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Information from Terry Dadez was retrieved from a previous article, titled “Tips to Sleeping Peacefully” written by Nicole Alvarez and Erin Gaylord.
Sleeping is an essential part of one’s daily routine. However, many college students suffer from lack of sleep. A study conducted by Brown University states that at least 11 percent of students report good sleep while 73 percent report sleep problems, and this results in an ongoing issue that has affected different facets of their lives.
Many college students follow a demanding schedule; they juggle trying to balance classes, assignments, extracurricular activities and sometimes a job.
Most students, particularly freshman, who are transitioning from a well-cared-for environment to being solely independent of their parents, do not factor in good sleeping habits. But, students, in general, are constantly surrounded by the temptations of having the freedom to do what they want whenever they want, and as young adults, they do not use their best judgment and realize the importance of sleep.
Krista Jones, who is a 2000 Saint Leo Alumni, currently functions as the Assistant Director of Counselling Services over in De Chantal Hall. And, as a licensed health counselor, she believes sleep has to be a top priority.
According to Jones, students suffer from bad sleeping habits. Many of which include not getting enough sleep, getting too much sleep, having difficulty going to sleep, waking up in the middle of the night or not getting quality sleep.
It is a repeated habit for students to stay up all night studying. And, Terry Dadez, the former Director of Health Services on campus, said students don’t retain the material that they have studied when staying up all night. Dadez states that the best practice for studying is to learn the information little by little and get the required amounts of sleep so that one’s mind can retain the information the first time around.
“Sleep is the best medicine for your body,” said Dadez.
One of the reasons why sleep is the best medicine for the body is because it allows the body time to rest.
According to Dadez, if a student’s sleeping habits have been disrupted for more than a couple weeks, one may have a sleeping disorder. Sleep disorders are the medical disorder of a student’s natural sleeping pattern, and the type of sleep disorder can range from anything like insomnia to sleep talking. If a student believes he/she may have a sleeping disorder there are easy methods to verify it, such as a sleep study or a behavioral study. During these studies, doctors will study one’s sleeping patterns and learn from the results if a sleep disorder is present and what kind it is; this will give more information on why the person is not able to fall asleep or stay asleep, and the treatment will be more tailored to that person’s needs.
“Many students fail to realize that sleep is a physiological need,” explained Jones when asked about students’ sleep.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, Jones suggests trying to set a realistic sleeping schedule.
“A lot of students say they want to be asleep by 10, and that is not realistic,” said Jones. “Go through your demands and what your responsibilities are and set a realistic schedule, then fit in time for sleep.”
One key component to a good night’s sleep is having a sleep pattern. According to Dadez, this means going to sleep at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning; this includes weekends. Dadez suggests avoiding studying late into the night and early mornings because this will help your body get into the habit of when to go to sleep and when to be awake. It will also make it easier to fall asleep quickly.
Jones also recommends setting a realistic time to wake up. Even though some students prefer to study at night, she endorses shutting down an hour before sleep by turning off laptops, phones and all other forms of electronics. A person can even pick up a book an hour before bed, as reading helps relax the mind. By doing this, it will allow the body to wind down before it’s time to sleep. It is best to try to practice this habit around the same time every night.
Also, powering off all electronics eliminates the interruption of your circadian rhythm. Dadez explains that the circadian rhythm is the pattern of light and darkness. It is the pattern of how one’s body differentiates between daytime or nighttime. The artificial light coming from one’s electronics can affect your circadian rhythm, and this causes one’s body not to get a deep enough sleep, which can leave you restless throughout the day. The artificial light confuses one’s body and mind into thinking the sun is still in the sky and that it is still daytime when it is actually the nighttime.
Another tip to take into consideration is to schedule meetings or any other responsibilities earlier in the day.
One can also encourage friends to get on board. If one has roommates, allocate a specific time for quiet hours. Jones says that “good habits last longer when tied into a buddy.”
Jones suggests that students seek assistance through counseling services if they want help to achieve good sleep hygiene as there are three therapists who are ready and willing to help. To make an appointment, one can simply call, but walk-ins are accepted.
“We thrive on three values: confidential, compassionate and free,” said Jones.
Jones admires the fact that counseling services are free at Saint Leo because at other universities you must have health insurance, and it can sometimes take weeks to get an appointment. She encourages students to take advantage of the free counseling services and to use the services offered to their benefit.
