The all-night cram session before midterms is a ritual that almost every college student has experienced, or at the very least, considered.
With progressively busier lifestyles, it's hard to find time for sleep. But forgoing a night's rest for other activities could be causing some serious long-term problems.
Last Tuesday, the Sleep Medicine Center of Western New York held a seminar to emphasize the importance of getting a good night's sleep.
'Some people tell me ‘I just don't have time to get enough sleep,' said Dr. Daniel Rifkin, M.D. in sleep medicine. 'But [sleep] should be their number one priority.'
According to Rifkin, the average adult should get at least eight hours of sleep per night.
However, it's often difficult for the sleepless to calm their minds in order to fall asleep after a busy and stressful day.
'The more you're awake in your bed, the more it perpetuates that sense of wakefulness to your subconscious brain, and the more your subconscious brain just thinks that's a place for frustrated wakefulness,' Rifkin said.
Wasting countless hours trying to fall asleep causes counter-effects, actually making the sleep deprived individual more awake.
This sensation of feeling awake and being unable to think about anything else leads to feelings of frustration and ultimately the bedroom will become a place of anxiety, not a peaceful and relaxing haven.
'You have to retrain your brain to know your bed is a place for sleep,' Rifkin said.
Without enough sleep, especially if it becomes a trend, a body won't be able to stay at its peak performance, as rest provides the body an opportunity to recharge its immune system and metabolism.
Rifkin advised those in attendance to avoid things like caffeine after 10 a.m. Once it is in the body's system, its effects can last up to 15 hours.
He said that students should try to combat poor sleeping hygiene and said that not smoking and avoiding strenuous exercise near bedtime can help.
He also said that students could improve their habits by leaving laptops on a desk and not the bed. The bright screen simulates a sunrise, which actually keeps the mind awake.
Those who have trouble falling asleep could also take a warm bath a few hours before bed.
'You want to warm up your body, but you want it to be able to cool off for the time before bed,' Rifkin said.
Rifkin urges students to avoid taking naps, as napping delays the body's internal clock, which keeps the person awake longer.
According to the seminar, poor sleeping habits are becoming more problematic. An estimated 70 million American adults suffer from sleep disorders, and the number continues to climb.
Rifkin said that people who are sleep deprived have enhanced appetites because of lower leptin levels – the hormone that controls how full a person feels.
Rifkin noted there isn't really a way to prove that a lack of sleep is the cause of obesity, but there certainly is a link.
Students can sleep soundly by keeping Rifkin's tips in mind and aiming for eight hours of rest every night.
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Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
