It’s widely acknowledged that infants have a deep affection for slumber, yet they frequently show a fondness for crying and wailing until they are soothed and laid down to sleep by their caregivers. The task of holding and rocking a baby for extended periods daily can turn into a tiresome and sore experience for new parents quite swiftly. Consequently, the market is brimming with a variety of products designed to act as an extension of a parent’s caring hand, aiming to lull their infants to sleep effortlessly.

Babies spend most of their day snoozing, up to 18 hours each day, and proper sleep is essential for their growth and healthy development. Their needs are quite basic at this age, and it all comes down to eat, sleep, poop, repeat cycle. The most important thing that parents should consider when shopping for sleep products for their baby is safety, and they should follow age restrictions for certain products and avoid anything that could potentially lead to SIDS.

Products for babies are usually designed to be enough cute and likable to melt parents hearts and wallets because often they tend to exaggerate and buy too much stuff for their baby. The amount of various options and products is so big that it is difficult to even start from somewhere, but we are going to focus on the products that are widely used and parent-approved as a sleep aid.

White Noise Machine for Babies

White noise machines first gained the sympathy of adults, but quickly it turned out that they can be highly beneficial for babies too. Those humming sounds resemble the sounds from a womb and work perfectly as a lullaby. One of the most popular parenting books, The happiest baby on the block, written by a pediatrician, strongly recommends the use of these machines, but parents have to be careful with them. Some research hinted that white noise machines could be harmful to babies hearing if they are played at a high volume, if they are too close to the baby or if they are played too long. Experts suggest placing the machine further from the crib keeping the volume in a mid-range. The same goes for all kinds of music players, lullaby apps or nature sound machines.

Blackout Curtains

Perhaps you did not expect to find curtains on this list, but they are in fact more meaningful than you would assume. Blackout curtains and shades proved to be parents best friends when it comes to baby’s daytime naps, no matter how sunny it is outside, they will keep baby’s nursery room dark enough and cozy by blocking even the smallest traces of sunlight. If you imagine them as some black or ugly brown curtains, you are wrong, they come in various colors and patterns designed especially for kids so that they can easily fit into the vibe of your nursery room.

Experts suggest using these curtains after the newborn phase, which usually lasts for the first three months of baby’s life. During the infant phase, babies should develop their internal clock and distinguish daytime for napping from nighttime for sleeping. Once you start using blackout curtains, when you find that it is the right time for your baby to wake up, slightly open the curtains to let in some sunlight and wait for your baby to wake up naturally.

Swaddle Blankets and Sleep Sacks

Since the regular loose blankets can lead to SIDS, it is recommended to avoid using them in baby’s cribs or bassinets, instead, swaddling blankets and sleep sacks are a much better and safer solution. Swaddling can calm down the baby and promote deep sleep as it creates a cozy and safe environment which acts like a mother’s womb. The proper way of swaddling, according to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), is when the infant is laying on its back, well wrapped. They also advise parents not to leave their swaddled babies without supervision and to stop swaddling them once they start rolling on their side intentionally. Parents should always consult their pediatrician on this topic, and also when they consider switching from swaddling blankets to sleep sacks. Many parents skip the swaddling and go with sleep sacks from the very beginning, which is nothing wrong. Sleep sacks come in various sizes so that they can fit any baby between a newborn and a toddler. They are looser than the swaddling blankets and were brought to use as an exchange for regular blankets. Babies love sleeping in their sleep sacks which keep them warm enough and also signal when it is bedtime.

Night Light

Newborns are not afraid of the dark, they are already used to it after spending months in a womb, but older babies and even toddlers can develop a fear of the dark and have nightmares because of it. Not all the babies love sleeping in the dark, so if you notice that your child is waking up often at night, scared and disoriented, you should consider using a dim night light. Nowadays night lights are designed to be children-friendly, and they come in all sorts of cartoon characters, animals, shapes and colors. The light should not be cool-toned but rather warm or yellow-toned, and it should not be placed too close to the baby, put it next to the changing table or rocker chair, it can be helpful during nighttime diaper changes and feeding.

Baby Swings

Highly popular baby sleep aids are swings – they come in many forms and swing in all possible directions to imitate parents natural movements and cradling. Unlike cribs and bassinets, baby swings are not intended for sleeping, so parents should limit the time their babies spend in them and always keep an eye on them. Spending too much time in swings or bouncy seats can cause the baby’s soft head to become flat if the baby falls asleep in them, parents should transfer them to a more firm and flat sleeping surface. Many infant swings now incorporate some extra features such as vibration, lights, music, hanging plush toys, so that they can calm down even the fussiest babies. Swings are suitable for all the babies that cannot sit up on their own, usually those are the babies up to six months old. When parents notice that their babies can push up on all four or they can roll on the side, they should stop using baby swings as they are no longer safe.

Baby Sleep Monitors

Most parents use some form of baby monitors which can be were useful when they are not in the same room with the baby. Baby monitors or alarms use a radio system to listen to the sounds baby is producing from a remote distance, some allow two-way communication so that parents can use them as walkie-talkies and talk to their babies. Recently these monitors have been significantly improved and upgraded so that they can even follow some of the baby’s vital signs, play music or record a video. Video baby monitors or baby cams are particularly popular as they can record even during the night when the lighting is low as they have a night vision feature. They are a bit pricier, and some pediatricians claim that they provide a false feeling of security, but most parents love them as it gives them a sense of security and they can sleep more soundly and careless.

Pacifiers

One efficient way of calming down the babies and preparing them for sleep is to use a pacifier. They can be made out of rubber, silicone or plastic, their shape mimics the nipple and infants simply love using them. Sucking is a natural instinct for babies, and that is why most of them suck their thumb or fingers, while others opt for pacifiers which may represent a feeling of comfort and security for older babies. If a baby uses a pacifier at naptime and bedtime, it can lower down the risk of SIDS. Parents should never force their babies to use pacifiers or use tricks such as covering them in sugar to get babies to start using them. They should be cleaned and replaced often, as they are germ collectors and can make the baby sick.

Keep in mind that if babies get used to pacifiers too soon, they may have problems with adapting to breastfeeding, that is why parents should start giving pacifiers to babies after they are at least one month old. Teaching babies to stop using pacifiers is another struggle as most of them don’t obey. Keep in mind that children older than 2 years who still use pacifiers may have teeth problems.

Overnight Diapers

Once babies can connect more hours of sleep during the night without waking up to be fed, they will start waking up for a diaper change. Due to this, parents should switch to overnight diapers, which come in all sizes and are designed to provide extra leak protection and enough comfort for babies so that there is no need to interrupt their sleep.

Oils and Lotions

Massages are a great way to calm babies and prepare them for sleep, and many parents use non-scented oils because there is a lower risk of allergic reactions. Essential oils are also popular and known for promoting sleep, but there are yet no scientifically backed up evidence that they can help babies sleep, although some studies have shown that certain scents such as lavender really soothe and relax babies and promote deeper sleep. This is not a huge surprise since lavender is well known for its sedative features and it is widely used among people who have sleep problems.

Except for massages, essential oils and lotions can be used during bathtime – just put a few drops of lavender or chamomile in the water. You can also diffuse these oils in the nursery room at bedtime. When babies start teething, they often have pains that wake them up during the night, so parents can use their fingers to rub a drop of clove oil diluted in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil into the baby’s gums. Roman chamomile oil is also great for teething aches, and it can be rubbed directly on gums.

Gliders and Rocking Chairs

If you are a new parent, you might be surprised and confused by many products that look similar or claim to do the same thing such as rocking chairs and gliders – the difference is in the way they move. Gliders can swivel, but most of them run back and forward while rocking chairs rock in an arc. Most parents agree that gliders provide a smoother ride and there is no chance that they will trap your toes which can happen with rockers. A matching ottoman is often available at an additional cost. These types of chairs have been around for ages, and you would typically expect to see a grandma knitting in them, but they are now more popular among mothers. Rockers and gliders are no longer made out of bare wood, they are padded and covered with cushions to create a comfortable retreat for mothers while they are breastfeeding or soothing their baby. Although they come in various designs, they are a bit bulky and require some extra space, so some parents do not even consider buying them, but we advise trying them first and then decide if you should give them a chance or not.

