2023-10-14 21:38:29
Visual credit: Nisrine Abou Abdellah — Artistic Director
Article written by Hai Huong Le Vu — Journalist
According to Statistics Canada, in 2022, regarding a third of Canadians were not getting enough sleep. As a student, sleep can be neglected due to the stress of deadlines and midterm and end-of-semester exams. Is it time to realize its importance in daily life? So how can you establish a good sleep routine?
Shady Rahayel, researcher at Center for Advanced Studies in Sleep Medicine (CEAMS), defines the sleep routine as “habits before sleeping”. According to him, sleep promotes “brain maturation and growth” in infants. The site “ Being born and growing up » lists the different stages of a good sleep routine depending on the baby’s age. For example, for babies three to six months old, these steps include “bath,” “massage,” “cuddle,” etc.
Does it also benefit adults?
Once an adult, the researcher notices that it is often perceived as “a waste of time”. However, Malika Lanthier, doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Ottawa (U of O), insists on the fact that “a sleep routine allows you to calm down […] and promote the production of sleep hormones, including melatonin.”
On the physical health front, Rahayel says a sleep routine not only improves the immune and cardiovascular systems, but also promotes memory consolidation. Lanthier adds that establishing such a routine improves sleep quality, thereby contributing to the release of growth hormones.
The two experts argue that the sleep routine is also favorable to mental health. Rahayel and Lanthier list benefits such as reducing anxiety and stress, preventing depression, and improving mood. Furthermore, the student affirms that preparing for sleep promotes emotion regulation.
But how to establish it effectively?
According to Lanthier, the following steps are important for a sleep routine:
Step 1 : Establishing a Regular Sleep Schedule
Although some individuals identify themselves as “night owls » or “early birds», Lanthier suggests maintaining regularity in bedtime and wake-up times as much as possible. The latter recognizes that the university schedule can make it difficult to establish an effective routine due to its lack of flexibility. Despite a busy academic schedule and occasional assignments to submit, she suggests going to bed and waking up with no more than an hour difference from your established routine, while avoiding sleepless nights.
2nd step : Creating an environment conducive to sleep
Lanthier continues by mentioning the importance of creating an environment “conducive” to sleep, that is to say “a room where you feel good”, she specifies. In his opinion, “a comfortable bedroom is characterized by low temperature and no light.”
Step 3: Mental and emotional preparation
Finally, she highlights the importance of relaxing and suggests some ways to relax. Lanthier recommends “calming” activities rather than “emotionally charged” ones. Reading, crocheting or listening topodcastsare examples of this. In these recommendations, she also highlights the importance of cutting yourself off from blue light. Rahayel explains that exposure to it reduces melatonin, and consequently, “we will have more difficulty sleeping,” he states.
On the other hand, Lanthier confesses that intrusive thoughts are “even more difficult to control”, especially as a student during times of exam stress. To manage them, writing in a diary or notebook is a practice “highly recommended” by Lanthier.
A routine ? Or a way of life?
That said, Rahayel and Lanthier qualify that quality sleep does not only depend on a pre-sleep routine, but also involves efforts in daily lifestyle. Here is what to avoid in order to ensure quality sleep according to them:
Caffeine: They advise avoiding caffeine in the followingnoon, especially following 2 p.m., to promote better quality sleep at night. This precaution, they say, will help minimize the stimulating effects of caffeine that can disrupt sleep if consumed too close to bedtime.
Nicotine and alcohol: The researcher and doctoral student suggest avoiding these before bed to benefit from deeper sleep. For them, alcohol does not guarantee quality sleep and can even disrupt the sleep cycle, although this often allows them to fall asleep more quickly.
Eat or drink before bed: With the exception of a small light snack, like a cookie, Rahayel and Lanthier encourage everyone not to eat, and according to the doctoral student, 90 minutes before sleeping. This recommendation is intended to avoid any digestive discomfort that might prevent anyone from falling asleep comfortably.
Intense exercise before sleeping: The researcher and the doctoral student agree that strenuous exercise should be avoided before sleep. After strenuous exercise, they explain that the body cannot quickly transition into a relaxed state. In other words, the body needs time to return to a resting state, according to them.
In addition to these tips, Rahayel emphasized that recovery is optimal when monophasic sleep rather than biphasic or polyphasic sleep, as this helps avoid interruptions in sleep cycles.
In terms of resources available on campus, Lanthier offers an initiative mainly led by U of O students: l’Initiative ⅕. This project includes workshops on sleep and wellness that provide necessary assistance to U of O students and members of the community.
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