Getting good quality and quantity sleep can be challenging in college. Sleep has a direct and significant impact on our memory and learning, emotions, mood regulation, and physical development. It’s no surprise that 40% of Zags indicate that sleep disturbances have a direct impact on their academic achievement. Use the following links, resources, and apps, to learn more about sleep and how to gain and maintain healthy sleep habits.
RESOURCES
Caffeine Calculator. Caffeine and sleep are closely linked. Use this tool to calculate your caffeine intake.
Sleep Diary. While there are several apps that can track your sleep, this sleep diary can help you capture more helpful information about your sleeping habits. Tracking your sleep can help you and your health professionals identify ways to improve your sleep.
The UX of Getting Good Sleep. A compilation of free resources to learn how to optimize your sleep and sleep space to rest better, work better, and learn better.
Why Do We Sleep? In this Ted Talk, Russell Foster shares three popular theories about why we sleep, busts some myths about how much sleep we need at different ages, and hints at some bold new uses of sleep as a predictor of mental health.
What Would Happen if you Didn’t Sleep? In the United States, it’s estimated that 30% of adults and 66% of adolescents are regularly sleep-deprived. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience: staying awake can cause serious bodily harm.
The Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep. It’s 4am, and the big test is in 8 hours. You’ve been studying for days, but you still don’t feel ready. Should you drink another cup of coffee and spend the next few hours cramming? Or should you go to sleep? Shai Marcu defends the latter option, showing how sleep restructures your brain in a way that’s crucial for how our memory works.
APPS
Sleep Cycle. Normally, your alarm clock is set for a specific time. You may be jolted awake at any point during your sleep cycle which can make it hard to fully wake up. The Sleep Cycle Alarm app performs sleep tracking to record your sleep habits. Using the Sleep Cycle Theory, the alarm wakes you during light sleep. To achieve this, you set a window of time to wake up. The sleep app senses your sleep movements and rings to wake you at the optimal time in your sleep cycle. This allows you to wake up feeling refreshed. Free for Android or iTunes. Premium available for $29.99 annually.
Sleep Cycle Power Nap. Research shows that napping can do a world of good. The Sleep Cycle Power Nap app allows you to set the time for a short 20-minute power nap or a full nap of 90 minutes. Your phone’s accelerometer senses when you fall asleep and then sets the alarm to wake you up. This sleep app also has various sounds to help you fall asleep. $1.99 on iTunes.
Buddhify is here to help you bring more calm, clarity and kindness to all parts of your life. Whether you're looking to reduce stress and anxiety, or get a better night's sleep, Buddhify has easy-to-follow guided meditations to bring mindfulness to all parts of your life, with exercises for whatever you're doing and wherever you are. $2.99 on Android and $4.99 on iTunes.
White Noise Lite. If you want to fall into a deep, blissful sleep while listening to the sounds of ocean waves and soothing sounds, White Noise Lite may be the best sleep app for you. The app comes loaded with several looped sounds, such as a burning campfire, swaying boat, and thunder. You can also set a gentle alarm (guitar strum, chime, violin, and more) to wake you up. Free for Android and iTunes.