I can’t deny that it almost feels rewarding to see Drexel as number 19 out of 25 on the most sleep-deprived schools list, according to fitness tracking data from Bit of News. All those restless nights and difficult, early mornings are no longer going unnoticed. Drexel made it on the list with 6.83 hours of average sleep time, meaning our average bedtime is 12:45 a.m. and wake time is 8:16 a.m.
This article has gained much popularity since its publication on April 20 with over 181,754 views. It seems as though sleep deprivation is a trending topic amongst students. It shouldn’t be a shocker to hear that college students are one of the most sleep-deprived populations. According to an article on Campus Mind Works, sleep deprivation in students has been linked to lower GPAs because the lack of sleep affects concentration, memory and the ability to learn. “The ability to learn” … isn’t that why we are here in the first place? We can gawk at the numbers, complain and compare lack of sleep as much as we please, but what can actually be done to stop this epidemic?
Coincidentally, on the same website as the 25 most sleep-deprived schools, there is an article titled ‘How To Fall Asleep Fast with the “4-7-8 Method”’. Although I had never tried, or heard of this method, I immediately became intrigued by its enormous popularity: 185,954 views. As a sleep-deprived college student myself, I decided to dive right in. Best-selling author, Dr. Andrew Weil, who received his M.D. from Harvard University in 1968, advocates the importance of mindful breathing practices. He deduces the ability to sleep to a six-step process:
Step 1: Place the tip of your tongue against your upper front teeth
Step 2: Exhale deeply
Step 3: Close your mouth
Step 4: Hold your breath for several seconds
Step 5: Exhale completely through your mouth
Step 6: Repeat the process to fall asleep
Basically, just breathe. It seems simple. However, sometimes we forget how to breathe calmly. Stress equates to short, high-strung breaths produced by lungs that can, and need, to take in much more oxygen. Dr. Weil writes, “Breathing strongly influences physiology and thought processes, including moods. By simply focusing your attention on your breathing, and without doing anything to change it, you can move in the direction of relaxation.”
Sleep is characterized as a condition of the body and mind that typically recurs every night for several hours. When this pattern is obstructed, the consequences are almost immediate and more than just the superficial, good ‘ole bags under the eyes. Sleep plays an important role in your physical and mental health. It is just as important as it is to eat, drink and breathe. As students, it’s often hard to take our long-term health into account when we are studying for something that is due the next day. We are forced to live in the present and tend to immediate deadlines that contradict our long-term priorities; rest being one of them. Rest almost seems trivial and indulgent in comparison to our impending work schedules. However, it is a matter that should not be taken lightly.
After watching a shocking Buzzfeed video illustrating the harmful affects that lack of sleep has on the body, it became brutally apparent to me that something needed to change. One sleepless night impairs movement and focus comparable to having a blood alcohol level of .1 percent. After two nights, your oxygen intake decreases, you start to have memory issues and stumble upon words. Three nights in, your heart rate increases and you start to become agitated very easily. On the fourth night, your brain begins to fall asleep while you are still awake. You may also start hallucinating. Hopefully you will finally get some rest after the hallucinations and if not, on the fifth night you might start getting paranoid that someone or something is out to get you.
It is scary to think that our bodily functions are reliant upon that six to eight hours of sleep we get (or don’t get). It may seem like a big commitment to make when we are already wishing for more hours in a day, but it is crucial we commit to our physical and mental wellbeing. Sleep is your body’s natural way of recharging and if you prevent it from doing so, your mind and body will turn against you. You are not a robot.
To ensure that you are ready to rest, remove daytime stimulants and make your bed a nighttime sanctuary. Take care of matters that need to be immediately tended to and write down the ones that can wait for the next day on a piece of paper. Create a barrier between work and sleep and decide when you are going to end your day. But most importantly, follow through. Create a daily bedtime ritual for yourself that will mentally prepare your body for sleep, such as drinking a warm cup of tea or taking a warm bath. After this is accomplished, you are ready for the 4-7-8 step method that will put you right to bed. Sweet dreams!