Tossing and turning all night? You’re not alone. **Sleep trouble** hits folks all over the globe. The big sleep stealers include **insomnia**, **sleep apnea**, jittery legs, wonky sleep clocks, and constant sleepiness. Ignoring these sneak thieves doesn’t just make you yawn; it could seriously mess with your health. Think: **brain fog**, squirrel attention, skyrocketing stress, the blues, grumps, bulging waistlines, racing hearts, and even sugar troubles. Your mood, how you crush it during the day, and feeling tip-top? All ride on getting good sleep. For those eager to **kick sleepless nights to the curb** and boost their everyday vibe, here’s your playbook. Dive in, and you’ll unlock secrets to snoozing better that most folks wish they knew. Stick around, and you’ll find out why catching those Z’s will flip your world right side up.

Adequate detection is essential when it comes to different health and sleep disorders. That’s why clinicians and researchers have tried to develop the best method for detecting sleep problems in the general population. A perfect detection technique should be cheap, easy to administer, quick, and it should give the most accurate results. It is tough to accomplish all of the mentioned criteria, so some parts need to be sacrificed to get the adequate technique. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) is a method made to asses the sleep quality in individuals.

What is the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index?

PSQI is a self-reported questionnaire about sleep. It looks into one month period and tries to rate your sleep quality based on your answers. PSQI is relatively new, as it was developed by Buysse and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh in 1988. It has been created after the observation that it is widespread that people who suffer from mental disorders also have a much higher prevalence of sleep problems. For instance, people with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are much more likely to have troubles falling asleep, as well as maintaining it and going back to it after they have been awoken. They are also more likely to report a sleep that wasn’t restorative, as they feel tired after waking up.

PSQI consists of 19 self-report items, and it may also include five related questions for your bed partner. However, only these 19 items reflect a final score, of which 4 are open-ended questions while 15 require a rating of 0 to 3. Questions are grouped into seven individual components, that then produce a score. Seven areas that it looks into are subjective sleep quality, sleep latency (the time it takes you to fall asleep), sleep duration, sleep efficiency (how much time of total bedtime you spent sleeping), sleep disturbances, the use of sleep medication, and daytime functionality. PSQI is practical to use as it only takes 5 to 10 minutes, and you don’t need to be additionally trained to interpret the scores.

Questions cover a wide area of sleep. First, you’ll be asked to state your usual bed and rising time, as well as how long it takes you to drift away and how much rest you get. Other questions might be about your nighttime wakings, nightly trips to the bathroom, snoring, coughing, problems with breathing, feeling hot or cold, having bad dreams or body pains. Some questions include the use of medication and alcohol. There are also some items to rate your energy levels during the day, as well as how much of a mental effort it takes to do things daily. You’ll rate those questions on a scale from “very good” to “very bad,” and there are usually four options to choose from so that you can pick the one that suits you best.

Each segment is rated from 0 to 3, 0 meaning that there are no sleep disturbances and 3 with the least sleep quality. That means that the overall score can range between 0 and 21. PSQI score of over five is considered to indicate sleep problems in a person taking the test, and the higher the score, the worse the quality of sleep.

Is Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Reliable?

PSQI is one of the most widely used health-assessment tools in both clinical and non-clinical populations. It is also applicable everywhere around the Earth, so it has been translated to over 55 languages so far.

Validity and reliability of PSQI have been widely confirmed. It can distinguish between people with regular sleeping patterns and the ones who have sleeping problems pretty accurately. However, it can not give us an answer on what exactly is wrong with our sleep. For that to happen, further sleep study called polysomnography is needed.

Like all self-report health questionnaires, PSQI has its strengths and flaws. Its primary advantages are that it is cost-effective, easy to administer, and it has high patient compliance. However, it is self-reported, so it is a subjective reality of a person who fills it. It is possible that they can exaggerate or minimize scores, and the way that it is administered can affect the ratings as well. Also, two people with the same score can have very different sleep conditions. As it is relatively new, it needs more investigating before giving a final verdict of its quality.

One systematic review from 2018 tried to look into the dimensionality of the PSQI. While it is a useful tool, they found a few shortcomings, and they concluded that the various PSQI factor structures might need further investigation.

PSQI is not used as a diagnostic tool, but as a sleep quality assessment. If you get a score that indicates poor sleep quality, an objective diagnosis technique is needed. That’s when polysomnography comes in place. It is an overnight sleep study conducted in a sleep facility. You’ll be observed throughout the night, with a bunch of electrodes attached to you to monitor your brain waves, limb and chest movement, respiration, heart rate, as well as snoring and other noises you might produce during the night. After that, a sleep specialist goes through the obtained information, and they discuss further treatment based on their findings. PSQI is mainly used for that, to determine who has sleep problems that require further objective investigation. It saves a lot of money, since questions are self-explanatory, so no specialist is needed while filling it. It is a kind of like an advanced sleep diary, with specific questions to assess your sleep quality adequately.

One study from 2008 also looked at the effectiveness of PSQI and Epworth sleepiness scale compared to polysomnography findings and found that the objectiveness of these questionnaires is not at the satisfying level.

Should We Make the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Shorter?

Lengthy questionnaires tend to bore the participants, and they might be more inaccurate. An article from 2018 suggests that maybe we need to shorten the PSQI. They had a group of 1246 college students who filled both standard and short versions of the survey. In contrast to the 19 item questionnaire, this new version had only 13 items. It turned out that the short PSQI was just as reliable at predicting sleep problems in younger adults as the standard PSQI.

If you are having sleep problems, taking a PSQI might show you where you stand. You should aim to develop a healthy sleep routine to improve the quality of your nightly rest. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, make your bedroom free of distractions and don’t use the electronic devices one hour before bedtime. Try to do something that relaxes you to help you fall asleep faster, and you should always try to lead a healthy lifestyle. Eating right and exercising are very important for good sleep, and proper rest is also essential for your health and the overall quality of life.

At 2 in the morning, you’re wide awake in your bed despite having tossed and turned for hours, uncertain if sleep will ever come. If this scenario sounds familiar, take comfort in knowing you’re not the only one. Nearly everyone encounters sleeplessness at some stage in their life. Insomnia, the condition marked by challenges in either falling asleep (known as sleep-onset insomnia) or remaining asleep (referred to as sleep maintenance insomnia), broadly refers to any issues related to sleeping.fall asleep

There are a few things that can help you with falling asleep faster and improving your sleep quality. We’ve all heard advice that a glass of warm milk before bed can help you sleep. But is it just an old myth that has been passed down by generations, or does science confirm this? The answer is not simple as it is a little bit of both, so read on to learn more about it.

Why Milk?

What makes milk such a good sleep aid candidate? As it turns out, milk is rich in nutrients that can help people sleep. One of those nutrients is tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid used as a building block for many of the body’s proteins. One of the most common ones is serotonin, also known as the hormone of happiness. It is a precursor for melatonin, a hormone that has a role in our sleep/wake cycles. Melatonin is mostly produced at night, and it signals our brain that it is a time to go to sleep. Its production peaks during the night, and then it slowly fades as we approach the dawn. During the day, the production stops, and then it begins again in the evening, thus regulating when we should go to sleep, and when is the time to be alert and do our daily activities.

Beside tryptophan, milk is also rich in calcium that has many functions in the human body and cell functioning, and it is also important for sleep maintenance. However, researchers agree that the amounts found in milk are not enough to affect sleep. There is also a problem of a blood-brain barrier, as it doesn’t let tryptophan enter the brain easily. The blood-brain barrier is there to protect the brain from getting damage if something dangerous enters our bloodstream, but it also keeps larger molecules away, that could potentially be beneficial.  Foods rich in carbohydrates induce the production of insulin which makes it easier for tryptophan to go to the brain. On the other hand, foods that contain lots of protein make it harder to happen, and milk is full of protein. Adding a little honey to your glass of warm milk might help, but it is less likely that you will enjoy benefits to your sleep from the physical perspective, but rather from a psychological one.

