When you enter the college world, you will be changing and growing mentally, as well as physically, for most of your stay. You will encounter things you never thought you would have to face and things that you’ve been preparing for since your early teen years. Whatever path you take or decisions you make, your body is going through a number of things that you must prepare yourself for. Learn how to help yourself in this time designed for learning and personal growth.
The issues that most students face at one point or another are stress and anxiety. You are away from home in a new place with new people trying to figure out who you are and what it is you are meant to do. Whatever your cause for stress and/or anxiety, you must learn to recognize it and deal with it in a healthy manner. One great way to guard against or battle stress is to sleep.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Don’t burn the candle at both ends”? This comes into play when you find yourself with late night studies, parties, or relaxing—and an 8 a.m. class the next day. You are short changing yourself, and at some point, you will need to make up for the sleep you’ve lost.
People that keep unhealthy sleep schedules often encounter these issues:
Depression
According to our friends at WebMD, “Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. In a 2005 Sleep in America poll, people who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety were more likely to sleep less than six hours at night.” We have enough problems. The last thing we need is to suffer from depression. Insomnia (a disorder that causes trouble sleeping and/or staying asleep) and depression tend to go hand in hand. If you feel that you are suffering from insomnia or serious depression and aren’t able to handle the battle on your own, seek help. Millikin’s Health Services is open from 8a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday and they will help you win your battle for sleep.
Sad Skin
By not sleeping properly you are saying “Bring it” to those dark under eyes, wrinkles and even acne. Without sleep your body doesn’t have time to repair and it releases a hormone called cortisol that can break down skin collagen and protein that keeps you looking young and radiant. Your body needs a good night’s rest so it can repair the damage done to the body on a daily basis.
Memory
WebMD shares this interesting information about brain events called “sharp wave ripples”. It says that they “are responsible for consolidating memory and that these ripples also transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain, where long-term memories are stored.” These brain events only occur in deep, long sleep. So folks, this means you must sleep and give your brain time to have these events. Short naps won’t give your brain the time it needs to collect and transfer the information from the day.
Weight Gain
Suffering from Freshman 15? This might be why: lack of sleep has been found to increase appetite and increase our desire for carb-heavy fatty foods. People who sleep an appropriate amount of time are less likely to have issues with obesity and are more likely to have healthier metabolisms.
Down with the Sex Drive
WebMD tells us that sleep specialists have reported lower libidos and desire for sex in sleep-deprived men and women. Lack of energy, sleepiness, and increased tension can impair attention, concentration, reasoning and your natural desire for sexual intercourse.
Impaired Judgment
You will find it difficult to make a clear, informed decision when you’re suffering from lack of sleep. You may even find that you’re not able to make a good choice when it comes to sleep because of your lack of sleep. Individuals that maintain an unhealthy sleep schedule often claim to have adjusted to the life style, but in reality they are just becoming used to being groggy and tired 24/7. Their decisions and lives have continued to be damaged by lack of sleep but they are so damaged by it that they are unable to see the further damage being caused.
According to Web MD, if you continue to lose sleep and maintain a very unhealthy sleep schedule, you could be at risk for:
- Heart disease
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Diabetes
Below is a list of things that can help you to fix your sleeping habits and become a healthy sleeper, and possibly a happier person:
- maintaining a regular sleep-wake schedule
- avoiding caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep
- making your bedroom a comfortable sleep environment
- establishing a calming pre-sleep routine
- going to sleep when you’re truly tired
- not watching the clock at night
- using light to your advantage by exposing yourself to light during the day and limiting light exposure in the evening
- not napping too close to your regular bedtime
- eating and drinking enough—but not too much or too soon before bedtime
- exercising regularly—but not too soon before bedtime