Get some sleep!

“Sleep is for the weak”; “we can sleep when we’re dead” and many other similar phrases are circulating these days. Lack of sleep is becoming not only a trend but a glorified one of that. In some circles, it is fashionable to go partying till the sun comes up and get 2 hours of sleep on a regular basis; in others, becoming a workaholic and slaying away at the office from dawn till dusk is a reason for pride. Whatever the reason, we are starting to prioritize pretty much any other activity over sleep – and we really should not. But why should we get more sleep – and how?

Why we should sleep

Besides feeling tired and unable to perform up to our usual standards, missing sleep can cause a lot more trouble than we think. From memory loss to depression, sleep deprivation is a serious health risk (as pointed out in this amazingly terrifying TED-talk) and should not  be taken lightly. Sleep is for the dead, sure – but if you are lacking it, that state might happen sooner than you think. For many young people, short term gains like going to a party and having a good time often seem to outweigh the long-term consequences but, as many studies show, that is a dangerous game to play. It is also a common belief that we can recover from an all-nighter by sleeping in the next day – but it actually a myth. There is absolutely no way to “recover” sleep – the harm is done and we cannot do anything about it.

Besides the physiological consequences, there are also emotional and psychological problems that can originate from the lack of sleep. This is nothing new: all of us who have ever stayed up late to study for an exam or watch an overseas sports event knows that besides feeling tired and washed out, we are also more irritable, more vulnerable to verbal “attacks”, find it harder to focus and our emotions are a lot closer to the surface, ready to burst out. Through that, not only are we damaging our own bodies and minds but also undermining ourselves at work and in every personal relationship – and we really have to ask ourselves if it is worth it.

I am not suggesting to go to bed at 7:30 PM every night and cancel on every single plan that might go beyond our self-imposed curfew. The most important step is to recognize the real dangers that lie in losing sleep and finding the balance that works for us. We have to stop overglorifying being exhausted because we work too hard and we have to accept that it is okay not to be “cool”, miss out on a few parties and be well-rested. That way, for instance, we get to actually enjoy our weekends in a fun and active way as opposed to having to use every free hour we have for recovery – something we now know is impossible to do. So, once we know why we should get more sleep – how do we do it?

How to get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep can be successfully achieved via three obvious but important parts: going to sleep, falling asleep and staying asleep. We have influence over all three of these – even if we do not care to admit it.

Going to sleep involves a conscious choice of us deciding to go to bed – and, hence, is often the easiest factor over which we have control. Changing our mind and staying in instead of going to a concert might seem hard, but it is a simple decision that already helps us a great deal. Similar choices have to be made regarding other, less fun reasons why we stay up late and we have to ask ourselves: are those extra few hours of studying and work really worth jeopardizing our health? Setting up a routine has a similarly beneficial effect: it gears our body and mind towards getting used to going to bed at a certain time.

Besides, routines help us fall asleep easier: our subconscious already knows that, say, reading a novel for half an hour is followed by sleep which makes it easier to doze off. To be fair, however, falling asleep is often hindered by other factors like external stress. For this reason, meditation, stress management and other mindfulness exercises can be useful on the path towards falling asleep easier. Physical exercise also has its benefits: just because we are mentally tired from work does not mean we are also physically tired, at least not enough. Sports offer us the opportunity to not only exhaust ourselves but also to release hormones that are necessary for the body’s equilibrium, contributing to better sleeping habits.

It should go without saying that minimizing the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and other potentially harmful substances is key to a good night’s rest. What is increasingly said but still not widely accepted is the need to reduce screen time in total but especially before going to bed. Falling asleep with our phones, laptops and other blue light-emitting devices has horrendous effects on the quality of our sleep in many ways, not mentioning that a good story line can get us hooked and keep us away till dawn. We should find a way to minimize these unnecessary activities that actually bring very little value to our lives but can cause major harm – for the sake of our health.

One of the most important factors from the aforementioned is, for me, the creation of a healthy routine including reorganizing our day. It is not acceptable that the only way we can fit every necessary part of our lives into our day is by missing out on the most important one. Besides, establishing a routine is one thing: sticking to it is another one. It is not easy or always fun but it is much needed on the long run. Naturally, we will break our own rules every now and then which is quite common – there is no need to be too hard on ourselves. However, we should make sure that if we do stay up late that it is for a good reason. Watching Friends for the seventh time at 2 AM and working on a report instead of others doing their work on time are not good enough reasons to break the routine. If we do choose to lose sleep over something – at least we should make it worthwhile.