Since our bodies can’t produce tryptophan by themselves, we need to ingest it. Other foods rich in tryptophan include various fishes like salmon and cod, sunflower, chia, and other seeds, eggs, almonds, cashews, pistachios, spinach, beans, lentils, pork, chicken, turkey and many more. Tryptophan was long blamed for a food coma that many people experience after the Thanksgiving dinner since it is rich in tryptophan. We now know that you would need to eat around 40 pounds of turkey for it to have such an effect, so there is something other besides that phenomenon, and scientists are still trying to figure out what that is.

Milk’s Sleep Inducing Abilities

If levels of tryptophan are not high enough to help us sleep better, is drinking a warm glass of milk before bed for better sleep just a myth? Maybe not. As we said earlier, there is more to this than only the physical consequences of macronutrients. Researchers suggest that drinking milk before bed might remind people of those toddler days, when their caregiver would feed them before bedtime. This association is embedded deeply in our brains, and it evokes the feelings of calm and relaxation. It might also be due to your bed routine. If this is your usual activity before you go to bed, your brain knows it, and it starts to prepare for sleep as you drink your milk. Taking that few minutes to drink it may also help you unwind, away from screens and technology, and if you are relaxed, you are more likely to fall asleep faster.

The research of the effects that warm milk has on sleep started almost 50 years ago, in 1972. Researchers wanted to see the impact that the warm milk drink called Horlicks had on nightly rest. There were three groups of people studied, where one didn’t have anything to drink before bed, while the others had warm water or Horlicks. The results showed that the subjects who drank Horlicks before bed had less nocturnal movements, therefore concluding that they had better quality sleep.

A 2007 study looked into the effects fermented milk had on the sleep patterns of the elderly. Twenty-nine healthy subjects aged 60-81 had either fermented milk or a placebo drink before bed. There was an observable effect in sleep efficiency and a decrease of waking episodes in the group who had fermented milk, hinting that it could potentially be helpful to the sleep quality in seniors.

A 2015 article discovered that the milk that was harvested at night had higher amounts of tryptophan and melatonin. Night milk was administered to mice at various concentrations, and they were also given day milk to compare the effects. The animals given night milk showed decreased spontaneous locomotion and also impaired coordination and motor balance. The mice needed less time to fall asleep, and they had a longer sleep duration. It also looked like the night milk helped with some anxiety disturbances, as they behaved better in an elevated plus maze test. These are promising results, and it puts night milk as a potential natural aid for sleep and anxiety problems.

Combining milk with other sleep-inducing activities might be helpful for seniors according to a 2014 study. The researchers examined the effects the leisure-time physical activity and drinking milk had on older adults. It turned out that doing both of these activities significantly reduced the time that it took to fall asleep. Individuals who participated in both activities had less difficulty initiating sleep that people who did only one of these actions.

Although macronutrients don’t seem to play a role in sleep for otherwise healthy adults, it looks like the elderly, or individuals with some vitamin or melatonin deficiency could benefit from drinking a glass of milk. Vitamins B and D, as well as magnesium and potassium, could contribute to better sleep.

Tips For Better Sleep

We’ve mentioned some things that could help you sleep, and here is a short list of behavior and activities you can practice if you want to enjoy better sleep:

• Set a regular sleeping schedule and stick to it. That means going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This way, your brain will get used to your sleep dynamics, and you’ll enjoy better quality sleep.
• Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Drinking a glass of milk can work for you, or you can try a non-caffeinated tea. You need to find what suits you best, and you can try reading, taking a hot bath, tending to a hobby, meditation, doing light yoga exercises, breathing exercises, or listening to mellow music. These activities work for most people, so try them out, and you can even combine them if it suits you.
• Create a sleep-promoting environment. Your bedroom should be cool, dark, and free of distractions. To achieve this, you can buy blackout curtains, try out white noise machines or use earplugs. Also, make sure that you are comfortable in your bed, so if you feel like it, invest in a new mattress, pillow, and bedding.
• Eat well and exercise regularly. We can’t stress out enough how important these are for your sleep and overall health. Enjoy a mixed diet with lots of fruits and vegetables for optimal results. Exercise moderately few times each week, and consider incorporating weight training at least once a week. Just make sure not to do it too close to bedtime, as they can raise your cortisol levels, and leave you feeling awake and alert afterward.
• Limit your caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol consumption. All of these ingredients are stimulants that can leave you wide awake in your bed, so avoid using them in the afternoons and close to bedtime.
• Finally, if you can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep no matter what you try, maybe it’s time to visit your doctor. These general tips can help in some cases, but if you are suffering from a sleep disorder, you need professional help. They’ll asses your situation, find what’s causing your sleep problems, and prescribe you the necessary treatment.

Since the dawn of humanity, difficulties with sleep have constantly plagued us. Back in ancient times, treating any ailment was significantly more challenging, leading to the demise of many from what we nowadays deem minor health nuisances. The most ancient documents available reveal that, centuries back, people resorted to alcohol and assorted herbal concoctions (like teas, broth, or smokable blends) to ease the sleep disturbances they frequently encountered. In today’s world, it’s all too easy to overlook the value of modern medicine, leaning on a variety of prescription and non-prescription medications to tackle insomnia and other sleep-related issues.

Today, we will examine the history of how sleep medication has developed, as we feel it’s crucial to understanding how we developed our knowledge on sleep as a subject. Some methods we now recommend for those trying to maintain a healthy sleep schedule were unintentionally practiced many years ago by many people, simply as a part of daily life. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on how we’ve come to understand how sleep medicine “evolved” over the years, and help the people without a strong budget for direct medical therapy find some relief through the use of these tried-and-true, healthy habits. Let’s get into it:

The Earliest Records of Improvised Sleep Medicine

While modern sleep medicine can be traced to the mid-1800s, people have been experimenting with various substances for insomnia relief and general sleep enhancement for centuries prior. Try to remember advice from your grandparents you’d dismiss as superstition and dodgy ideas, and imagine the long line of other things people have attempted just to get some amount of healthy sleep. Remember that in those days, they didn’t have sleep-destroying factors such as blue light, but the lack of reliable modern medicine made it much harder to control a potential (and likely undiagnosed) sleep disorder.

Before we could develop even the most basic sedatives and decrease the time it takes a person to fall asleep, our ancestors regularly relied on alcohol as the main substance for relieving insomnia. While it may seem like alcohol was safer in the old days, before people had modern-day workplace safety concerns or traffic problems, alcohol remains, to this day, an incredibly risky short-term solution for sleeping problems. The initial buzz after a dose or two tends to decrease sleep onset latency (how long it takes you to fall asleep), but the consequences for our circadian rhythm and regular hormone production are only negative and serious enough to justify complete avoidance of alcohol. Drinking alcohol before bedtime almost always results in fragmented sleep, as melatonin production is crippled and body temperature fluctuates enough to wake the person up in the middle of the night.

Alcohol wasn’t the only option for people back then – many sought relief in various combinations of herbs that were considered sleep-friendly. These herbs would either be turned into teas and “sleeping potions,” or they would end up being eaten or smoked by the person trying to relax. To this day, various herbs are used in natural sleeping aids and tea mixtures under the (often justified and fulfilled) promises of easier relaxation and better sleep quality. While these sleep aids may not have the impact of prescription drugs, they’re far less risky for our body due to an absence of horrific side-effects. Herbs we use for sleep improvement these days include lavender, valerian (its root, to be specific), passion flower, etc. Opiates were a popular method of dealing with insomnia, and their use also extends to modern times, although their effectiveness is highly questionable.

It should be noted that our ancestors had much healthier daily habits than we do in modern times. If we look into isolated tribes still living without electricity or significant contact with any outside societies, it’s easy to make a connection between how they live and certain important pieces of advice we share with those trying to deal with insomnia (or any similar sleep disorder). Think about how often you’ve been told to exercise more in order to live healthier, or how healthy your diet could be if you discard sugar-heavy or greasy food. A lot of this lifestyle advice has been around for a very long time. Any current sleep medicine you run into works much better if you also reorganize your daily routine to include some of these healthy habits. Not only do they help you sleep easier, but you also gain other health benefits that improve your life, such as a stronger immune system and a higher daily energy level.

