When I hear the phrase “daylight savings”, I get so relieved and beyond happy. College has left me sleep deprived and hungry. I’ve realized how hard it is to be independent and I forget to practice self-care and to sleep. Now that I’m getting extra sleep, I need to have a routine.
Question 1: What happens when you sleep?
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There are two types of sleep stages: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (non-REM), which has 3 further sub-stages.
Based on Understanding Sleep from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, sleep starts off in the non-REM stage. You brain begins to slow down and transition from being active to inactive; this should take a few minutes. The second stage of non-REM is a period of light sleep before you enter a deeper sleeping zone. This is where your body transitions by slowing the heart rate and breathing. Simultaneously, your muscles relax and your body temperature drops. The third stage is the longest period of deep sleep. Your whole body slows down even more and this is where you get the most rest.
Question 2: What happens when you don’t get enough sleep?
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Decrease Brain Function and Work Performance
According to the article, “Too Little Sleep, and Too Much, Affect Memory”, written by Howard LeWin, when you don’t get the proper amount of sleep, your brain function lowers. Your ability to focus and think decreases and you have trouble with memory, which then continues to cause other issues such as poor academic performance, poor work performance and risk of being in more accidents.
Weight Gain & Hormonal Changes
Lack of sleep equals lack of energy and motivation, meaning you are more likely to eat extra calories. Not to mention, lack of sleep affects your hormones and metabolism. The body’s reaction to less sleep is to produce more of the hormone Ghrelin, which is in charge of sending signals to your cells that you’re hungry when you’re really not.
Major Health Issues
Lack of sleep causes stress on the body and hormonal changes that affect metabolism. You become at risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. For example, you can develop Type 2 Diabetes because you’re not getting the proper amount of sleep because it changes how your body produces insulin and other hormones.
Link to Depression
The National Sleep Foundation discusses the relationship between sleep and depression. Less sleep can also lead to emotional changes; you may lose control of your emotions and become more irritable, emotional and sad. You may feel lack of motivation or energy to do anything, which can lead to not participating in physical activities or daily tasks. That in turn means you end up staying home and aren’t motivated to keep up with work or school.
With Daylight Savings Time already in action, we all get an extra hour of sleep. Which we can utilize to our advantage! The best way to get back on track is to start a routine.
Here are my 3 tips of advice to get better sleep:
1. Put Away the Phone!
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Yes, you know the drill. This is an old tip that all of us know. Our phones stop us from sleeping well and on time, but I understand the struggle. I have a hard time letting go of my phone.
If you can’t let it go or it takes forever to put it down, my suggestion is adding cushion time before you sleep. In other words, try using your phone a couple hours before your bedtime so you can relax without a screen in front of your face right before sleeping.
2. Listen to Music or Relaxing Sound Effects
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There is a connection between music and sleep. Most people fall asleep when listening to music, but the choice of music you pick affects how well you sleep. If you know your music is going to be distracting, then I recommend listening to relaxing sounds such as rain sound effects, jazz music or classical music.
If you don’t know where to start or you’re too lazy to make your own playlist, I recommend downloading this sleep app called MellowMe. It is completely free in the apple app store and it has two categories: Sleep & Relaxation. Within these two categories, it includes several playlists with a few selection of songs. Along with breathing exercises, which is a good way to de-stress and relax.
3. Lastly, Eat the Right Foods!
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Nourish your body with the right foods because your diet can impact your sleep quality. While you sleep, the brain uses that time to go through important body functions and processes. In order to do that, they use the energy and nutrients that you intake and digest.
Examples of foods to avoid is caffeine, fatty foods, foods high in protein, spicy foods and heavy meals before bed. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat junk food or delicious treats! You can eat the foods you enjoy, but make sure to do so earlier in the day.
Overall, I think the best way to get started is to just do it. You can complain but it only gets done until you actually do it. So as tough as it may be, get to bed early. Make a routine that fits your schedule and commit to it!