Sleep Lesson: Healthy Habits=Healthy Sleep
Getting enough physical activity during the day may help you fall asleep faster and decrease the number of times you wake up at night. Exercising raises your core body temperature, increases your heart rate, and prompts your system to release stimulating adrenaline which can also promote an energy boost during the day if your feeling sluggish, especially during the mid day dip (between 1-3 pm). However, avoid midnight cardio sessions that will confuse your body's natural wind down window in the evening. Try to wrap up your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime.
Physical activity can range from sports, to yoga, to beach walks, or simply biking to class. As long as you feel you have obtained the amount of health movement your body needs for the day. After grabbing dinner at the dining commons or in Isla Vista, take the opportunity for an post-dinner stroll down to the ocean side. Exercising with a beautiful scenery... what more can one ask for?!
Some other beneficial activities can include:
-Skipping rope: Time is essential for college students and if you don't have the time to complete an hour workout then think about skipping jump rope for five minutes. It’s a great mini workout that gets your heart pumping right away.
-Rolling out your muscles: The muscles in your body are constantly being used throughout the day (some more some than others). A great way to relax and stretch your muscles is by using a foam roller. Most sporting goods stores sell various styles, once you get the hang of using a foam roller then you'll notice the wonderful benefits of this easy muscle massage technique!
-Yoga and Meditation: An easy at-home form of exercise is doing yoga. Whether it’s for long or short periods of time, the benefits of yoga include deepening your flexibility and mellowing your mind. Try keeping a yoga mat near your bed and unwind with some simple stretches at night or in the morning as an intentional way to start your day. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation can also help to overcome stress and find some inner peace and balance.
Time Management, Concentration and Sleep: How Are They Connected?
When we don't manage our time well, sleep is often the first thing we sacrifice. Ask students about their experience with finals week. You will likely hear similar themes:
They waited too long and crammed too much work into too little time.
They stayed up late every night trying to catch up,and the lack of sleep made it even more difficult to concentrate and complete their studies.
These incidents can become an every week experience for students who don’t wisely manage their time, focus, and sleep. Fortunately, technology options and strategies can help you stay on top of things.
Time Management
Time management is something that most of us struggle with, and challenges always arise as our schedules and our priorities change. While we usually identify poor planning as the cause of time management issues, struggling to develop and stick to an effective schedule is actually often related to problems with focus, motivation, and confidence.
The CLAS Academic Skills Program at UCSB offers workshops and individual appointments around the topics of Time Management, Focus, Motivation, Confidence, and Fighting Procrastination. You can learn more about the Academic Skills services and sign up for them by visiting their website, clas.ucsb.edu. Stop by their offices (3rd floor, SRB) during Gaucho Sleep Week to pick up a free eye mask, ear plugs and weekly schedule planner!
Here are some tips from CLAS Writing and Languages Coordinator, Emma Cristofani to help you better manage your time:
- Write down a list of priorities so that you have guidance when making decisions about how to spend your time. Sleep should be at the very top of this list, even higher than studying. If it's the night before the exam and you have a choice of finishing the class readings or getting some sleep, you should always choose sleep.
- Short, focused bursts of studying are more effective than longer studying marathons. Your mind becomes fatigued after maintaining focus for too long, and you can waste time by trying to push on. Plan to take breaks every 30-60 minutes to stand up, stretch, get water or snacks, and use the restroom so that you come back from your break feeling refreshed and ready to keep working.
- Location, location, location. Put yourself in an environment conducive to your focus. Do you prefer to study in natural or artificial light? Are you more productive in open or confined spaces? Do conversations or other types of ambient noise tend to distract you? Find locations on campus that fit your preferences.
- Set specific, achievable goals for every study session. Having a specific goal--completing a chapter, solving three word problems, developing a thesis--will keep the end of each study session in sight and improve motivation to keep working. Once the goal is accomplished, you will feel better about taking a break to rest.
- Deliberately set aside time for fun and leisure. If your schedule is full of tasks that cause you stress, you are less likely to look at it and stick to it. Schedule time every day and week for self-care, spending time with friends, working on a hobby, watching the new Game of Thrones episode--whatever helps you feel balanced, refreshed, and ready for the next task. Give yourself evidence that you have things to look forward to in addition to things to work on.
- Daily reflection. Take time at the end of every day to assess what you accomplished that day and establish priorities or a plan for the next. The more awareness you have about how you are dividing up your time, the more confident you will feel about your choices.
Think about where, when, and how to study during a typical week. While there is less class time in college than in high school, there is even more work to do. Outside activities can be tempting, and you will need to manage your time wisely to be a successful student. Building study routines into the day is a way to consistently complete work on time. These tips will help you stay organized:
Strategies and Technology for Better Focus
1. Concentration and focus are essential to studying successfully. Identify and understand what distracts you, and what helps you concentrate.
If visuals are helpful to you, make a simple two-column chart. On the left, list things that tend to distract you while studying. Think about what, where, and when you feel most distracted.In the right column, write down some things that affect your school work.
For example:
-Do you like to have music or no noise at all?
-Do you work best in a study group or by yourself?
-Are you able to concentrate better in the mornings before class?
-Does movement during studying help you focus?
Using the chart, draft a short list of things to do before and during each study session to minimize distractions and increase concentration.
Many students use technology and specific strategies to help block distractions and increase concentration. For example:
-Look for multiple locations around campus that provide positive environments for studying, and build them into your study routines. The more you study at these locations, the more you will associate them with concentrating on your schoolwork.
-Use a talking clock that announces the time aloud at set intervals (such as every 10 minutes), to help build awareness of time’s passage. The announcements also can be a cue to redirect attention to your studies if you are off task. Talking clocks are available online and as apps for mobile devices.
2. Recognize that Sleep is Important to Your Studies
Good sleep is necessary to recharge your brain so you can focus and learn effectively each day. Consider incorporating some of the different goals and strategies that you learned in the Gaucho Sleep Challenge within your daily life to help you succeed in college:
-Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
-Nap wisely. Naps of 20 to 30 minutes are a great way to feel rested during the day. Longer naps can interfere with night time sleeping.
-Consider having a sleep ritual at the end of the day. Establish a 30-minute routine that is free of over stimulating activities and electronics to help you wind down and transition into a restful sleep.
-Avoid caffeine and other stimulants within four hours of going to bed.
-Before going to bed, write down a list of worries or thoughts that might keep you awake. Tell yourself you will think about and deal with them tomorrow.
-Try wearing a fitness bracelet (Ex. Fitbit) that tracks your sleep. Concrete data about your own personal sleep habits can help you develop healthier ones.
Setting specific goals and routines around sleeping can help ensure good sleep habits that support concentration and focus which will help you thrive in school and beyond!
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