Sleep is one of my favorite things. Last night, I got 11 hours of it! But like many college students, I often find myself only getting a few hours of sleep due to late nights spent doing homework or cramming for a big test. We’re all told that sleep is important, but just how important is it?
Here’s a few facts about sleep deprivation to get us started:
Teens lacking appropriate amounts of sleep (7-8 hours per night) have an increased likelihood to use drugs.
Sleepiness takes an extreme toll on our abilities to effectively make decisions.
Drowsy driving looks very similar to drunk driving.
Sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.
WOWZERS! Now that I’ve scared you, let’s talk about how we can avoid all that madness.
(But first, here is a sleepy kitty that some of you can probably relate to)
How can we sleep better at night? There’s a few different ways… maintaining a regular sleep schedule, getting anxiety and stress under control, and exercising and eating right can all help. I’m going to focus primarily on getting a grip on anxiety and stress. However, if you are interested in reading more about maintaining a regular sleep schedule or exercising and eating right, click the links!
Stress is necessary in life to get us out of bed and accomplishing things! But too much stress can be a bad thing. Try one of these different relaxation techniques at bed time to get it in check. These are some great starter videos:
If these don’t seem to work for you, you can always use my favorite technique… listening to the most relaxing song ever (yes, there was actually a scientific study done to verify this!). Until next time… happy sleeping, friends!
Healthy Living 