Eastern’s Health Education Resource Center (HERC) sponsored a presentation about how to get quality sleep on Thursday in the Mattoon/Charleston room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union building.
The presentation, titled “Snoozin’ Like A Panther,” gave students the opportunity to learn about beneficial bedtime habits and clear up common misconceptions about sleep.
“Snoozin’ Like A Panther” was presented by Heath Promotion Coordinators Maggie Bollinger and Jayci Stewart and was attended by three people.
Bollinger and Stewart started by saying that the college lifestyle does not promote good sleeping habits, and that 70-96 percent of college students do not get at least eight hours of sleep every night.
They cleared up misconceptions regarding sleep, debunking common sayings like “I can sleep when I’m dead,” and explained that pulling all-nighters in order to study for an exam is not worth it.
“More sleep results in better academic performance,” they said. “A and B performing students are getting only 25 minutes more sleep than C or lower students. A little more sleep per night can significantly impact your grades.”
Stewart and Bollinger gave tips on how to improve sleep, such as waking up and going to bed within the same hour every night, taking in sunlight or other bright lights when you wake up, and avoiding caffeine as far as six hours prior to bedtime.
They said that people who have a regulated sleep schedule eat less as well.
“People who don’t get enough sleep tend to have a larger appetite than people who do get enough sleep,” they said.
Later, they said that people should wrap up eating a few hours before bedtime.
“We recommend to finish eating dinner 2-3 hours before going to sleep,” Bollinger said. “If you do need a bedtime snack, it is better to make it light.”
Bollinger said that she eats string cheese as her bedtime snack.
They also suggested only to sleep when feeling sleepy and limit daytime naps to 20-30 minutes. They said that naps are most beneficial if done before 2 p.m. Exercising regularly was another tip provided, however they cautioned that exercising later than two hours prior to falling asleep because when you exercise, you’re raising your body temperature and adrenaline levels.
Lastly, they said that people should try to manage their worries before bed.
Writing them down and setting it aside for the morning or talking them over with someone is a great way to alleviate some of the worries that you might be experiencing.
They ended by reiterating the importance of getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night and to “sleep 8 to feel great.”
Fredy Pedroza, a computer and info technology major, was one of the attendees.
“I had an assignment for my University Foundations class, and I like learning about sleep, so I figured why not kill two birds with one stone,” Pedroza said.
He said that he learned a couple valuable tips from the HERC presentation.
“I learned about appropriate nap times,” Pedroza said. “I tend to take longer naps.”
Gabriel Newman can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].
