Bedtime Basics

How to Establish Your Nightly Routine
By Amber Harding with Sandra McGill Student In Bed

Schoolwork’s demanding, housing is noisy, and your social life calls, so it might feel like sleep is optional. It’s not! Sufficient sleep is essential for a healthy body, optimal cognitive function, and a stable mood. In other words, it’s a key to academic success.

Veronica suggests how to relax before bed. (MP4)

Sleep Keeps You Sweet

There are many reasons your body loves sleep.

Energy: If you find yourself falling asleep in class or losing concentration by 3:00 p.m., you’re not getting enough sleep.

While a power nap of 20-30 minutes can help you feel refreshed, naps aren’t a replacement for consistent nighttime sleep.
Cognitive Functioning: You snooze, you learn. Studies manipulating people’s amount of sleep have shown that sleep-deprived students experience reduced learning capacity while those getting an optimal amount perform better academically.
Healthy Body: Watching your waistline? Watch the insides of your eyelids.

A 2004 study of hunger and sleep discovered that well-rested subjects had higher levels of leptin, the hormone which signals fullness, and lower ghrelin amounts, an appetite stimulator. When subjects were sleep-deprived, these switched.

Result: Participants felt less hungry when well rested.

Bedtime Routines Aren’t Just for Kids

Nearly 65 percent of respondents to a recent Student Health 101 survey said they have a before-bed routine, and most devote more than 20 minutes to unwinding. That might seem like time you could spend doing something “productive,” but in fact, preparing for sleep will improve its quality, and that will improve your productivity exponentially.

Simply put, bedtime routines work. Students say that having one helps them fall asleep faster, sleep better, and wake up refreshed. “Turning on some music or doing some yoga helps me tune in to my body so I know when I’m energized and when I’m tired,” says Brittany B., a second-year student at the University of Calgary in Alberta.

Skimping on Sleep to “Have More Time”
Many survey respondents mentioned daily stress and schoolwork as factors that interfere with their sleep routine. A heavy academic load and high stress levels can cause the mind to race, which affects sleep quantity and quality. Maximizing your time management can help you offload stress and organizing your time can help prevent late-night rushes to finish assignments.

Here are some simple tips:

Wind Down
Bid the day farewell with a relaxing routine. Survey respondents suggest:

Washing up
Listening to relaxing music
Doing yoga or meditating
Dimming the lights
Reading for pleasure-not a textbook!

Kelly E., a fourth-year student at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, talks to a loved one on the phone to help her wind down before bed.

Brigham offers tips for a bedtime routine. (MP4)

Power Down
Turn off the tech at least an hour before bedtime. Dr. Roxanne Prichard, a sleep expert at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, says, “Exposure to light, especially bluish light or short wavelength light [in electronics], suppresses melatonin-the hormone that tells your body it’s time to go to bed.”

Penny Corkum, from the Canadian Sleep Society and a professor of psychology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, suggests that you avoid using electronic devices and focus on personal relaxation before sleep. “Try to spend the last hour before bed relaxing in a dimly lit room,” she says.

Get Comfortable
Your sleepy body needs quiet and darkness, but many shared living spaces are the opposite.

Recorded nature sounds or a small fan can neutralize noise.
Earplugs can work wonders.
Dark curtains or those with light-blocking layers will minimize light.
An eye mask can block out distractions.

Communicate With Roommates
Roommates may not share your schedule, so talk about how to work around one another’s needs.

Ask that they avoid making noise or flipping on lights when you’re trying to snooze.
Establish quiet hours.
Set boundaries on social activities and visitors.
Communicate and compromise. If your negotiations stall, get help from a staff member.

Practice Makes for Better Sleep

Once you find your sleep-inducing groove, repetition is key. Your body will start to recognize your habits as cues to prepare for sleep. Alina H., a first-year student at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, says that having a routine before bed helps her to fall asleep faster and stay in that state longer.

It might be tempting to disregard bedtime routines as childish, but settling into one can help you rise and shine every morning.

Naomi talks about reducing distractions before sleep. (MP4)

Don’t Let Your Lullaby Go Lullabye

Students need eight to nine hours of sleep a night for optimal functioning. Are most getting enough?
Here are some slumber stats:

According to the American College Health Association’s 2012 National College Health Assessment, on most nights, 75 percent of students didn’t get enough sleep to feel rested upon waking.
More than 90 percent of students experienced sleepiness during the day (a sure sign of insufficient sleep).
Sleep difficulties affected 20 percent of students’ academic performance.

Take Action:

Power down by powering off electronics an hour before bed.
Read for pleasure, listen to soothing music, or do some stretching to unwind.
Run a small fan or use a white-noise machine to drown out distractions.
Discuss your sleep habits with roommates and establish quiet hours.

Amber is a recent graduate of the Thompson Rivers University Journalism program

Avoid These Common Sleep-Quality Reducers:

Say no to nightcaps. You might fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but your sleep will be shallower and you’re likely to wake earlier.
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. You can use the weekend to recoup an hour or two, but skipping sleep during the week and crashing Saturday and Sunday will disrupt your circadian clock. “Try not to have more than a one-hour difference on weekends versus weekdays,” says Penny Corkum, a sleep expert from the Canadian Sleep Society and a professor of psychology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Many people find that exercising close to bedtime makes it more difficult to fall asleep, so plan your fitness routine for earlier in the day.
Avoid naps longer than about 20 minutes. Otherwise they may make it harder for you to fall asleep later.
Only use your bed for sleeping and sex. “Try to avoid using your bed [to study]. Work from a desk, library, or coffee shop whenever possible,” says Dr. Roxanne Prichard, an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.