Using Sleep as a way to Propel Academic Productivity

Looking back on my childhood, I was raised in a school environment that was extremely academically oriented. Receiving full marks on every assessment and exam was what I lived for and it consumed me completely. As a naive and ambitious 13 year old student, I would purposely sleep at 3AM to prove to myself I was studying “enough” hours, yet I would never perform at an optimal level in any of my courses. I later understood how being deprived of sleep was not only hindering me from reaching my full potential, rather I was doing a major disservice to my overall health. You might be able to get away with being sleep deprived for a couple of weeks, yet once your body reaches an extreme deficit when it comes to sleep, your body will backfire completely. For me personally, the combination of stress, overworking myself, and being sleep deprived for five consecutive years led my body to reaching a breaking point. I was eventually hospitalized due to malnourishment, Bradycardia and other dire health complications, while experiencing debilitating body aches. This was perhaps one of the most critical points in my life, when I came to terms with the fact that sleep cannot be disregarded or compensated for. It was not until I was hospitalized when I experienced a complete revelation: Sleep is not only essential for prolonged health but in hindsight is a tool that can be used to boost academic success.  After years of digging deep into the field of sleep with countless hours of research, below, I offer you many of my most effective sleep tips to enhance academic excellence.

Firstly, having an early sleep-wake cycle can do wonders for your   ability to concentrate the next day. Instead of cramming school-work until late at night and waking up minutes before your first class in the morning,  science suggests that sleeping early and waking up early is the way to go. According to Chronobiology International, 11% of students who failed the majority of their courses showed a later sleep-wake cycle on both weeknights and weekends. GPA’s were found to be exceptionally higher in those who slept early and also woke up early. For a rule of thumb, try to sleep no later than 12AM and try waking up before 9AM. If you begin to adhere to an early sleep-wake schedule like this, you will find yourself retaining information a lot better. If a late sleep-wake cycle has been a habit of yours, just a little will-power is all you need to break the cycle. For a couple of days, strive to set your alarm earlier than usual for the next morning and you will gradually find yourself crawling into bed a lot earlier at night. This will prompt an earlier sleep wake cycle and be sure to test this out yourself to see if you feel a difference. 

Secondly, sleep latency is an important concept to address, which is defined as the amount of time it takes to sleep after laying down in bed. In an experiment that was done at the University of Ghana, 60% of students took 10-30 minutes to sleep after getting in bed, whereas it took 13.1% of students more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. Those who spent a longer duration in bed before actually falling asleep had a more difficult time to focus during class lectures the next day. One of the main reasons a long sleep latency is prevalent is because of the use of electronics before going to bed. To prompt immediate sleep, refrain from looking at any sort of blue light, such as your phone or computer, late at night. These days, scrolling through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook minutes before drifting off to sleep has become the norm; yet being exposed to blue light past one’s bedtime can hinder a good night’s sleep. If this has been a habit of yours, resist this urge by turning your phone off after dimming your bedroom lights. Research also suggests that stress can be a culprit to having trouble falling asleep. Therefore, do anything you can to alleviate the stress that has built up throughout the day- anything that works for you; whether that be taking a soothing bath, reading a book, or venting your thoughts by writing a one page diary. 

Additionally, experts have come to terms with a phenomenon known as nocturnal awakenings, which can subtly affect one’s sleep cycle. This was consistent with a study among Palestinian students, which demonstrated that poor sleep quality was associated with more frequent nocturnal awakenings. This can range anywhere from having to go to the restroom in the middle of the night to even waking up from quiet background noise. To minimize the number of times you wake up, avoid ingesting fluid at least an hour prior to bedtime. Also, be sure to mute your phone to avoid notifications ringing late at night. Although these disturbances while sleeping can at times me momentary, it is still a contributor to poor sleep quality because it disrupts the flow of the REM cycle. In extreme cases, if you experience symptoms of  insomnia, a condition that approximately 35% of Americans experience, I suggest visiting your local doctor. An even better option, however, is finding an  expert in the field of sleep restriction therapy. What typically happens is that  your doctor may prescribe medication, and you end up  overly relying on pills to do the work for you. You may introduce small doses of sleep pills for steady progress, yet be sure to gradually relinquish medication to reach a natural sleep pattern. 

The following quote embodies the mindset we must have to achieve stable sleep: “Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently.” 

Likewise, with sleep or anything we do, consistency is key. It is common to find students who stick to a sleep routine throughout the week, but once the weekend hits, they snap back into their old habits by sleeping in   far too late. According to Chronobiology International, those who had inconsistencies in their sleep and wake up times throughout the school week were 7% more likely to fail their courses. Although you might be tempted to sleep your way through a Saturday afternoon, conquer these old habits by striving to sleep and wake up at similar times throughout the entire week. 

Getting enough hours of sleep is one of the most salient factors to achieving academic excellence and maintaining productivity.