1) Our cell phones: We use our phones for everything: social media, texting, talking, gathering information, facetiming, and when we are bored. But our phones can delay our sleep because we don't turn them off when it is bedtime and from the blue light they emit. Turning your phone off 1 hour before bed is a good way to start.
2) Diet: Eating spicy or rich meals and drinking alcohol or caffeine everyday can ruin our sleep. Caffeine makes us stay awake by affecting our nervous system, alcohol causes poor sleep as it disrupts the body, and spicy and rich foods take longer to digest causing poor sleep. Don't drink caffeine after 3 pm, drink alcohol less or only during weekends, and eat spicy or rich foods 4 to 5 hours before bedtime for optimal digestion.
3) Light: It is important to sleep in a darkened room and leaving the curtains open or lights on or tv on can interfere with our natural melatonin function.
4) Worry: Worrying and pondering over the events of the day and what tomorrow holds can hinder our sleep by making us anxious. Try to do deep breathing or turn your mind towards more positive thoughts and affirmation in order to have a peaceful state of mind before you sleep.
Perhaps you can now understand why your sleep isn't as optimal as you'd like it to be. Try practicing the tips listed above and see if your sleep improves. Sleep is an important function of our lives, so it is imperative we get enough sleep and quality sleep. As college students we don't always get enough sleep or the best sleep, but it is important to create a healthy sleep schedule so we can function at our best.
Oh my god. I love this concept as I know what sleep deprivation is and the necessity sleep holds in our lives. Good job Samra. I think you chose a great topic and it was also something a bit different if you know what I mean. Very interesting to read and a great infographic as well. Nice job indeed.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ramanpreet, I appreciate it especially coming from you. Your posts are very informative as well. :) I figured this was an important topic to discuss and tried to keep it interesting and hope maybe someone out there can get some use from it. I learned a lot of information myself about sleep while researching.
DeleteI can't stress enough how much I really like the above post. It is not only well-written, but it is well-described and depicted through the use of illustrations and facts.
ReplyDeleteReading through these posts helps me realize how important and essential sleep really is. Never go wrong with sleep. It is the fuel to your body besides rest, happiness, and food. Perhaps, it may be the most integral part of life.
ReplyDeleteI never actually knew that my cell phone was causing me to not be getting enough sleep. But this explains a lot because we are all constantly on our phones right until we fall asleep, and this causes us to not sleep as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, I didn't realize that either. I believe the blue light emanating from our phones also interferes with our production of melatonin. Pretty scary to be honest.
DeleteThis post is very important to everyone. A psychiatrist once taught a lesson to our unit about sleep hygiene. It was then that I learned sleep is essential for a healthy mind and body. A lot of people don't understand how a good nights rest can help the development of muscles in the human body. I believe that a lesson like this should be presented to all first year college students. Everyone has their late night, no sleep college nights, but it can only go so far without some type of consequence.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Dyshay. When your brains are fresh, then we can think clearly, and without that we feel lost and confused, as if we are in a daze. Things as simple as sleep are overlooked and must not.
DeleteYou're absolutely right! I think all of us could benefit from sleep PSA's and education about good sleep hygiene. Lack of sleep is serious and can cause serious health issues, but as college students it's expected for us to pull all nighters and party all night, but it isn't practical and is damaging to the health. I like your idea about first year college students being presented with sleep facts, it would be helpful for a lot of students.
DeleteI had two terrible nights of sleep in the last week. After reading your post about worrying affecting our sleep, it now makes sense. My two horrible nights of sleep were the night before important interviews. Both nights I seemed restless, constantly waking up, constantly checking the clock. Having numerous dreams about the interviews going completely wrong, and all this time I thought I was just going to over sleep. Now it makes sense that I was being a worry wort. Worrying about everything from missing my alarm, to wearing the wrong outfit and forgetting my necessary documents. I was also on my phone up until I closed my eyes. That is something I will have to work on to improve my sleep. Great post!
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