Our generation has become increasingly aware of the importance of self-love. We are constantly motivated to improve our eating habits, our exercise habits, and of course, our self-appreciation. However, one crucial factor inof our lifestyle is often neglected when trying to improve: our sleep.
People would prefer to cut their sleep short to get a workout in at the gym at 5 am before work. College environments can subconsciously promote an unhealthy sleeping pattern by encouraging procrastination that leads to the infamous ‘all-nighters’. Sleep is often the first healthy habit that gets thrown out of the window to make space for something else - be that healthy or not. However, this line of argument completely disregards the importance of sleep. Sleep is essential for us, as humans, for a reason. Instead of thinking about sleep as lost time, we should start thinking about sleep as a very active and important period of our lives. A lot of processing and restoration occurs while we sleep, which is equally crucial for our wellbeing. We downplay its importance because we aren’t conscious to witness it. However, good sleep has often been linked with having a positive effect on health and lifestyle factors, such as (i) concentration and productivity, (ii) athletic performance, (iii) depression, (iv) metabolism, (v) immune function, and (vi) emotional stability. But perfecting your sleep habits can be a long and winding road. Sleeping well is a science, which brings us to consider important questions such as: What is the perfect sleep cycle, and how long should my nap be? What should be the first thing I do when I wake up? What should I not do before I go to sleep? We have all heard of the infamous ‘No more blue-light screens an hour before bed’ - advice, but there are so many more tips available, which can be overwhelming. |