Spring Break
Sleep well, UConn sugarplums
Emily Abbate
Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: Focus
To go along with the theme of the week, this Friday's column is all about sleep. Sleep is very important to maintain a healthy mental and physical state. There are a number of ways to get the necessary amount of sleep and to ensure a fully rested wake-up the next morning.
A loss of sleep can be detrimental and cause several problems. These problems include irritability, inclination towards accidents, inability to concentrate and a depressed immune function, according to newsblaze.com.
"Whenever I don't get enough sleep, I feel completely worthless the next day," said Sammy De Simone, a 2nd-semester biological sciences major. "I know that getting more sleep is what I need, but I also need to get tons of work done and it never works out."
Some of the best suggestions I have for UConn students in terms of improving your quality of sleep include using your bed only for sleep, dimming your lights at night and taking some time for yourself at night. This means letting your inner clock wind down as the day comes to a close. This not only ensures relaxation, but also helps your body unwind before it's finally time for some shut-eye after a long day.
If these ideas don't work, then maybe it's time to analyze your sleeping atmosphere. Try mixing up the sheets on your bed and switching them out for fleece or a different cotton blend. Change the comforter you use to a softer texture, or try sleeping with fewer blankets altogether. Small changes in your sleep environment can make all of the difference when it comes to quality and quantity of sleep.
"I usually hang out with my friends, wash my face, brush and floss my teeth before I go to bed," said Kerry Gless, a 6th-semester political science and history double major. "It gives me a chance to relax on those nights that I'm not staying up studying."
However, newsblaze.com has some suggestions for individuals who are still having trouble sleeping even after following these helpful suggestions. These ideas include playing white noise, diaphragm breathing, muscle relaxing exercises, keeping a pencil and pen next to your bed to write down items you might be afraid you'll forget to do the next morning or sampling one of a variety of supplements. The Web site suggests magnesium, melatonin, passionflower or valerian root.
"People who say they only need five hours of sleep usually only think they need five hours," said Daniel McNally, the Medical Director of Sleep Disorders at the UConn Health Center. "Someone functioning on five hours of sleep is equivalent to someone functioning after having two alcoholic beverages."
So, wake up refreshed and stay alert by using these helpful sleep tips. Who knows, maybe that extra hour or two could really boost you up a letter grade on your exam after all.
A loss of sleep can be detrimental and cause several problems. These problems include irritability, inclination towards accidents, inability to concentrate and a depressed immune function, according to newsblaze.com.
"Whenever I don't get enough sleep, I feel completely worthless the next day," said Sammy De Simone, a 2nd-semester biological sciences major. "I know that getting more sleep is what I need, but I also need to get tons of work done and it never works out."
Some of the best suggestions I have for UConn students in terms of improving your quality of sleep include using your bed only for sleep, dimming your lights at night and taking some time for yourself at night. This means letting your inner clock wind down as the day comes to a close. This not only ensures relaxation, but also helps your body unwind before it's finally time for some shut-eye after a long day.
If these ideas don't work, then maybe it's time to analyze your sleeping atmosphere. Try mixing up the sheets on your bed and switching them out for fleece or a different cotton blend. Change the comforter you use to a softer texture, or try sleeping with fewer blankets altogether. Small changes in your sleep environment can make all of the difference when it comes to quality and quantity of sleep.
"I usually hang out with my friends, wash my face, brush and floss my teeth before I go to bed," said Kerry Gless, a 6th-semester political science and history double major. "It gives me a chance to relax on those nights that I'm not staying up studying."
However, newsblaze.com has some suggestions for individuals who are still having trouble sleeping even after following these helpful suggestions. These ideas include playing white noise, diaphragm breathing, muscle relaxing exercises, keeping a pencil and pen next to your bed to write down items you might be afraid you'll forget to do the next morning or sampling one of a variety of supplements. The Web site suggests magnesium, melatonin, passionflower or valerian root.
"People who say they only need five hours of sleep usually only think they need five hours," said Daniel McNally, the Medical Director of Sleep Disorders at the UConn Health Center. "Someone functioning on five hours of sleep is equivalent to someone functioning after having two alcoholic beverages."
So, wake up refreshed and stay alert by using these helpful sleep tips. Who knows, maybe that extra hour or two could really boost you up a letter grade on your exam after all.
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