Supporting Student Success

Sleep tight, sleep right.

A good laugh and long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book -Irish Proverb- 

As kids, we tended to hate sleeping. We see sleeping as something that prevents us from having fun; we fear missing out on something. As we grow up, our view about sleeping transforms; we love to sleep. However, it seems that we never quite have enough sleep. We tend to sleep late and have to wake up early due to our activities, sometimes relying on caffeine to stay awake.

Unfortunately, humans are the only living creatures that deprive themselves of sleep on purpose. We often forget that sleep is an important pillar of health. Maybe you are wondering whether you are getting enough sleep or not? Let’s answer these questions to reflect on sleeping habits.

1. Do you have trouble falling asleep?

2. Do you have trouble staying awake during the day?

3. Do you get enough sleep to feel rested when you first wake in the morning?

4. Do you get the amount of sleep you need?

5. Do you snore when you sleep?

6. Do you feel drowsy or sleepy during the day?

7. Do you take naps that are 5 minutes or longer during the day?

8. Do you feel that your sleep was not still (e.g. feeling tense, moving restlessly, can't get comfortable)?

9. Do you awaken short of breath or with a headache in the morning?

10. Do you awaken in the middle of the night and have trouble falling asleep again?

If you answer yes to most of these questions, then you need to change your sleeping habits.

How about sleeping habits in teenagers?

Let us see some research about sleeping duration, especially in adolescents in Indonesia. In his research, Henry Susanto presents this table:

It means that adolescents in Indonesia sleep from 6 hours to 9 hours per day. It is considered normal since teenagers still need sleep to help them grow. Aside from that, his research also shows that male teenagers sleep longer than female teenagers on average.

 What is the right amount of sleep for every developmental stage?

Based on the table above and compared to Henry Susanto’s research, we can see that Indonesian teens might not get the sleep they need. For some, it might be less; for others, it might be more. What do you think impacts the length of time sleeping? The length of our sleep is influenced by several factors, ranging from our lifestyle choices to underlying medical conditions.

1. Genetics: Genetics plays a significant role in determining the length of sleep an individual requires. Some people are genetically programmed to require more or less sleep than others.

2. Lifestyle: Lifestyle factors such as exercise, diet, and stress can all impact the length of sleep. Regular exercise can help regulate sleep patterns and promote a more extended sleep period. A healthy diet that includes foods rich in tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin can also help promote restful sleep. Stress can interfere with sleep patterns, leading to shorter periods of sleep.

3. Environmental factors: Environmental factors such as noise, light, and temperature can impact sleep quality and length. A quiet and dark environment can promote deeper and more extended periods of sleep. A comfortable temperature range of 18-21°C can also help promote restful sleep.

4. Medical conditions: Underlying medical conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome can all impact the length of sleep. These conditions can lead to interrupted sleep patterns and shorter rest periods.

In conclusion, the length of sleep is influenced by various factors, ranging from age, genetics, lifestyle choices, environmental factors, and underlying medical conditions. Understanding these factors and making lifestyle changes can help promote better sleep habits and improve overall health and well-being.

How to get enough sleep and feel well-rested?

Have you ever felt sleepy even though you feel that you sleep for enough duration? When we feel that way, we should check our sleep cycle 

When sleeping, we cycle through stages of sleep several times per night, with each sleep cycle lasting approximately 90 to 120 minutes. Our bedtime should be chosen accordingly to ensure that each sleep stage reaches the recommended amount of times per night. Since each sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, aim to set a wake-up time that allows for at least four full sleep cycles. Waking up when we reach a full sleep cycle will make us feel well-rested. It means that to wake up and feel well rested, we have to wake up after reaching a full sleep cycle, or we have to make sure that our duration of sleeping is in the multiple of 90 minutes (1 cycle of sleep), 180 (3 cycles of sleep), 360 (4 cycles of sleep), 450 (5 cycles of sleep), 540 (6 cycles of sleep). Remember that the minimum recommendation to achieve each night is four sleep cycles.

Effect of Sleeping on our mental health and Learning

Have you ever stayed up late to cram on your exam? I believe that all of us do that, in spite of knowing that It is not the best decision. When there is an exam or an important presentation the next day, it is better for us to have a good night's sleep. Why? Because when we are sleeping, our brain processes the information we learn and stores it in our memory. So, make sure that you get enough sleep before the next exam.

Remember lack of sleep will affect your physical and mental health in the future. Research says it increases cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, hypertension, and mortality. New discoveries also show that a lack of sleep impairs our basic social conscience, making us withdraw our desire and willingness to help others.

So, how to have a good night's sleep? Here are some tips:

1. Exercise

2. Reserve bed for sleep, not for other activity

3. Keep it comfortable

4. Start a sleep ritual: turn off the light, play relaxing music, etc.

5. Eat—but not too much

6. Avoid caffeine

7. De-stress: do everything that makes you feel relaxed.

If you have trouble starting to sleep, try to use the 478 breathing method.