“Sleep is an addiction you can learn to overcome.”

I’ve heard countless friends repeat that quote and I think it really embodies the attitude most students—especially AP students—take towards getting sleep. In fact, the CDC reports that about “7 out of 10 (72.7%)” high school students do not get enough sleep on school nights, with enough sleep being a whopping 8-10 hours! (If anybody here gets that much sleep, please share your magical ways!) With AP homework and a wide range of extracurriculars to consider… Well, many people just don’t see sleep as important.

I should know. I used to be one of them.

What Changed?

Last spring, I gave up caffeine for a month as a personal challenge. Before this, I was drinking a cup of coffee almost every morning. (As you could guess, the first few days were rough.) Giving up coffee meant I was forced to get more sleep.

The effects were astonishing.

My normally turbulent moods were calmer. My reasoning skills were clearer. My mindset became more positive. My grades thanked me for the sleep as well. The experience taught me that caffeine cannot be used as a replacement for getting plenty of sleep; I learned how important sleep is.

Why Is Sleep So Important?

Sleep is when the body repairs itself; this is time in which the body produces chemicals and hormones necessary for our well being. A lack of sleep has been shown to correlate with “…higher risk of obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, and problems with attention and behavior.” Everything from your heart to your healthy eating habits can be damaged by a lack of sleep.

Remember Me?

We’ve all heard of cramming for a test the night before, only to forget everything once the test’s over— or right before the test itself.

This isn’t just a passing tale.

An article from the Women’s Health Advisor explains in May of 2019 that sleep is when short term memories are converted into long-term ones, during a stage of sleep known as "slow wave" sleep. Sleep is the best time for memory preservation because your mind isn’t preoccupied with external stimuli such as sound or sight.

The less slow-wave sleep a person gets, the greater the magnitude of memory performance damage. This means that when you cheat yourself of sleep, you’re damaging your mind’s ability to commit things to long-term memory—things such as the material you’re trying to learn in the first place.

Feeling Kinda Blue

Have you ever heard the saying, “sleep on it?” While a night of sleep won’t magically fix most problems, a good night of sleep can help refresh the mind and bring new perspectives to light. This is because stress hormones are regulated with sleep and this increases a person’s emotional stability.

It has been found that a loss of sleep results in an elevation of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. A lack of sleep has also been found to increase people’s feelings of sadness, anger or mental exhaustion. Put simply, the more tired you are, the less happy you are as well.

The Slow and the Sedate

Getting enough sleep is especially important for those of us on the road. The CDC reports that up to 6,000 fatal crashes each year may be caused by drowsy drivers. Drowsy driving causes much the same effects as drunk driving; it impairs judgment, which makes drivers pay less attention to the road and have a possess a slower reaction time. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “driving without sleep for just one night produces sedating effects equal to 10 alcoholic beverages.” Although there are various methods to combat drowsy driving, the most effective solution is a good night of rest. It is almost an obligation to get enough sleep if you plan to drive.

Tips On Getting More Sleep

• Plan sleep into your day. Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, even on the weekends. A good sleep schedule takes at least two days to set up.
• Reduce device use before bed. About an hour before bed, start taking time to relax without the use of electronics. The light from electronic devices can activate the brain and make it hard to fall asleep.
• Avoid caffeine after two pm so the chemical doesn’t mess up your sleep.
• If you have serious issues with falling or staying asleep, talk to the school nurse or your doctor. It may indicate a bigger concern.

For more tips, go to: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/healthy-sleep-tips

“Dozing” Thoughts

Sleep doesn’t seem important at first glance. With so much to do in our busy lives, who has time for sleep? All of us, that’s who! Sleep is critical for your mental, social and academic health. That’s why I regard sleep as the best study tool, whether it be for that English test or the test of life.

Sources:

Photo by Vincent Rivaud from Pexels

• Sleep in Middle and High School Students from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• 7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn’t Get Enough) by Alice G. Walton on Forbes

• Your Brain Is Hard at Work While You’re Asleep: Getting enough quality sleep is one key to a good memory from the Women’s Health Advisor

• Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening by Leproult R, Copinschi G, Buxton O and Van Cauter E.

• How to remove cortisol from the body naturally by Bethany Cadman on Medical News Today

• Sleep and Mood from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School

• Drowsy Driving: Asleep at the Wheel from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• The Problem with Drowsy Driving from The National Sleep Foundation

• How To Stay Awake On The Road: Tips To Combat Drowsy Driving from The National Sleep Foundation

• Healthy Sleep Tips from The National Sleep Foundation