What’s the one thing that unites us all on The Farm? Ambition, you say? Brains? Maybe, but more likely than not, it’s the lack of sleep. Here’s some quick info to make the most out of those precious hours of shut-eye
Alcohol disrupts sleep.
Contrary to popular belief that drinking can give you a sound night’s sleep, alcohol consumption actually breaks up sleep and makes it unsatisfying. You won’t wake up feeling well-rested. Alcohol disrupts the normal pattern of the two states of sleep, non-REM and REM. This depressant may induce drowsiness but it’s not a sleep aid.
Be prepared ahead of time for an all-nighter.
If you know you are going to pull an all-nighter (in other words, be awake for a full night straight without any sleep), it’s important to be prepared. You can take naps ahead of time during the day so at least you will have slept for a little. Everyone knows the lack of sleep doesn’t really hit until later the next day.
Sleeping in on the weekends does not help.
In order to catch up on lost sleep during the week, students often sleep in on the weekends. Unfortunately, this slight addition of sleep doesn’t subtract overall from the negative hours of sleep that you’ve lost. This’ll have to be made up over time with a regular sleeping pattern (which is hard to have as a college student).
Take short naps.
One way to get a quick boost of energy when you really need it is taking a short nap. This may even work better than caffeine. Something important to remember, though, is that the naps need to be short. Twenty to 30 minutes tops should do the trick. This way, you wake up refreshed instead of drowsy and you’ll still be able to sleep at night. Looking for a place to nap? The Oval in the spring makes a great napping spot!
The most important tip to remember is to use your best judgment! When you’re really tired, obviously don’t drive or even ride a bike as it is the surest way to get into an accident. On a lighter note, for those truly interested in the realm of sleep, check out Stanford’s Sleep and Dreams course.