Are you sleeping right?

College students have a reputation for missing early morning classes or falling asleep in class, and we ask ourselves, why is that?

Facts show that students don’t necessary need to be out partying to fall asleep in class the following morning.

Most young adults have a circadian rhythm which is an internal daily cycle for sleeping and wakening that tells them when to wake up or go to sleep. These circadian rhythms can cause students to have a sleep deprivation due to the requirements of the college.

Students might feel drowsy, have burning eyes and find it hard to pay attention when they are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation refers to sleep duration of less than the average seven to eight hours.

Most adults need eight hours of sleep each night, but the typical college student sleeps only six to seven hours on weekdays.

According to a survey by the American College Health Association, 23 percent of college men and 25 percent of college women rated sleep difficulties as the third major impediment, after stress and illness, to academic performance.

The side effects of not getting enough sleep are endless due to the fact that the body doesn’t have enough time to restore, and body tissues won’t be relaxed.

Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation are also linked to serious physical and mental health conditions including congestive heart failure, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, influenza, asthma, bronchitis, depression, suicide and obesity.

Sleep is associated with overall health and quality of life, so what can we do to have a better night of sleep and improve our sleeping habits?

We should maintain a regular sleeping schedule, so our bodies will be able to adjust well. Having an altering schedule throws the biological internal clock off and disrupts sleep.

We need to create a sleep-friendly environment by changing the mattress or the pillow, finding a quiet place to rest, finding the ideal temperature in the room for your body or adjusting to your best body position.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed time, because these stimulants might take up to four to six hours to clear from your blood. It reduces sleeping time by half or might quadruple the number of night awakenings.

Also, avoid exercising close to bed time. Research shows that exercising three hours prior bed time is not recommended because it releases adrenaline.

Try to manage stress before nighttime and find what will make you relax, such as taking a break from technology or reading a book. Adjusting to a better sleeping schedule might take time, but it’s worth it– don’t hesitate.

A version of this was published at The Vista 

Want to be healthy? Drink this!

Have you ever stop to think how much you need water and how important it is to your body?

Water is the most important substance your body needs to prevent dehydration and survival. It makes up more than two thirds of the human body weight, and without the substance, we would die in a matter of days.

The human brain is approximately 95% water, the man’s body 60% water, and the woman’s body 50% water.

Water is the most vital substance that is involved in the processes of our body, such as: blood, heart, muscle, brain, skin, and bone.

Water serves as a lubricant, helping chewing, swallowing and also digestion. It also lubricates joints and cartilages and allows them to move more frequently. When dehydrated, one might feel friction and cause knee and back pain.

It’s important to hydrate our bodies with water to compensate that 2-3 quarts of water is lost through urination, sweating and breathing.

Water also helps the body to remove harmful toxins by reducing constipation and ensuring the waste is removed quickly and regularly before it harms the body. Drinking lots of water will diminish the burden in the kidneys and diver by fluxing out waste.

Since water is so important to body functions, it would make sense to pay a close attention to how much and how often you are consuming it.

Water can empower health and wellness, along with regular excise and a good nutrition. Stay healthy!

A version of this was published at The Vista.