Formal Chemistry and Subsequent Breakthroughs

Around the mid-1800s, certain drugs were developed to serve a primarily anesthetic purpose. Diethyl ether (often referred to as just “ether”) was an anesthetic developed in the early nineteenth century, and it was often used (or more specifically, abused) to help someone fall asleep, despite how rare the actual prescriptions were. The first substance that was regularly prescribed for insomniacs is chloral hydrate, according to popular belief. While its sedative potency wasn’t all that impressive, it was a very frequent choice for decreasing sleep onset latency, and the first such drug that saw clinical use for treating sleep-disordered patients. There were other substances that saw use as improvised sleep aids during that period, particularly depressants like ammonium bromide, sodium bromide, and potassium bromide. Other options included morphine, an opium derivative that saw plenty of use in pain relief and sleep relaxation.

With the transition into the twentieth century, a new generation of drugs and substances entered the scene. As early as 1903, we saw the introduction of barbiturates (the salts derived from barbituric acid), the first of which was barbital. Barbiturates were prescribed very liberally by doctors, and not just for sleep disorders like insomnia. On top of sleep issues, they were used to treat anxiety and many other psychiatric conditions, as well as to sedate unruly or violent people. The main problem with barbiturates was that they were highly addictive, which led to many overdose cases – and subsequent deaths. The rich and famous often abused barbiturates without a proper prescription, which led to something resembling a “craze,” as the awareness of this drug was spread through pop culture thanks to film stars.

Around the 1960s, another heavy hitter appeared in the world of sleep medicine – benzodiazepine receptor agonists (often shortened to “benzodiazepines” for convenience). The most popular drug of this category was Diazepam, known more commonly under the name Valium. Valium’s popularity led it to become the single most prescribed drug between 1969 and 1982, in the United States. Benzodiazepines are considered one of the most effective categories of drugs for relieving anxiety or panic attacks and relaxing a patient’s muscles and still see use in epilepsy treatment, among other things. Their overdose risk is significantly less threatening than that of barbiturates, but their side-effects eventually saw them abandoned as a solution to insomnia in favor of drugs developed slightly later.

Over-the-counter sleeping aids were not represented at all until somewhere around 1980 when antihistamines received a stamp of approval from the FDA as a viable OTC sleep aid. Before that, they were used only through prescription, starting around the 1940s.

In the nineties, a category of drugs similar to benzodiazepines arrived onto the market, specifically targeting insomnia. They performed a similar job to benzodiazepines but had an improved chemical structure, which came with several important benefits. For one, these drugs were much safer to use, with fewer and less severe side-effects. They were named “non-benzodiazepines,” but a common name used for many of them is Z-drugs, as the names of drugs in this category often start with the letter Z. Commonly used examples include zaleplon (otherwise known as Sonata) and zolpidem (with its alternate name of Ambien). These drugs get prescribed to this day, as they’re very reliable.

More recently, we’ve seen a variety of drugs get introduced (and reintroduced). A derivative of zopiclone known as Lunesta (or eszopiclone) received FDA approval during the 2000s. The most promising, cutting edge sleep medication includes drugs such as ramelteon (a melatonin agonist) and suvorexant (an orexin agonist). Older drugs are being recreated and pushed onto the market in forms that make them less risky and more effective. Drugs like Circadin can potentially introduce melatonin into the body in a way that makes it much easier to metabolize. Overall, the state of sleep medicine keeps improving exponentially, following the pace of general technological advancement. With some luck, we might discover reliable cures to one or more sleep disorders that currently lack one.

Talk to any industrious adult out there, and it’s likely they’ll tell you about their lack of sleep. The belief that one has to choose between earning well and getting adequate rest is so prevalent, it’s almost a universally accepted truth. Tales of overworked executives, authors, and shift workers frequently pop up in casual chats, reinforcing the idea that giving up sleep is a necessity for financial comfort. Given the significant role that finances play in our lives, many opt to prioritize earning over sleeping, when faced with choosing between the two.

But do they? There may be professions you can aim for if you want to balance your monthly income with a healthy, sensible sleep schedule. This article aims to explore just that and provide info on where you can get a job that allows you to get enough rest to avoid illness and fatigue. We will look at various fields and use the American Time Use Survey (ATUS, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) to determine who gets paid the most and who sleeps the most. The idea that career success often has to come at the cost of the person’s health doesn’t hold as much water as some people claim, fortunately. However, there is some truth in such claims. Let’s get into it.

What Was Our Methodology?

We were mainly concerned with US residents and their average income and amount of time spent asleep per night (on average). In order to get reliable information, we looked towards the ATUS. This survey was conducted with 10,000 respondents, and the information they willingly revealed about their monthly income, sleep, and other factors. This data was contained within three separate yet connected ATUS resources, each of which was designed to collect specific types of information from the respondents. The sources we consulted were:

• The ATUS Respondent data file, which was created to store information about the wage and employment status of each respondent. This file is where we pulled income numbers from to get our results.
• The ATUS Activity Summary data file, which contains detailed information on the sleeping habits of every respondent. As the purpose of this article is to measure how much sleep common professions “allow,” this file played an instrumental role in our research.
• The ATUS Roster data file, containing basic information provided by the respondents, including age, gender, etc. While this information played a somewhat lesser role in our overall assessment, it helped paint a clearer picture as to who’s the most susceptible to sleep deprivation.

Getting the data is only the first step. With this information “in hand,” we could start our analysis. The second step was to reduce the number of entries only to those that would fit our criteria. It means we were forced to remove entries where the respondent did not provide necessary information about their wage and work schedule (meaning their precise work hours, more or less). This filter alone reduced the number of entries to around 3,150, but we were not finished. It was important to establish a strict set of criteria, which meant the removal of entries where subjective interpretations caused skewed responses when it came to employment status (where the respondents would give vague or non-specific answers due to working as contractors or working part-time). At the end of our filtration and limitation process, we were left with a rough figure of 1500 respondents. While it’s hard to assume that our numbers mirror the population at large, we consider it a suitable enough sample size to make the estimate we needed to make.

The Results

The ultimate goal was to compare professions based on how much money they generate and how much sleep they tend to allow (or “take away”). The results were mixed in the sense that some of the estimates follow what you might hear in casual conversations among non-specialists, whereas others deviated further from our original expectations from when we began this process. As a whole, we’ve discovered that there is a considerable amount of truth behind the idea that good salaries often “necessitate” bad sleeping habits, not every profession fits into this mold. We will list a good amount of professions to paint a clear picture as to where you should seek employment if you value your sleeping hours (which you should, for the sake of your health and the safety of those around you).

For example, it shouldn’t surprise you that lawyers and other legal specialists generate some of the highest salaries (often earning around $1850 over the course of a 42-hour work week on average). However, this comes at a cost – with legal specialists being closer to the lower extreme of hours spent asleep (with an average of 7.2 hours per day, but frequent situations where they get less than 6 hours in a given night). Legal cases impose a lot of stress on the worker and often demand extra hours of effort, which can all add up to a very unstable sleeping schedule and frequent scenarios where the person is functioning on a small amount of sleep. Additionally, there is a large pay gap between the lower and higher ends of the legal hierarchy, to the point where paralegal specialists and people in similar positions often don’t make enough money to justify the hit to their sleep schedules.  

One of the worst possible places to be in your career is the position of a healthcare assistant or medical aide. These jobs are demanding and stressful, creating a problem where it’s very hard to hit the recommended value of 8 hours of sleep per night, especially since shift work is often involved (we will talk about this separately, later on in the article). In the worst case scenario, a person in this position may expect to go to work with less than 6 hours of rest the previous night. The reward for this level of effort is nothing to brag about either – healthcare assistants and aides make an average of $426 per week, which is definitely one of the lowest figures we’ve noticed.

If you’re looking for good rest but aren’t bothered by a low salary (for whatever reason), you want to look towards food service or personal care industries. Bartenders, hairdressers, and waiters average in at close to 9 hours of sleep per night on average, which is more than enough to keep you healthy and energized. However, these positions often come with some of the worst salaries you can find, with an average value of around $400 or slightly less.

