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Sleep

3 Things That Could Help You Sleep Better


1 Stop using all technology 30 min before bed- no cell phone- no lap top- no
kindle. The light block melatonin which can help you fall asleep. A 30 min wind
down with relaxation and reading (a paper book) can make it easier to fall asleep.
2 No caffeine after 3 PM.
3 Sleep only an hour longer during the weekend than your latest weekday wake-up
time.
Facts About Sleep: (from the National Institutes of Health)
College students are one of the most sleep-deprived populations.
Research at Brown University has found that approximately 11% of students
report good sleep, while 73% report sleep problems.
18% of college men and 30% of college women report having suffered from
insomnia in the past 3 months.
Sleep deprivation in students has been linked to lower GPAs because sleep affects
concentration, memory and the ability to learn.
The average adult sleeps less than seven hours each night, when most need eight
or more hours.
More than one-third of adults report daytime sleepiness at least a few days per
month that interferes with work or social functioning.
As many as 70 million Americans may be affected by chronic sleep loss or sleep
disorders.
Learn more about the importance of sleep by watching these videos produced by
CBS News:
o "Science of Sleep" Part 1
o "Science of Sleep" Part 2
Frequent Questions and Concerns about Sleep
Why is good sleep so important for college students?
How does sleep help?
How can sleep deprivation affect me if I have a chronic mental health disorder?
What if my sleep problems are caused by my mental health disorder or my
psychiatric medication?
How do I know how much sleep I need?
Can I sleep too much?
How does sleep affect my diet?

Tips for a good nights sleep:


As a college student, there are many factors that may make maintaining a regular sleep
schedule difficult, such as living in the residence hall, studying for exams, late classes,
and socializing. Your daily habits and activities may affect how well you sleep. The
demanding lives of undergraduate and graduate students can make it challenging to
maintain healthy daily habits. Below are some suggestions for ways you can modify your
daily routine to promote better sleep:
Incorporate a small amount of time each day to be outside in daylight. Time spent
outside during the day helps to preserve your bodys sleep and wake cycles. There are
many options on campus for this:
Walk to class.
Study outside.
Play a regular outdoor club sport.
Sled in the Arboretum in winter.
Relax in the sun with your friends.
Organize a weekly walk outside with your friends to get benefits of both exercise
and sunlight.
Work a job that allows you to be outside:
o Visit the student employment website for other outdoor job options for
students (both work-study and non work-study jobs).
Try to get some physical activity on most days. Exercise can promote more regular sleep
and wake patterns as well as reduce stress. Its important to avoid exercise and other
vigorous activities three-to-four hours before going to bed to avoid awakening the body
even more and making it more difficult to fall asleep. To learn more about the benefits of
exercise or to find ideas for fun exercise options on and around campus, click here.
A regular meal schedule can also help you get a good nights sleep. Eat smaller meals
and be especially careful to avoid heavy meals near bedtime. Your eating schedule may
be dictated by your class/work schedule or by the times when your friends are eating.
Click here for tips for achieving a regular eating schedule.
Limit Caffeine and Nicotine. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, which disrupt sleep. It
is best to stay away from these after lunchtime. If you are up late studying or just need a
little more energy, try a small energy-boosting snack instead of a caffeinated beverage. If
you feel that you have to have caffeinated coffee when you are up late studying, try to
limit the amount of caffeine by filling half your cup with decaffeinated coffee.
Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. Alcohol is disruptive to sleep, particularly if you have a
mental health disorder. Keep these facts about alcohol and sleep in mind when deciding
when and how much to drink:

Sleep experts recommend avoiding alcohol at least four to six hours prior to bed.
A common but inaccurate belief is that alcohol helps people sleep. Although it
may help people fall asleep faster, research has shown that alcohol disrupts sleep
throughout the night.
Alcohol aggravates snoring and sleep apnea. Sleep apnea has been linked to
chronic medical conditions including hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
Drinking alcohol while on medications, including psychiatric medications, can
further worsen sleeping problems and side effects.
Practice time management with your school work. Worrying in bed about the next day
or week can keep you from falling asleep. Try to stay on top of your school work to
decrease your overall stress and worry, and to reduce last minute cramming. In addition,
mentally plan for the next day before getting into bed. Journaling before bed is a
technique that some students find to be helpful in addressing concerns before bed. See
academic skill building for more information on topics such as time management and
study skills.

Avoid all-nighters. While all-nighters and late-night study sessions may appear to give
you more time to cram, they are also likely to drain your brainpower. Sleep deprivation
hinders your ability to perform complex cognitive tasks like those required on exams.
And it is unlikely that you will retain much information that you study while sleepdeprived. It is better to sleep the night before an exam, even if it means studying for
fewer hours. Remember: research has shown that a good night of sleep is more beneficial
for learning than staying up late cramming.
Avoid naps during the day. Staying up late and napping the next day is a common
practice for students. However, in addition to the problems associated with staying up
late, sleeping during the day for long periods will further disrupt your sleep pattern,
leading to a vicious cycle. A short nap during the day could be helpful, but work it into
your regular schedule. Keep the nap to about 30 minutes and try to do it at the same time
each day before 3pm.
Dont rely on weekend catch up. You may be tempted to rely on the weekend to catch
up on sleep that you missed during the week. Generally, this only worsens your sleep
pattern. The best solution is to get a regular amount of sleep as many nights as possible,
and when necessary sleep only an hour longer during the weekend than your latest
weekday wake-up time.
Minimize Sleep Disruptions. Living in places like residence halls, apartments, houses or
fraternities/sororities with a large number of people can make it very difficult to control
your sleep environment. Your roommate might be up studying late with a light on, or
your housemates may decide to entertain until very late. You can be creative in finding
ways to reduce the disruptions that keep you from getting a good nights sleep. Below are

some suggestions:
Talk to your roommates about setting a regular sleep time so they can be
respectful of your need for a quiet environment.
Purchase a white noise machine to block out unwanted sounds from within your
own room or even outside. Instead of or in addition to the white noise machine, ear
plugs or a small fan may be helpful.
Use a sleep mask to block out any unwanted light. This could be a great
compromise with your residence hall roommate who may prefer to stay up later to
study.
Purchase a desk lamp for you and each roommate to avoid using the overhead
lights when one of you is sleeping.
Create a comfortable sleeping area to improve your ability to fall asleep and stay
asleep. If you have the option, choose the pillows, mattress, and bedding that are most
comfortable for you.
Keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature (ideally, slightly cool), and wellventilated.
Go to bed and wake up as close as possible to the same time every day. Having a set
bedtime and rising time will help your body get used to a sleeping schedule. Sleep only
an hour longer during the weekend than your latest weekday wake-up time,
understanding that there may be exceptions depending on your schedule. Talk with your
roommates about how you can establish a regular sleep routine in your residence hall
room, apartment or house.
Use the bed only for sex and sleeping. Avoid doing other activities such as studying or
watching TV. This ensures that your body will not associate the bed with these activating
tasks, which can make it harder to fall asleep. If there are few options other than your bed
for these activities, reduce the level of intensity of the reading material or TV programs
you select.
Go to bed only when you are sleepy. If you cant fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of
bed and do a relaxing activity outside of the bedroom until you feel sleepy again. Try
deep breathing or relaxation techniques if you are having trouble falling asleep due to
stress or anxiety.
The more you know about your own sleep patterns and your own sleep needs, the more
you can use sleep as a tool to increase your productivity and help you manage the
symptoms of your mental health disorder. It may be helpful to track your sleep over the
course of a week or two using a sleep diary. You may not realize how some of your habits
may be making it more difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep.
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