We have grown up with the constant reminder that sleep is important, and how a sufficient amount of sleep may lead to a better physical and mental health. Although as we grow older, we never truly follow the rules of sleep. Instead, we practice irregular sleeping patterns and extreme working lifestyles. The general society can be blamed for this seemingly irrevocable behaviour since we were influenced to relate success to motivation, which in return has made us believe that the longer we stay motivated throughout the day, the closer we are to achieving success. The reality, however, is that the drive for success is often toxic-based; it’s making us believe that resting is our enemy in achieving the results we intend to accomplish. Consequently, we begin to stress ourselves out about what we should do; sleep and get our well-deserved rest, or continue striving for success to prove something to either ourselves or others.
Following the weeks of final exams, we would like to remind you that sleep is, and will continue to be, an important factor of success. It’s true that effort and studying contributes to a major part of your accomplishments. However, you should be mindful that acquiring the information you study would not have been possible if it were not for your brain.
In that sense, do prioritise your sleep. Even on the most stressful of days when your deadlines are piling up, always make sure that you are resting enough. Empathise with your brain for how determined it is to help you learn and understand your theories and formulas.
“What happens if we sleep less than the required number of hours?”
It’s observed that if you sleep less than the minimum 7 hours every day, you’re bound to be at risk for:
Depression
Obesity
Anxiety
Diabetes
Stroke, and
It seems very generic and boresome; how common it is to be reminded of these health risks. You could argue that these conditions are overrated, until reality hits you right on the nose and regret comes raging in.
“But what if I have to risk my sleep because of my tight schedule?”
If the situation forbids you from having a good night’s rest, or rests, here are a few strategies to help you stay motivated despite the insufficient amount of sleep you acquired:
Do light exercises. Don’t groan in annoyance just yet. We know exercising isn’t exactly what you had in mind. But you’d find that brisk walking or strolling for half an hour or so helps keep your mind energised. So go to the neighbourhood park or stroll through your house. Besides that, you could even stretch your limbs once in a while. Since we’ve been in online learning for almost a year now, it does get tiring, especially for your back.
Reduce caffeine intake. We know that burning the midnight oil is important during critical weeks. But the whole idea of exam weeks is to get enough sleep, and the purpose of caffeine does not align with that goal. It’s generally known that caffeine helps reduce drowsiness. But if you’re already experiencing a lack of sleep, then caffeine will almost definitely kill you. Harsh? Yes, you should be afraid.
Avoid excessive screen time. We’re already facing our screens most of the time due to online learning. Therefore, it would be wise to cut back on screen time when we intend to sleep. If not, it will just be continuous hours of screen time which affects our need to rest. If you weren’t already aware, our screens actually emit blue light which blocks the melatonin hormone that makes us sleepy. Consequently, it makes it harder for us to fall asleep. And we definitely do not want that when we’re already sleep deprived.
There are many more tips that you can read further here.
With that being said, we hope you’re able to overcome your finals with a sufficient amount of sleep. Remember; your success depends on how well rested your brain is, and to achieve that is to ensure that you’re well-rested.
Good luck, and all the best for your final exams.
Sincerely,
Gazette.
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