Fitting Sleep into My Life
At the beginning of my seventh-grade year, my science teacher announced that anyone who fell asleep during class would be in for a rude awakening. We quickly learned that sleep-deprived students would be jarred awake by the teacher’s obnoxiously loud voice or the sound of a metal yardstick crashing onto the tile floor. At the time, we students would laugh hysterically watching this happen to others. Since I saw sleep scientist Matthew Walker on the Joe Rogan Experience, I now see the situation very differently. Starting school before 7 a.m. led many of us to be regularly sleep deprived; it’s no surprise many of us students struggled to stay attentive and awake during class. . Hearing Walker talk about how crucial sleep is to a healthy life ignited my curiosity, so I went on to read his book, Why We Sleep.
My biggest takeaway from Why We Sleep is the importance of a consistent sleep schedule that allows one to get eight hours of sleep per night. Before reading Walker’s book, I assumed that poor sleep throughout the week could be made up for on the weekends. However, Walker explains that sleep for memory consolidation is an all-or-nothing event: Attempting to pay off one’s sleep debt later does not work. To consolidate memories acquired throughout the day and make room for tomorrow’s new memories, one needs to get eight hours of sleep. Waking up and going to bed at the same times each day is the best way of ensuring one gets eight hours: This reinforces one’s sleep schedule into their circadian rhythm.
Incorporating a consistent sleep schedule that works harmoniously with one’s waking schedule requires planning. As a college student, I am lucky that I often have multiple options for class start times. I am not naturally an early riser, so I’ve built my school schedules starting after 10 a.m. Doing so has dramatically improved my retention of information, academic performance, and engagement in classes. In the future, however, life circumstances may force me to wake up earlier. When those circumstances arise, I will need to shift my sleep schedule earlier. To consistently get eight hours of sleep, I’ll have to go to bed earlier in order to wake up earlier every day of the week.
A consistent sleep schedule is not the only thing one can do to improve one’s sleep. Walker mentions that eating meals before bed can cause indigestion, leading to poorer sleep quality. As I sometimes eat dinner too close to my bedtime, I am working on being more thoughtful and deliberate with my meal scheduling so that I’ll feel more refreshed and attentive during the day. Walker also recommends people avoid using electronic devices an hour before bed, as they emit blue light that confuses our circadian rhythm. I used to lay in bed at night, flooding my eyes with light from YouTube videos. It would take me hours to fall asleep and I would wake up with a headache, feeling groggy, dull, and irritable. I’ve found that listening to podcasts allows me to unwind without being exposed to blue light. I fall asleep easier and wake up so much more refreshed.
Learning about healthy sleep habits is important, but incorporating that knowledge into your own life is what matters most. Doing so can be difficult and often requires large adjustments to your current habits. The most important aspect of healthy sleep is a consistent sleep schedule that works with your waking schedule and allows you to get a full eight hours of sleep. Try to fit the sleep puzzle piece precisely and accurately into the bigger picture of your life. When does your body want to go to sleep and when does it want to wake up? Can you adjust your work, school, and recreational schedule to accommodate your circadian rhythm? What adjustments would be needed to have consistent wake and sleep times every day? Finally, consider how the activities you partake in before bed affect your sleep and adjust them as necessary. By prioritizing sleep and building better habits around it, your mental and physical well-being will improve, allowing you to live your best life.
Reference
Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. Scribner.
Orei Odents is in his final year as a psychology major at UNLV. He will be entering his fourth semester in the IMG lab this fall. His research interests include sleep, loneliness, personality disorders, and the effects of trauma. After he graduates in the spring of 2022, he plans on attending a marriage and family therapy master’s or counseling psychology Ph.D. program and eventually starting his own private practice.