If you’re anything like me, bedtime is the most exciting time of the day. I can’t wait to go to sleep as soon as I wake up most days to be honest! But in times of stress, deadlines and exams, many people notice that their sleep schedules suffer more than any other part of their life.
It seems that we all compromise our sleep first when scrambling to meet deadlines, often pulling all-nighters studying or writing essays. However, in times of high stress, studies have proven that the worst thing we can do is sacrifice our beauty sleep. When we sleep, our body regulates our brain function and is beneficial for our health.
Studies have found that sleep disruption can affect memory, cognition, and energy. Without being properly rested, our brains are unable to process memories which can actually affect a person’s ability to remember important points for exams – sometimes cramming can be much more detrimental to a grade than actually getting a decent night’s sleep.
There is also evidence that long term sleep disruption can lead to dangerous health issues later in life. Links have been made between poor sleep and heart disease as during sleep, our bodies regulate our blood pressure. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your body is not able to do so and therefore can lead to high blood pressure and eventual heart disease.
On a psychological level, decent amounts of sleep can reduce your risk of anxiety and depression as well as increase your emotional intelligence. By allowing our brains to be completely rested, we are able to process emotions in a healthier way. Due to emotional regulation and stability being impaired when you don’t get enough sleep, cognitive changes can occur that lead to depression.
One of the best ways to ensure that your sleep schedule remains consistent during times of high stress, is developing a night-time routine. By consistently doing the same things around your bedtime, your brain becomes used to recognising this time as a time to sleep. If you create these healthy habits during less stressful periods of your life, when you do face stressful situations, your brain is already programmed to switch off when you do your night-time routine.
Meditation has also been found to help relieve stress and anxiety just before going to sleep, so you may find it helpful to destress before bed to ensure a good night’s sleep!
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edited by Olivia Warburton