“You need 8 hours of sleep!”
“Sleep will improve your health.”
“Students who sleep more have higher GPAs.”
… the list goes on.
We’ve all heard this from our parents, teachers, and friends, yet somehow college students always seem to be the ones who just can’t catch up on sleep. Whether you have pushed off a big essay and need to spend the night in the library, or your friends are all craving some late night Alum, sometimes we just put everything else before sleep.
In order to try to get students to start prioritizing sleep, PC Sleep Week occurred this past week, sponsored by the Providence College Student Health Center and Simply Healthy. Caroline Doyle, a 2013 grad, started the motivation for this event. She was a psychology major at PC, and is now a research assistant at Brown University. After applying for and receiving a grant from the New England College Health Association, Doyle was able to conduct a sleep study at PC this past year.
The sleep study found that PC students not getting enough sleep and that they were pretty misinformed about how sleep works and the benefits of sleep. Most students incorrectly believe that drinking coffee cures drowsiness and that sleep is a time for the brain to rest. In reality, the brain is constantly active during sleep! Doyle found that, “on average, students started to feel tired at 10:05 p.m. on weekdays, but the average weekday bedtime was 12:41 a.m. The average amount of sleep students got per weeknight was 7 hours and 41 minutes, and 60% of the students said they sleep less in order to study.”
PC Sleep Week’s goal was to share with students that sleep is the single-most important health-related behavior that predicts performance at the college level. Sleep is directly correlated to a student’s GPA, their decision-making, hunger, and mental health. This week-long campaign featured different events on campus and tons of flyers, posters, and brochures that presented all kinds of ways to sleep more.
So, collegiettes, what can we do to get more sleep?
·Put the phones and computers away! As much as we all love hopping in bed and checking up on Instagram, interactive electronic devices are tied to sleeping difficulties.
·Boost you alertness for the rest of the day by taking a short 15-20 minute nap after lunch! Napping can diminish fatigue and reduce sleepiness without the negative effects of caffeine.
·Block out all light before you go to bed, or try out an eye-mask. Light prevents you from entering a deep, peaceful sleep.
·Get out in the sunlight as much as you can in the morning and avoid bright light at night. This will alter your genes for a better circadian rhythm to help you sleep!
Check out @PC_sleep_week on Twitter and Instagram for some more tips on ways to get those full 8 hours!