Biology in Action

Wow! Great post! I am a student of Miss Baker’s at the Extreme Biology Blog.

I have a bad habit of staying up really late. Usually I will leave homework till later that night or be talking or texting on my phone. I just don’t get tired until about 11- 12 at night. But recently I had a huge history paper due. I even started working on it very early, but I started to worry about it that I wasn’t going to do my best or get it done. I started staying up later and then waking up early in the morning. This did not benfit me at all because when I got to school I was tired and all I wanted to was sleep.

Here are some tips to fall asleep even on worry nights:
Sleep only when sleepy
This reduces the time you are awake in bed. If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy. Sit quietly in the dark or read the warranty on your refrigerator. Don’t expose yourself to bright light while you are up. The light gives cues to your brain that it is time to wake up.

Don’t take naps
This will ensure you are tired at bedtime. If you just can’t make it through the day without a nap, sleep less than one hour, before 3 pm.

Get up and go to bed the same time every day
Even on weekends! When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, you will feel better.

Refrain from exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime
Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep better, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with sleep.

Develop sleep rituals
It is important to give your body cues that it is time to slow down and sleep. Listen to relaxing music, read something soothing for 15 minutes, have a cup of caffeine free tea, do relaxation exercises.

Only use your bed for sleeping
Refrain from using your bed to watch TV, pay bills, do work or reading. So when you go to bed your body knows it is time to sleep. Sex is the only exception.

Stay away from caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol at least 4-6 hours before bed
Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Coffee, tea, cola, cocoa, chocolate and some prescription and non-prescription drugs contain caffeine. Cigarettes and some drugs contain nicotine. Alcohol may seem to help you sleep in the beginning as it slows brain activity, but you will end up having fragmented sleep.

Have a light snack before bed
If your stomach is too empty, that can cause trouble sleeping. However, if you eat a heavy meal before bedtime, that can interfere with falling asleep as well. Dairy products and turkey contain tryptophan, which acts as a natural sleep inducer. Tryptophan is probably why a warm glass of milk is sometimes recommended.

Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime
A hot bath will raise your body temperature, but it is the drop in body temperature that may leave you feeling sleepy. Read about the study done on body temperature below.

Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable
A hot room can be uncomfortable. A cooler room along with enough blankets to stay warm is recommended. If light in the early morning bothers you, get a blackout shade or wear a slumber mask. If noise bothers you, wear earplugs or get a “white noise” machine.

Use sunlight to set your biological clock
As soon as you get up in the morning, go outside and turn your face to the sun for 15 minutes.

Source: http://www.abed.com/sleepcenter/sleep_tips.asp

This is an intresting case especially since we all have gone through this more than once in our lives. Growing up I have always been told that i needed to have atleast eight hours of sleep to be well rested. Without good sleep the body and brain can never function at its best ability. As they say water, food and sleep is what does the body best; so ofcourse the loss of sleep will always be detrimental for society. And yes i must agree with you that tension and stress can really cause someone to loose sleep but ironically it is when our body needs to rest the most.

I found your article to be very interesting. I also find myself to be tired usually as well. However, when the body gets too much sleep, we tend to be even more tired than when we were prior. I notice personally, that those who have a long commute to work seem to me more overworked and tired that those that do not. For instance, my older brother commutes to the city every day by train. He ususally is awake around 6 and is out the door by 6:30 the latest. My father on the other hand, works only 7 miles from home, so he does not leave the house till about 8:45 to get to work by 9. My brother always seems much more stressed and tired than my father, so maybe the long commute and him having to get to get up earlier and go to work is a major factor. I found this website to be interesting. Check it out, it talks all about sleep disorders as well as sleep patterns.
http://www.sleepfoundation.org

Jillian- Very interesting article especially because I know college students rarely get enough sleep. When I’m at school, my sleep patterns change drastically! At home, I’ll be in bed by 10 or 11 at the latest. At school, I’m lucky if I’m in bed by 1 or 2 in the morning. If I have a big assignment due the next day or a test- forget it! I sometimes have to stay up all night, which I know is extremely unhealthy.

One solution to this problem, besides getting to bed earlier of course, is taking cat naps throughout the day. This totally works! If you sleep for 1/2 hour to 45 mins, it could completely improve your day. However, if you sleep more than that, you will end up feeling tired. Actually, certain businesses have started allowing their employees to take a 20 min or so nap in the middle of the day in order to improve on their efficiency. Usually, those who have coffee in the morning before work will begin to feel sleepy around lunch because the adrenaline secreted by the caffeine has worn off.

Coffee is another solution for me. However, I drink way too much coffee! I have tried to quit, but I find myself being so tired. I feel like the more I drink it, the less of an effect it has on me.

One last note: I think, in general, that Americans are overworked. This spawns for the “time is money” mentality that has circulated throughout the country. Additionally, the rise of consumerism in the 1920’s has caused most Americans to be obsessed with material things, i.e., a new car, new clothes, new appliances. I absolutely believe in the the old adage: If you have too many things, your things will start to own you. I also think this consumerism has a terrible effect on future generations, who cannot appreciate the simple things in life. Thus, Americans are encouraged by consumerism to work as many hours as possible to make as much money as possible. There ends up being no time for an adequate amount of sleep. In addition, family seems to come second to work.

I went into that tangent because it is one of the main reasons I decided to be a teacher. I want time to spend with my family, to sleep, and to keep healthy. I do not care how much money I make as long as it is enough to provide for my family. I considered being a lawyer, a politician, or a lobbiest, but in those professions, one must work too many hours.

Remember: Stress can be fatal!

I found this article to be interesting since we all have experianced what it feels like when we dont get enough sleep and feel exhausted the whole day. Because of our demanding schedules, we dont always find the time to try and get to bed early because we’re busy doing other things that we need to get done by the end of the day. Since people are not getting the proper amount of sleep and feeling sleepy all the time, they are not able to perform to their best ability and are not able to do things that they would want to do if they werent as tired, such as going out and spending time with their friends and family.

I experianced this firsthand this previous summer when I started working two jobs, and working 12 hour days. I tried to fit working both jobs, hanging out with friends, and spending some time with my boyfriend and family in my schedule everyday because it was important to me. But after awhile when I wasnt getting enough sleep, I wasnt always able to do everything that I wanted to do because I would just past out after work. I finally realized that in order to do everything that I wanted to do, I would have to cut down the hours that I worked in order to still maintain my relationships with the people that I love.

I think that if people maintained a balance in their work schedule, then they would be able to do spend more time with those that they love, and can even get the right amount of sleep that they need. Without the proper amount of sleep its harder to function and get the things that we need to do get done.

I can definately relate to not getting enough sleep. Taking catnaps during a lunch break is something that is normal for me. Mostly because I may get to bed very late sometimes. In addition to that, some nights it is hard for me to fall asleep. This at times leaves me up until 3am watching Nick at nite until I fall asleep.
Lack of sleep seems to be an epidemic for Americans as we battle to keep up with the fast pace day to day activities. Also as we try to work and earn money and provide for families. Anyway it is something that leads to stress and it is not good for your body overall. That is why when my body tells me to sleep and I have the extra time, I always take advantage of the opportunity.