The importance of sleeping
College is infamously a time where sleeping habits are completely out of whack; all nighters are the norm and sleeping in until mid-afternoon is perfectly acceptable. While all of this can be part of the carefree joy of being in college, it can be detrimental to your physical and mental wellbeing.
Sleep is essential to being alive, without it we cannot function properly. Our sleep time is our maintenance time, we heal physically and process mentally. Sleep helps repair your heart, regulate blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism and fight germs and sickness. Sleep deprivation can increase your risk of disease, stress hormones and weight gain. Also, sleep has significant impacts on your mental health. Without sleep your risk for depression, anxiety and memory loss skyrockets. Sleep is the time for your brain to process the information from the day and prepare for the next day.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, college students should try to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. In a time as crazy as college it is imperative that we get a good night’s sleep. Having energy to learn, to problem solve and to stay healthy are keys to success!
Sleep is an often overlooked aspect of wellness. You can take all the immunity shots under the sun, work out everyday, do as much skincare as possible, but without sleep it’s nothing. Sleep is an easy, accessible and enjoyable way to take care of yourself. Sleeping is cool! You only have one body, so take care of it.
As you may be able to tell, I love my sleep. Sleep habits are different for everyone. Are you a morning person? Do you like sleeping warm or cold? Do you like noise or no noise? Do you like it pitch black? It may seem superfluous, but setting up an optimal sleeping environment is essential for a healthy and happy lifestyle because as humans we need time to feel comfortable, safe and relaxed.
Let’s unpack my ideal sleeping routine, maybe it’ll inspire you! I am an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl. I love mornings. I like to go to bed at 9 or 10 pm. Ideally, I am freshly showered and moisturized, in my bed with too many pillows, wearing a matching PJ set from TJ Maxx, journaling or reading for a few hours before shutting off the lights. I like to limit my screen time as much as possible before bed; putting your phone in another room and using an actual alarm clock is a good trick to limit phone usage. I like my room at a crisp 66 degrees with a fan on (for noise purposes). I can sleep in both pitch black or with a dim nightlight. But, a few hours before bedtime I definitely want the big light off. Big light should be off most of the time, I’m a lifelong big light hater. I read until my eyes are heavy and burning, then I shut off the lights and fall into a dream filled, healing night’s sleep.
Let this motivate you to reinvent your sleeping routine, make it fun, make it catered to your relaxation! Happy sleeping!