Blog Entry

As we approach the end of the semester and gear up for finals, we want to remind you that when it comes to late night cramming sessions vs. getting to bed on time, Zzz’s get degrees!

Sleep is a very important part of personal health and wellness and it helps you perform well on exams. When we sleep, we experience the Sleep Cycle which is divided into 5 stages. During stage 4 (the stage right before the REM stage), you begin to build energy to get your through the day and your brain consolidates all your memories. Think of your memories like a puzzle. When you are awake, you find new puzzle pieces while learning new things in class, talking with friends, even watching Netflix. During Stage 4 sleep, your brain assembles these pieces into a comprehensive picture that forms your memories. So all those facts you learn in biology will make more sense after you’ve had a good night’s sleep!

Studies show that as many as 25% of college students are sleep deprived due to staying up late doing homework, studying, or doing extracurricular activities. Sleep can also be disrupted by excessive worry, anxiety, stress, and depression. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep to feel rested and see the health benefits.

We understand that getting more sleep is easier said than done, so here are some tips on how to adjust your sleep:

• Establish a sleep and wake-up time and stick to it
• Make sure your room is cool and dark at bedtime
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid phone use 30 minutes before bedtime
• Stop watching TV an hour before bed
• Manage stress and anxiety during the daytime
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine 4-6 hours before bed

Sleep tight, Bearkats!