Student sleep is very important! Sleep benefits long-term health as well as academic performance. The Student Wellness Advocates along with the Office of Health Promotion have gathered some tips you can share with your advisees to help them feel better and to enhance their memory and productivity. All facts and tips come from the Center for College Sleep. We highly encourage you to speak with your students about the following:
Fact:
Caffeine increases the time it takes to fall asleep, increases night time awakenings, and decreases deep sleep.
Tip:
No caffeine after 4:00 p.m. or 6 hours before bedtime.
Fact:
Keeping regular sleep times will not only train your body to be more alert when you wake up, but will also help you to manage your time better.
Tip:
Have consistent rise time and bedtime. Use apps like SleepBot or Sleep Cycle to track sleep every night.
Fact:
Using electronics before sleeping increases the time it takes to fall asleep, reduces melatonin, increases nighttime awakening, and decreases deep sleep.
Tip:
Laptop: Download the software “Flux” which alters your screen to match the time of day, slowly decreasing the amount of blue light it emits as the sun goes down.
Cellphone: On iPhones, you can go to the brightness and screen saver settings and click on “Night shift.” There are also several similar apps on the Google Play Store for Android phones.
These tips come from real Carleton students, who feel that this advice from their advisors would make a great impact.
Advisers may also wish to view a recording of an LTC session on the subject of student sleep deprivation that included a panel of experts: Associate Professor of Psychology Larry Wichlinski, Dr. Brian Hoff of the Allina Clinic, and the Director of Health Promotion. Paul Bernhardt, Audio and Visual Technical Director, provided a useful set of techniques from the perspective of an adviser. The recording can be viewed here.