Don't underestimate the negative impact of sleep problems on your schooling, work, relationships, and general well being. Academic performance can be sabotaged by poor sleep patterns. Not sleeping for more than 24 hours affects performance as much as a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.
There's also evidence that an inadequate amount of sleep can:
- Increase moodiness
- Decrease ability to concentrate
- Decrease retention of new information
- Reduce your ability to manage stress
- Lessen your body's ability to fight off illness
For these reasons, it can be costly to ignore sleep problems or bad sleep habits.
Getting The Right Amount of Sleep
Some people only need 6 or 7 hours, but others require up to 9 hours to feel wide awake and to function at their peak level. Moreover, it isn't simply how many hours of sleep you're getting that matters, but how good you feel and how well you're able to perform each day. Quality of sleep can be as important as quantity.
How To Get A Better Night's Sleep
One of the best ways to improve your sleep is to replace a poor sleep routine with one that promotes sleep. In order to get a good night's sleep, you need to:
- Strengthen your mind's association with the bed or bedroom as only a place for sleep,
- Weaken the mind's association with the bed or bedroom as a place for stimulating activities that might interfere with sleep (like studying, watching TV, eating, etc.), and
- Develop a consistent sleep schedule.
The two essential ingredients for sleep are being tired and relaxed. Most research shows that when individuals are tired, they fall asleep within five minutes or less. Falling asleep is something you allow yourself to do, not make yourself do. When you focus on "trying" to go to sleep, this could increase stress, thereby making you less relaxed. Tell yourself that you are waiting for sleep to come, and allow yourself to relax in the meantime.
If you are committed to following these instructions, you should experience some sleep improvement. Remember, it will take time for changes to happen, so be patient and don't give up!
