 minutes of sleep. I fell asleep at 12:25 AM and woke up at 6:12 AM due to an unfriendly sleep environment with constant noise from my ceiling fan and high temperatures at 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Thursday, May 2nd: Received seven hours of sleep. I fell asleep at 10:15 PM and woke up at 5:15 AM due to constant interruptions and wake-ups during the night.
- Friday, May 3rd: Received six hours and 48 minutes of sleep. I fell asleep at 11:28 PM and woke up at 5:16 AM.
With Tips:
- Wednesday, May 8th: Using a sleep-friendly environment (temperature set to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, white noise machine, no visible light), I received nine hours and 17 minutes of sleep. I fell asleep at 10:15 PM and woke up at 7:32 AM, feeling more focused throughout the school day.
- Thursday, May 9th: Avoiding blue light 30 minutes before bed, I received eight hours and 15 minutes of sleep. I fell asleep at 10:35 PM and woke up at 6:50 AM, feeling energized and happy.
- Friday, May 10th: Using both strategies, I received nine hours and 32 minutes of sleep. I fell asleep at 9:50 PM and woke up at 7:22 AM, feeling ambitious and ready for the day.
The evidence from my self-study shows that these tips for better sleep positively alter sleep duration and quality. Implementing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a sleep-friendly environment, and reducing blue light exposure can significantly enhance sleep and overall well-being.
(This article is part of the IHS health class “passion project” assignment)