Working in the art industry can mean many things, but in this case, we will focus on graphic designers, fine art, film editing, and 3d model work. You most likely won’t find an optimal amount of sleep in these fields. The average amount of hours spent sleeping per night hovers at around 7, with situations where you have to sleep for roughly 5.5 hours on some days. However, the pay isn’t bad at all – work schedules that demand only around 32 hours of work each week can result in salaries of $1050. If you’re really lucky (or simply amazing at your job), you could see salaries that approach $1700-1800, which makes jobs like graphic design incredibly appealing.

One of the most rewarding professions when it comes to both monthly income and sleep economy is coding. Programmers and math scientists regularly clock in almost 8 hours of sleep per night, which lets them focus on their work that much more effectively. This increase in efficiency may have something to do with their earnings – programmers usually work around 50 hours per week (at worst), but they rake in almost as much money as lawyers (who have to work a lot more) – around $1750 per month on average. If you’re trying to choose something to study, coding may be the way to go, as it is always in demand (and seems to be accelerating due to the exponential growth of technology in the modern age). You get to sleep a lot and also improve your life using a chunky salary.

Workplace Risks and Sleep

While it’s safe to consider any job unhealthy for your sleep if it offers you less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average, there are other, less obvious problems to consider. Fatigue (often called excessive daytime sleepiness) is the most common result of any sleeping problem (including sleep disorders), and it causes the person in question to become way less efficient at virtually anything they do. Your perception gets considerably worse, and you start to miss things you would notice on more hours of sleep. You become more prone to taking risks, and your memory, hand-eye coordination, and similar things take a massive drop in quality.

As a result of all this, workplace accidents become more likely when you’re involved, if you have fatigue. Some job positions put you at more risk simply through what you have to do to perform your job. We’ll use transportation jobs as an example – both drivers and pilots are put in potentially extreme danger if they’re sleep-deprived. They endanger not only themselves but also their passengers and anyone in the immediate area. Driving jobs often don’t limit your ability to get proper rest, but they’re the worst possible thing you could be doing if you’re heavily fatigued. Drivers sadly also make poor salaries.

Keep in mind that any kind of job that involves mandatory shift work is practically guaranteed to ruin your sleep schedule and cause lots of fatigue, even if it pays well. Sometimes the hours spent working don’t mean everything, as the nature of the job could expose you to health risks or direct physical danger. Know what you’re getting into when applying for work – a person with an established sleep disorder should not work in positions that require precision or good reflexes, for example.

Have you ever been stumped by a tricky test or puzzled by a complicated riddle? A piece of advice often given by those around us is to “sleep on it.” It might seem easy to dismiss this suggestion as just an unfounded recommendation or simply an old wives’ tale without any real advantage, yet the reality is, the amount of sleep you get profoundly influences your efficiency. Many individuals fail to recognize the connection between quality sleep and enhanced performance because they’re not aware of the profound impacts of sleep on both their physical and mental welfare. Even though the advice to get 8 hours of sleep is widely known, not everyone understands the importance of this specific quantity for their overall health.

That’s where we come in. In this article, we aim to connect sleep and productivity by showing how fatigue can make you much less efficient at whatever you’re doing, as well as provide tips on how you can organize and maintain a strict, healthy sleep schedule that improves your daily performance in all aspects of life. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

The Connection Between Sleep and Productivity

There are at least a few logical claims we can make that most people can relate to or at least keep up with, even without any knowledge of how sleep works. As many as 50% of US residents report experiencing problems in their daily life (especially at work) as a consequence of sleep deprivation, even if it’s not a chronic issue. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, really – we associate long work hours with fatigue, exhaustion, and stress even without factoring in potentially inadequate rest. Unfortunately, most people don’t have to imagine how bad it gets when you’re sleep-deprived. Around the late 19th century, work shifts were getting reduced from 9 to 8 hours, as people came to realize that working for longer than 8 hours made workers inefficient, susceptible to accidents and generally exhausted.

Eight hours of work per day turns into 40 over the course of a work week. Now think about how many people you know that work more than that. A lot of working adults have an inadequate sleeping schedule and suffer the consequences of sleep deprivation and fatigue. A lot of fatigue symptoms and consequences are subtle and hard to notice by the person in question – but they can be crippling and potentially life-threatening under the right circumstances. For starters, your mood drops significantly – sleep-deprived people often display signs of irritability, and they’re much more prone to taking unnecessary risks. Your memory and information processing take a dip as well, making it harder to do a lot of office jobs. On top of that, your hand-eye coordination gets considerably worse, as does your awareness of your surroundings and the ability to stay focused. These issues are particularly threatening for people who drive or do jobs with inherent risk factors.

As a rule, sleep deprivation is a problem when the person in question sleeps for less than six hours the previous night. It has been determined that running on 6 hours of “gas” is almost the same as being sleep-deprived for a whole 24 hours in terms of performance and associated risks. However, it’s a common misconception that the number of hours is all there is to healthy sleep.

Think of it this way – have you ever slept for a combined total of 10 hours in one day and still felt tired and unfocused? Clearly just reaching a number isn’t what makes sleep restorative. The amount of time spent asleep (or sleep quantity) is only one side of the coin in this situation, and it’s equally as important to consider sleep quality (how efficient and healthy the sleep was).

Sleep architecture is a term most people don’t have a firm grasp on. For this majority, sleep stages and rapid eye movement are vague terms that have something to do with dreaming, but the full picture is key to understanding how sleep affects our productivity. Sleep architecture is the natural progression of sleep through specific stages. The order is light sleep, then deep sleep, and then finally REM sleep before looping back to light sleep. Each of these stages is characterized by specific repairs and chemical procedures that occur in your body. While you sleep, your brain orchestrates things like memory consolidation (primarily in light and REM sleep), muscle tissue repair, immune system maintenance, blood sugar regulation, and many other processes.

Because each stage has its purpose and benefits, it is important to cycle through them with as little interference as possible. Having your sleep interrupted reduces the amount of time you spend in deep and REM sleep. This problem is frequently called “fragmented sleep,” as it happens when someone wakes up multiple times per night. Fragmented sleep robs you of all the benefits that come with non-light sleep, making you incredibly inefficient the following day. Naturally, this affects your performance at work and even the economy overall (once you factor in how many working adults deal with sleep deprivation – sleep deprivation hurts our economy by around $411 billion each year). Students also have trouble learning things efficiently due to insufficient time spent in REM sleep. Athletes recover from muscle strain much slower if they regularly experience sleep-deprivation and fragmented sleep.

Then there’s the concept of our circadian rhythm. It is a biological rhythm managed and influenced by a “master clock” in our brain stem that uses light receptors to tell our body when it’s time to go to sleep through hormone production and secretion. A lot of our bodily processes are affected by our circadian rhythm, but this rhythm is incredibly easy to disrupt and throw off-balance by a quick series of bad sleep decisions or unfortunate events (such as workplace emergencies). Because our hormones control much more than when we sleep, a disrupted circadian rhythm can cripple us in many aspects of our daily life. It can be very hard to get your rhythm back on track if you have to deal with something like shift work or a sleep disorder.

