Good habits can lead to more restful sleep

By Delaney Reaves, Editor-in-Chief

“That’s one thing that’s challenging as a student is to kind of weight out, ‘Do I prioritize school right now or do I prioritize my health?'” – Jamie Walker

Sleep is a reversible natural process; it’s not the same as hibernation, unconsciousness, or being exposed to the medical practice of anesthesia. The Fayetteville Public Library hosted an event on June 23 about sleep and how it relates to the health of our bodies. 

Ivan Vargas, assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Arkansas spoke alongside Jamie Walker, clinical psychology doctoral student from the Sleep and Stress Research Lab at the University of Arkansas. 

The question on how to improve sleep became a focused topic within this seminar and a few processes were discussed on how individuals might improve their sleep. These tips focused around behavioral practices that humans go about on a daily basis and might have become a routine for some.

1. Set Your Internal Clock

The “internal clocks” we experience on a daily basis signal our bodies when we need to lie down to sleep and rise to wake. By making an active effort to sleep and wake around the same time each day can help to set the internal clock into a repetitive motion in signaling your body to sleep. After practicing this method your body should then get into a pattern of naturally becoming tired at a certain time and waking at a specific time as well.

2. Balancing Your Intake

Avoiding heavy meals before you plan to sleep for the night as well as making sure to eat close enough to bed is a preferred practice. Walker suggested snacking lightly close to bed so your body is not in the digestive mode, but you avoid being hungry while trying to gain rest. Also avoid having caffeine eight hours prior to your sleep time. 

3. Winding Down After Your Day

Separating your workday from your home life is a great way to relieve and relax from stress that could be limiting your sleep. Another factor that blocks many from sleep is the racing mind and possible worry of one’s life. A regular practice suggested is to schedule time aside to journal and think on those things to release them.

4. Limiting Distractions

Another thing that comes into play is limiting the distractions in your environment that might be causing you to wake during the night or hold you back from falling asleep. Sleeping in a cold, dark room has always been a more well known behavior to follow; reducing the lighting has an effect. Pets that might stay in the room and move about or make noise while being in the same room might create a distraction as well. It is also a suggested method to take away any clocks that might be present in the room; continuously looking at the time can cause stress from noticing the hour and trying to force sleep. 

The presenters were asked about sleep and juggling the life of being a college student who may be working a job, attempting to balance sleep throughout testing weeks at school, and still maintaining a social life. Walker said that much of the aspects of life are unavoidable but being prepared and planning ahead during the semester might be a help to the bring balance. 

Walker said she recognizes the challenge is there and suggests an effort to set up a routine that works for the individual during the semester. ”So … when the really busy times do hit, it feels more natural,”” Walker said. “You don’t give yourself the option of pulling an all-nighter. Establish that you are going to sleep and whatever doesn’t get done, it has to be that way.”