From theboar.org
By Seven Standen
As a lifelong sufferer of insomnia, I have nothing but sympathy for people who start struggling with sleep once they reach university. It’s one thing to suffer from sleeping problems when you’re used to it — according to a Wellbeing Report by Aviva, two thirds (67%) of UK adults suffer from disrupted sleep — and another to be faced with them for the first time in your life. We all know the common stereotype that students are more likely to be insomniacs, due to both the amount of work there is to do and the stress that comes with it — but it seems to be based on fact. This won’t be surprising to anyone who’s visited University of Warwick’s library in the early hours of the morning and seen exhausted students nursing energy drinks in an effort to stay awake.
Up to 60% of university students suffer from poor quality sleep, with 7.7% meeting the medical diagnosis for insomnia disorder, according to a study by Bielefeld University. This suggests there is some truth behind the idea that students work late into the night, although there may be other factors at play: the most common causes of insomnia are mental health difficulties (stress, anxiety, and depression), taking certain substances (alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine), and an environment that makes it difficult to sleep (uncomfortable bed, noise, and temperature).
"Adults should aim to have around seven to nine hours of sleep a night, so if you’re getting less than that, you might be a fellow insomniac"
Habits like taking stimulants are common among students, as is the constant stress that pushes them to do so. Additionally, student accommodations are often noisier than your average household and may not be as comfortable to sleep in as your bedroom at home.
You might have insomnia if you find it hard to go to sleep, wake up several times during the night, and find it hard to nap during the day even though you’re tired. Adults should aim to have around seven to nine hours of sleep a night, so if you’re getting less than that, you might be a fellow insomniac. If you only experience symptoms for three months or less — perhaps if you’re worried about an upcoming exam — then you have what is classified as short-term insomnia. Sleeping problems that last longer than that might be long-term insomnia, which you should definitely speak to a doctor about. In that case, you might benefit from therapy or taking medication. But considering most university students have such an active nightlife, is it possible to get a good night’s sleep without sacrificing your social life?
"Aiming to get up at the same time every day, regardless of how you slept the night before, is one of the best ways to avoid dealing with insomnia come night time"
As with most problems students face, the answer is to find a decent balance: you can go out for a few nights a week, as long as you make sure sure you sleep regularly the rest of the time. It’s often best to avoid having a lie-in after a night out, even though it might sound like the worst idea in the world, because it will help you maintain a regular sleeping pattern. Aiming to get up at the same time every day, regardless of how you slept the night before, is one of the best ways to avoid dealing with insomnia come night time. The same is true when it comes to caffeine: ingesting a lot of coffee and energy drinks can be fine, as long as you don’t have any late in the afternoon. It’s worth learning how your body responds to caffeine, as everyone is different.
As cliché as it might sound, cutting down on phone and laptop use before bed is also a great way to regulate your sleeping pattern. You should also fiddle with your settings to adjust the amount of blue light on your screen, (most devices will let you set blue light to reduce later in the day), as it can affect melatonin production and make it harder to fall asleep.
While students may be more likely to struggle with insomnia, there’s no reason that we shouldn’t be able to balance getting enough sleep with an active lifestyle. It might require cutting down a little on your nightlife, just so that you aren’t going out every single night, but that doesn’t mean eliminating nights out entirely. If anything, sleeping a little more might improve your social life — you’ll have much more fun when you’re wide awake and able to concentrate during the day.
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