Improve Productivity Through Better Sleep

There is no shortcut to healthy sleep. Bad sleeping habits are just another lifestyle situation that you have to approach strategically and with dedication, much like diets or exercise routines. Being disciplined enough to manage your sleep is not always easy, but it pays off in more ways than you can imagine. Here’s a list of tips you can work on to achieve better sleep, and thus increased productivity:

• Establish and maintain a strict and smart sleep schedule. While the amount of sleep we would recommend to adults is 7-7.5 hours each night, your individual needs may differ. People have what’s called a chronotype, which basically determines when they like to sleep and when they’re most productive. If possible, adapt your work schedule (or whatever other obligations) to your chronotype, not the other way around. That way, you ensure that you’ll wake up feeling more refreshed than you normally would. Make it a personal goal to follow your new sleep schedule to the letter, with no exceptions unless an emergency occurs (which is rare).
• Train your brain to associate your bed with sleeping and sex only. Cognitive therapy often involves something like this, as it’s effective and takes very little if any money. Simply avoid doing any unnecessary activities in your bed, such as eating, watching TV, making phone calls, etc. If your mind treats the bed as a source of comfort and relaxation, it becomes that much easier to fall asleep without unpleasant delays – and to follow your sleep schedule!
• Create a bedtime routine. This routine normally takes anywhere between 30-90 minutes, depending on the person’s available time and other factors. The idea is that you want to make a strict routine of relaxing activities that you perform every single day before bedtime. These activities can include a warm bath, some light exercise, meditation, writing down a shopping list for tomorrow, drinking warm tea, etc. This method trains your body to relax automatically as bedtime approaches, as humans like sticking to routines.
• Maintain a steady and healthy diet. Some of the most harmful factors that lead to sleep disruption come from what we eat and drink. Coffee and alcohol are common in practically every adult household, but they both damage your ability to fall and stay asleep. Avoid sugary and greasy foods, as your blood sugar levels are also connected to your ability to produce sleep-related hormones like melatonin and cortisol. You’re allowed to have cheat days, but don’t get stuffed full of sleep-ruining foods and drinks close to bedtime.
• Get some exercise, preferably outside. Exposure to sunlight goes a long way towards synchronizing and maintaining your circadian rhythm, and exercise has a whole host of benefits even if you remove sleep from the equation. When it comes to sleeping, it helps to get physically tired before bedtime, although we recommend avoiding massive strain and difficult routines. Much like how you open your window to get fresh air and relax, try to have a jog or fast walk right before you begin your bedtime routine.
• Try establishing a morning routine, too. Being able to wake up at the same time each day takes some discipline and often practice. Come up with a routine that helps you kickstart your day, whether it involves a tasty cup of coffee (or tea), some light exercise, a morning shower, or whatever you think helps you break the morning drowsiness. Nothing feels worse than going into your office while groggy and exhausted, so teach yourself to prevent that issue.
• Separate yourself from your smartphone during the evening and morning. Blue light has been shown to damage our sleep, and while any electronic device can do this, smartphones are the most common source because we use them to stay in touch with anyone and everyone. Avoid obsessing over emails before bed or first thing in the morning. A simple and small change like this can have a surprisingly positive effect on your sleep every day. If you have the technology and a really important need to do so, program your notifications to only make noises and draw attention if it’s work-related or similarly important to your productivity.
• If you’re experiencing serious difficulty falling asleep, consult your doctor as soon as possible. You may be dealing with one of many sleep disorders that are preventing you from getting the rest you need and deserve, and the sooner you get checked out, the better.

Moving on to college is a pivotal moment in our lives. It’s the phase where we leave our parents’ home, losing the comfort of someone cooking for us, waking us up in the morning, doing our laundry, washing the dishes, and taking care of myriad other household tasks. With the commencement of our college journey, we bear the full weight of our decisions and tasks. College represents a transformative era, where we learn the true value of being independent and self-reliant. It also opens up opportunities for us to build new relationships, explore innovative concepts, and participate in diverse activities. This is the reason it is often regarded as one of the most exhilarating periods in a person’s life. However, in the midst of all this enthusiasm, the significance of getting enough sleep frequently gets overlooked.

Students often forget that they need to get at least seven hours of shut-eye each night, and as a consequence, they are sleep-deprived on a regular basis. They tend to take pride in being night owls and waking up early in the morning after only a few hours of rest. Getting enough sleep can be especially difficult for college students as they have a lot going on. Although it may seem to them that it is not possible to sleep well in college and still have good grades and excellent social life, it is possible. Students face many obstacles to getting proper rest, such as stress, overbooked schedule, noisy roommates, and more, but sleep is essential, and it is the key to staying healthy, maximizing the academic potential and sustaining new friendships. Keep in mind that dorm life doesn’t have to result in restless nights. Here are some useful tips that can help you get enough sleep regularly: 

Transform Your College Dorm into a Sleep Sanctuary 

If you want to sleep well, you need a sleep-supportive environment. There are many ways in which you can accomplish this goal. Some of the things that you can do include: 

Choose the Room Colors 

Sharing a small room with a stranger you just met is something that you need to get used to. These tiny rooms can start feeling overcrowded and tight very quickly, which is not perfect for relaxing. If you want to make your room feel more relaxing and look a bit bigger, you should opt for a soft color palette. Busy patterns and bright colors can make your room feel even more cluttered, and they also don’t stimulate sleep. On the other hand, calming soft room colors can have a positive impact on the quality and duration of shut-eye. 

Make Sure Your Room is Dark 

If you want to increase the chances of getting enough good night’s rest, you need to ensure that your room is dark. Sometimes even the slightest bit of light can have an adverse impact on your rest, no matter if it is because of the digital alarm clock, or the streetlight from the outside. If you want to make sure that your body produces enough sleep hormones it needs, you should do everything you can to keep your room completely dark. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to close the blinds or add blackout curtains. Very often, curtains and drapes in dorm rooms are transparent, and they don’t block out the outside light very well, which can disrupt your sleep. You should get new drapes that are thick and won’t let the light in while you sleep. 

Upgrade Your Bed 

College dorms provide the students with a bed frame and a mattress, but these mattresses are usually not of good quality, and people have been sleeping on them for years. Very often, they are not very comfortable, and they are beyond their lifespan. One of the most significant investments that you can make when moving into your dorm is to buy a new mattress. Old and uncomfortable mattresses can contribute to poor sleep, back problems, and more, and can have an impact on your health and academic performance. Don’t worry; you can find great models at affordable prices. In case you can’t afford a new mattress, or can’t buy one because it isn’t allowed, another solution is to get a mattress pad. These pads will not only give a new feel to an old bed but also protect the mattress from further damage. You should also consider getting a new pillow that matches your firmness and thickness preferences, and that will fit well with your sleep position. Dorm pillows are often old, and they may contain mold and other allergens that can disrupt your sleep, and they lack the comfort. 

Make Sure Your Room Smells Nice 

Most students who live in a college dorm are not used to household responsibilities such as doing the laundry and cleaning. The lack of these habits can result in an unpleasant odor that can develop in your room over time, or in the building. If you notice that your room smells funky, you should do something about it. For example, you should stock up on cleaning supplies that have a fresh and pleasant smell. College rooms often get dirty very quickly as they are small, and two or more people without cleaning habits live in them. If you want to avoid staying in a smelly room, you need to buy cleaning supplies with fresh smell for your bathroom and furniture. You will sleep much more comfortably if your room is clean, dust-free and smells nice.  

Another thing that you should consider is using essential oils. You can choose from a wide variety of fragrances, and they have affordable prices. You can also purchase cheap oil diffuser. Not only your room will have a pleasant smell, but it will also help you relax and prepare you for sleep. 

Consider Using Sleep Gear 

In case you need more sleep, it would be a good idea to consider using sleep gear. Earplugs are the most common solutions of students who can’t seem to get adequate rest because of the noise. If you decide to use them, they will block out the noise from the outside and inside, including sounds coming from your roommate or residence hall. They are very cheap, and you can find them at almost any drugstore. Another excellent solution is a sleep mask, as these masks block out inside and outside light and give you the darkness that you need to get enough good night’s sleep. 

Buy Some Plants 

If you want to improve your mood and make your room feel more like at home, it would be an excellent idea to consider buying a couple of houseplants and place them around your room. Not only the place will be more comfortable and feel more natural, but it will also help you sleep better. Some plants are very easy to take care of, and they are ideal for purifying the air. 

Improve Your Habits and Sleep Hygiene 

When it comes to sleeping in college, if you want to improve the duration and quality of shut-eye, you should establish good habits and proper daily routines. Some of the things that can help you sleep better at night include: 

Avoid Caffeine and Energy Drinks 

You already know that caffeine keeps you awake; that’s why you probably consume it. However, you are probably not aware that it can keep you up almost 8 hours later. That’s why you shouldn’t have caffeine too late in the day. Otherwise, it can disrupt your sleep. It is the best idea to avoid drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages after 4 or 5 p.m. If you need an energy lift later, you should take a walk. Drink juice, water, or any other beverage that is free of caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. Another common way to fight sleep deprivation is opting for energy drinks. However, eating fruits and exercising a bit will have the same effect, and these things won’t keep you up at night. 

Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol 

Many students start drinking in college; it is very common. However, you need to be careful not to overdo it as something like this can have severe consequences. Besides drinking reasonable amounts of alcohol, you should also be careful not to do it in the evening. If you don’t want alcohol to disrupt your sleep quality, don’t consume it at least a few hours before going to bed. It will make you feel tired and hungry, and it maybe makes sense that it will help you sleep better at night, but it has a completely positive effect. Alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, but as you sober up at night, you will fail to get enough deep sleep, which will have an adverse impact on you. 

Limit the Screen Time 

Maybe you are not aware of this, but the blue light from television, tablets, smartphones, and computers stimulates the brain and can disrupt our circadian rhythm. Although many college students tend to check their phones a lot throughout the day, you should avoid it at least one or two hours before sleep. It may sound difficult to accomplish, but it will have a significant positive impact on your sleep patterns. If you avoid using electronic devices before going to bed, it will help your brain prepare for sleep. Don’t let your phone get in a way of your ZZZ’s. If you need help falling asleep, you should read a book, listen to relaxing music, or write about your pre-bedtime habits in a sleep diary.  

Keep a Sleep Schedule 

If you go to bed at the same time every evening, over time your body will get used to this schedule, and you will become tired at specific times, based on this habit. On the other hand, if you switch your schedule constantly, your body will have a hard time determining when the right time for sleep is. Of course, something like this can be hard to do in college, which is not surprising with so much going on, especially during the exam period, but you need to do your best to accomplish this.  

Be Careful with Daily Naps 

Taking a nap is a perfect way for students to give themselves a quick boost from a busy academic day. Daily napping can be quite beneficial as they won’t feel sleepy anymore, and they will feel refreshed, full of energy, and be able to cope with different academic challenges that await them. However, the best time for taking a nap is early afternoon, or after lunch. If you decide to take a nap in the evening or the late afternoon, it will probably mess with your sleep. Also, your naps shouldn’t be longer than one hour, but it is the best idea to limit them to 30 minutes. 

Consider Making a To-Do List 

If you tend to worry a lot, and are under stress most of the time, making a to-do list can help you. If you write down your obligations and other things that you need to do, you won’t have to worry about them as you will be able to organize your time better and take care of all these things without stressing out about them. Something like this will have a positive impact on your stress levels, and it will help you relax and fall asleep in the evening. You can also make a list of things that you have done during the day, as it can help you reflect on positive things and it will put you in a positive mood. If you still have troubles relaxing and sleeping, and are still under a lot of stress, breathing exercises can help you relax. 

College Students and Sleep – Why is it Important? 

Unfortunately, most students don’t pay enough attention to sleep and don’t make it their top priority. As a result, their health and academic performance can suffer. Sleep is the key to staying healthy and being at the top of their game. Reasons why sleep is vital for college students include: 

Sleep Affects Your Grades 

If you want to get good grades and remember what you have learned in classes, you need to get at least seven hours of shut-eye. The amount of rest that students get has an impact on their academic success. Sleep prevents the decay of memories and helps students learn new things and consolidate memories. When they don’t get enough rest, they need to work harder, but won’t achieve the same results. According to research, students with irregular sleep schedules are more likely to have lower grades. 

Sleep Impacts Your Mood 

When students lack rest, they tend to be more hostile and irritable, and they get stressed easily. When things don’t go their way, sleep-deprived students are more likely to react negatively. On the other hand, when they are well-rested, they are in a better mood and react better to different challenges that they face. 

Lack of Sleep Affects You in More Ways Than You Realize 

Other consequences of rest deprivation include: 

• Higher risk of depression 
• Impaired athletic performance 
• Low energy 
• Fatigue 
• Poor focus 
• Impaired creativity 
• Increased risk of injuries 
• Cognitive impairment 
• Weight gain 
• Higher risk of illnesses 
• Lowered immune system 
• Anxiety 

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Sleeping Positions for Staying Healthy – Sleeping on the Side

Your sleep quality is affected by multiple factors – it isn’t just how dark and quiet your room is or what music you listen to before you hit the hay – it’s how you lay your body down, too.

So, is there such thing like the best sleep position? According to science, the answer is sleeping on your side. In many ways, side sleepers have it better than others with different sleep positions. However, the benefits of side sleep actually depend on which side you prefer. Watch this video and check out our infographic to find out how side sleeping benefits your health.

Side Sleeping Benefits

Benefits of sleeping on your side are directly related to your physiology.

Sleeping on the side allows your spine to remain in its natural and neutral position while particularly sleeping on the left is recommended if you are pregnant, snore or struggle with health conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea. This sleep position is beneficial for snoring and OSA because it helps to open up a crowded oropharynx. Side sleeping is recommended if you have carpal tunnel syndrome because it protects your wrists from pressure during sleep. It also elongates the spine which helps to alleviate neck and back pain.

A recent study shows that the benefits of side sleeping go beyond expected and may boost your brain health.

A study performed at Stony Brook University in New York and published in The Journal of Neuroscience investigated how body posture during sleep affects brain waste removal in mice. The results suggest that sleeping on your side help the brain’s glymphatic system clear waste more effectively than sleeping on the back or stomach.

In order to understand this, we have to explain what the brain’s glymphatic system is, and how our body posture affects it.

The glymphatic system consists of a brain wide pathway that facilitates the exchange of spinal fluid with interstitial fluid, and has the role of clearing interstitial waste from the brain parenchyma. When this waste isn’t cleared properly, we become more prone to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia. The interstitial waste from the brain parenchyma moves into the perivenous pathways and ultimately gets cleared out via cervical lymphatic vessels.

As you know by now, our brain is active the most during sleep and this is the time when the process of brain waste removal occurs. Side sleeping position elongates the spine and allows faster waste clearance. Other sleep positions may slow down this process or result in brain waste retention.

Therefore, by improving the functioning of the brain’s glymphatic system, we can reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia.

It’s important to mention that side sleeping also comes with some downsides such as unwanted skin aging. Studies show that constantly placing one side of your face on the pillow can cause wrinkles, or even lead to saggy breasts. You’re also more likely to disrupt circulation in your arm, because of the pressure of your body, and wake up with an uncomfortable, tingling pins and needles feeling (also known as paresthesia). Side sleepers typically toss and turn in sleep more often than back sleepers, which may lead to less restful sleep.

Sleep on Which Side is Better, Left or Right?

As mentioned, sleeping on the left or right side has its advantages and disadvantages.

Left side sleeping

Left side sleeping is recommended for:

• Acid reflux – studies show acid reflux is worse when people lie on their right side.
• Pregnant women – are advised to sleep on their left side, to help circulation and blood flow to the placenta. Expecting mothers, especially those entering their 6 month of pregnancy, should avoid sleeping on their backs as this may cause the heavy uterus to press on major blood vessels (such as the inferior vena cava that has the role to return blood to the heart) which could lead to a drop in the blood pressure.
• Digestion – studies confirm that left-side sleeping helps digestion. Your stomach’s and pancreas’ natural position is on your left side. This position allows both organs to make sure the body keeps creating stomach juices and pancreatic enzymes that help with the process of digestion.
• Sleep-related breathing disorders – people who snore or have obstructive sleep apnea are encouraged to sleep on the left side in order to open up a crowded oropharynx.
• Vagus nerve arrhythmias – the vagus nerve connects the heart, brain, and the gut, and due to this unique connection, it may be one of the essential causes of arrhythmia. When vagus nerve is stimulated, parasympathetic activity gets increased which is the opposite of sympathetic stimulation also known as the fight or flight response. So, to quiet your vagus nerve at night, studies suggest that you may want to try sleeping on your left side.
• Bradycardia – If you have slow heart rate at night, sleeping on your left side could stimulate a sympathetic response and increase your heart rate.

However, left side sleeping may put a strain on your internal organs like the pancreas, kidney and spleen, along with the heart. When sleeping on the left, the internal organs in the thorax can shift, and the lungs may weigh heavily on the heart. This increased pressure may impact the heart’s function, potentially worsening heart strain in heart failure. The heart may respond to the increased pressure by activating the kidneys, increasing urination at night.

