Collegiate Times

We’ve all seen those people in class that are slouched over in their chair with their mouth hanging open, snoozing away while the teacher is lecturing. And for some of us this sounds familiar because we are the person who is napping in class. Sadly, for most students, this is not a rare occurrence even though it is quite embarrassing.With all the clubs, organizations, social activities and classes it is hard to find time to take a break, let alone sleep. But is sleeping really that important? According to Schiffert Heath Center, lack of sleep can negatively impact your concentration, memory, mood, decision-making and overall health. Think of the last time you only got a few hours of sleep. Did you snap at one of your friends even though they didn’t do anything wrong? Did you find it hard to pay attention to an important conversation? Did you fall asleep in class? It is an important fact that our brains and bodies need sleep, yet we so often neglect to get enough.

Most adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep a night. This time frame varies on an individual basis. The best way to find out how much sleep you need on a regular night is to pick a week that isn’t busy. Set a specific time to go to bed and see about how long you sleep in the morning without setting an alarm. After a week of this experiment, your body should tell you how much sleep you need.

If you find that falling asleep is difficult there are several different things you can do. First, make sure you have enough time to sleep. This may sound basic, but so many students do not allow enough time for their bodies to rest. If necessary, plan out times that you can sleep and put them in your scheduler. Blocking off this time can increase the likelihood of you having more time to sleep.

Second, make sure you are comfortable. You see ads on TV all the time for really nice, cozy beds and spokespeople vouching that they get better sleep at night. Even though many of us can’t afford a nice Tempurpedic bed, it is important to find a bed that is comfortable. Also, make sure there are enough blankets to keep you warm and have your room temperature cool but not cold. Having the room be dark and quiet is also very helpful.

Third, it is important to have wind down time before you go to bed. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol four to six hours before you palan to go to bed is critical to a good nights sleep. Although many students have TVs in their room, watching anything right before bed might not be the best idea. By watching TV, your brain gets stimulated in several areas, which may make it harder to fall asleep when you are ready. Also, exercising regularly earlier in the day will make your body tired enough to fall asleep.

Sleep is an important thing and something that can greatly affect your mood and mental health. With finals lurking around the corner, it is even more important to get enough sleep to do well on exams. For more information on how to get better sleep, you can go to www.healthcenter.vt.edu.

Candace Lohr
Active Minds president

A version of this article appeared in the Apr 22 issue of the Collegiate Times.