Holistic Health: Getting the Good Z's

Ho·lis·tic - characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors rather than just the symptoms of an illness

College is a time of stress. Work, school, money, family, and friends are all large contributors to stress, even if we won’t admit it. All these stressors factor into our health, including our ability to get a good night’s rest. Sleep is an integral part of anyone’s health, no matter what stage they are at in life. College students must get a good night’s rest as it helps with brain function and the maintenance of physical health. So what happens when we don’t get enough sleep?

Firstly, getting poor sleep over long periods of time can increase the chance of long-term health problems. It can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of chronic diseases. It also affects your cognitive functioning. How you think, react, learn, and socialize with others can be heavily influenced by how much sleep you get. This is why sleep is vital for good health.

Young adults aged 18-25 should get approximately seven to nine hours of sleep each night. This can pose a challenge to students who may have to wake up early while staying up late. There are small changes we can make to reach this goal. The first tip is to have a consistent sleep schedule. Having a solid sleep routine and wake-up time, even on weekends, can help you sleep better. Your body will adapt to the schedule and become used to the time when you usually settle down for sleep.

Another way you can help maintain good sleep is by setting up a good sleep environment. A good sleep environment usually consists of a cooler room temperature, minimal noise, a comfortable bed, and enough darkness to tell your body it is time to sleep. Blackout curtains or an eye mask can help if your room is not dark enough. 

Lastly, reducing blue light exposure before bed is one of the ultimate changes we can make to contribute to a better sleep schedule. Blue light messes with your circadian rhythm by tricking your body into thinking it is daytime. To reduce blue light exposure before bed, keep off phones and laptops two hours before bedtime. If this is not possible, try using blue light glasses for evening work to reduce blue light exposure and help your body get ready for sleep.

Despite the stress of our daily lives, it is possible to help ourselves and make it easier to get the sleep we need. Sleep is such an important part of our everyday health and functioning, yet the long-term effects of poor sleep are rarely recognized. We can improve our cognitive functioning and overall health in the long run by trying new techniques to conquer sleeplessness.  Remember, melatonin supplements are only so good until our bodies get used to them. Making lifestyle changes to help our sleep cycles may have more consistent results. But, as with every enduring change, it takes time.