By: Jennifer Guellich
Wellness Program Director
Sleep? Sleep? Who needs it anyway? You do and here’s why.
If you are getting sick more often, then you most likely are sleep deprived. Research shows that more than 100 million Americans do not get enough sleep. While there is some individual variation, the most sleep-deprived group of all is high school and college students. According to Cornell University researchers, 17 to 25-year-olds need almost as much sleep as very young children – nearly 10 hours a night for optimal rest and functioning.
The average college student, however, only sleeps six hours a night, resulting in sleep debt. Sleep deprivation over a continual period of time can cause some potential harmful metabolic, hormonal and immune changes.
Researches at U.C. San Diego deprived 23 men aged 22 to 61 of four hours of sleep (from 3 a.m. — 7 a.m.) for just one night, and found that the activity of cells that fight viral infections was markedly reduced in all of the subjects the morning following sleep loss. The next night, the subjects were allowed a full-night’s sleep, which was followed by full immune recovery the next morning. According to these results, it stands to reason that repeated sleep loss means longer stretches of impaired immune system function.
Another side of this picture is an interesting fact: memory is enhanced in subjects who sleep following learning. Remember this one: it is not a good idea to cram all night before a test. You need the REM sleep to consolidate that information.
Lack of sleep has also been linked to the following: use of caffeine, alcohol or nicotine, stress, circadian rhythm disorders (jet lag, shift work, sleep-disordered breathing, nightmares, excessive worrying and irregular sleep schedule). A National Institutes of Health study concluded that we eat more when we are tired, and eating just before bedtime may alter the sleep pattern. Concentration, memory, reaction time, and the ability to deal with stressors are also compromised by inadequate sleep patterns.
One study done at Stanford University found that just one glass of wine had the same effect on sleep-deprived college students as a six-pack of beer did on well-rested subjects.
Here are some recommendations from sleep experts to help fight tiredness:
Go to bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier each night for week-blocks at a time until you find yourself sufficiently awake during the day.
Power nap if you can’t increase your nightly sleep sessions. Even napping for a few minutes can temporarily boost mental and physical functioning.
Don’t force yourself to fall or return to sleep. Read or write a letter until you become tired
Sleep during the same set of hours, for the same number of hours, each night.
Address stress, anxiety, depression and other sleep-depriving disorders by learning relaxation techniques or talking with a counselor.
Exercise regularly, but don’t exercise or eat during the three to four hours preceding your bedtime.
Consider reducing or eliminating alcohol and caffeine use, which often interrupt sleep because of their long-lasting impact on metabolism. Beware of certain medications that might act as a stimulant, i.e. Sudafed for Colds.
Write to-do lists for the following day—including strategies for reaching these goals before bedtime.
October 23, 2003