Right side sleeping

Right side sleeping is especially recommended for heart health. Some scientists think the age-related preference for right-side sleeping is an instinctive, protective response for the heart, and studies show that people with heart failure tend to avoid sleeping on their left sides.

Based on the science, there are four major reasons why you may want to consider sleeping on the right.

• Shortness of breath – heart patients breathe better sleeping on their right side. Heart patients intuitively sleep on the right side. The reason for this isn’t entirely clear, but it’s probably connected with a better venous return and lower pressures within the heart and lungs.
• Optimum cardiac output – cardiac output may be better with right side sleeping for the same reasons as number one above.  As gravity pulls the heart toward the center of the chest it may help optimize cardiac performance.
• Alleviate palpitations – Palpitations can be described as the sensation of your heart not beating correctly.  When sleeping on the right side, the heart is in the center of your chest which may alleviate palpitations.  In contrast, when you are on your left side, the heart is pulled to the chest wall, and you may feel every irregular beat of your heart.

Patients with atrial fibrillation often report that they experience fewer arrhythmias when sleeping on the right side, however, there is still no research that could confirm this.

• Lower heart rate and less sympathetic nervous activity – the sympathetic nervous system is the body’s fight or flight response, and it often makes our heart rate and blood pressure go up. Sympathetic nervous system stimulation makes patients’ heart failure, chest pain, or arrhythmias worse.  

Right side sleeping is not recommended for:

• Heartburn –several studies have found that sleeping on the right side aggravates heartburn while sleeping on the left tends to calm it. The reason is not entirely clear. One hypothesis holds that right-side sleeping relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, between the stomach and the esophagus.
• Patients with pulmonary conditions – with gravity shifting the internal organs to the right, the heart will shift the mediastinum towards the right lung. This will reduce the volume of the lung, and this may be important in certain pulmonary conditions. Left side sleeping also constricts the ribcage, which causes the lungs to strain for oxygen.

If you are an overall healthy person, it’s healthier to sleep on your right side and avoid putting unnecessary strain on your major internal organs. Right side sleeping is also beneficial if you struggle with a heart condition. However, if you are sleeping for two, or struggle with OSA and GERD, left-side sleeping is more recommended.

Quick Tips for Sleeping on the Side

To minimize the disadvantages of side sleeping, it’s important to get a good pillow and a good mattress.

The ideal models are the ones that support the natural alignment of the body. When lying on your back, your body is properly aligned when an imaginary horizontal line that goes through your ear to the rest of your body is completely parallel. When you lie on your side, the horizontal line running through your nose should be in line with the rest of the body.

Once you have a good pillow and mattress, sleeping with some extra pillows may enhance the health benefits of sleeping on the side.

How to sleep with 3 pillows:

•    The first pillow goes under your head to ensure it doesn’t tilt down
•    The second pillow goes under your waist, so your stomach doesn’t curve down
•    The third pillow goes between your legs to ensure your spine stays in a neutral position during the entire night

So, why is this important? As a side sleeper, apart from keeping your spine properly aligned, you must also keep the right and left side of your body as symmetrical as possible.

For example, crossing the left upper leg over the right lower one is not recommended as it would cause the left upper knee to drop and the left hip to be rolled forward, causing your lower spine to twist which may result in lower back pain.

Instead, keep the legs bent at the knee, one on top of the other so that the lower leg can support the upper one. Putting a pillow between bent knees will re-center your body, and hugging a pillow will help to support the upper arm and leg. If you have large hips, and there is space between the waist and the bed when you lie on the side, put a rolled towel underneath to prevent your body from sagging downward.

Wrapping up

Side sleeping is one of the most popular sleep positions worldwide; however, if you prefer to snooze differently, you shouldn’t force yourself to sleep on the side. The same goes if you prefer right side over left and vice versa. Sleeping is a personal experience, and you will benefit the most from it if you snooze in a position you find most comfortable.

Now it’s your turn.

What do you notice about your health when you sleep in different positions? Comment below

Our daily lives are continually disrupted; whether it’s the demands of our jobs, navigating personal relationships, or indulging in our favorite pastimes, we’re faced with a myriad of tasks and obstacles vying for our attention. Amid the chaos of our daily routines, it’s easy for us to neglect our basic needs and overlook potential dangers in our surroundings. This neglect often manifests in poor dietary choices or a chaotic daily agenda. Yet, an aspect that commonly goes unnoticed in both our waking and sleeping routines is the significance of maintaining home security and safety. Ensuring our environment is secure plays a vital role in our mental tranquility and health, which is key for a restorative night’s sleep.

Sit down and try to think about how many potential injuries and burglaries are waiting to happen thanks to how you’ve organized your home and how much you’ve invested in safety measures. There are many ways you can improve the safety of your sleeping environment, and this article will include a variety of tips and methods you can follow. Keep in mind that every living space has its quirks and issues you may have to work through, so you may have to adapt the advice to your specific circumstances. Let’s get into it, shall we?

Tips and Tricks for Preventing Burglaries

Burglaries take up a huge portion of property crime, which often causes various sources to present burglary rates as a separate statistic. If you look it up yourself, you will find out that burglary rates are dropping across the United States. However, this doesn’t mean they’re a non-issue or a minor problem. Because of how unlikely it seems that you would be specifically targeted, people often ignore problems around the house that could give a potential thief an opening to loot your home when you’re not there (or worse, when you’re asleep).

Burglaries also pose a direct danger to anyone present, as the culprit may decide to resort to violence to escape the situation or directly threaten the homeowner or his family. The approach that carries the least amount of risk is always prevention – making sure no one can intrude in the first place. It can be achieved through a variety of methods and, while these methods cost money, any price is acceptable when it comes to making a safe sleeping environment for yourself (and your loved ones). It doesn’t hurt to get creative, as long as you don’t go overboard and create serious hazards that can injure your family or innocent passers-by. Here’s a list of tips:

• Invest in door and window locks. Doors and windows are obvious entry points into your house or apartment and should be treated as safety risks until you secure them properly. Around 20% of Americans rarely or never lock their door, which means burglars don’t even have to try very hard to enter their homes. For ground-level homes, windows are another entry point even if the door is secure. While it takes money to get reliable deadbolts, locks, and window stops, you don’t have to spend a fortune, and it pays off for years to come.

30% of all burglars enter through an unlocked door or window. Remember to secure all exterior doors, not just your front door. Also, while leaving a window open in your bedroom during the night is often very healthy and soothing, you’re putting your home at increased risk. If the window is relatively small, install metal bars that prevent anyone from entering, or invest in window stops that let you open the window just enough to let air in without creating enough space for a potential intruder to squeeze through.

• If you have the budget for them, install security cameras. Just the sight of one is often enough to prevent a burglar from targeting your home, and if they go through with it anyway, you have footage to show to law enforcement.
• Even if you’re asleep, keep the lights on in various rooms in your house. Some smart lights can be programmed to periodically turn on, stay on for some time, and then turn off to save power. If a potential thief thinks people are still awake and active around the house, they’re much less likely to try breaking in. Watch your electricity bill, though.
• Make sure the inside of your home is not too visible to outsiders. If they can’t spot worthwhile valuables to steal, they may not even attempt to break in. The same applies if you have a garage or shed used for storage.
• Getting a dog is a very effective method of detecting or deterring intruders. If your dog is big enough to pose a threat to a burglar, they can single-handedly stop any crime from taking place. Make it super-obvious that you have a dog, too – put a couple of dog toys in your front yard if you have one, and put a sign somewhere saying “Beware of Dog” – these last two methods can work even if you don’t have a dog!

Sleepwalking and Hazards In Your Home

If you’ve been reading articles on this website in the past, you probably already know how troublesome certain sleep disorders can be. Whether it’s sleep apnea, bruxism or restless legs syndrome, there are a plethora of problems you could be facing while trying to get quality rest. For the purposes of home safety, however, we will look over a specific category of disorders – parasomnias. This group of disorders is characterized by abnormal behavior and movement during sleep. This behavior can range from teeth grinding (otherwise known as bruxism) all the way to sleepwalking, where the person moves around their home in a hybrid state of wakefulness and sleep.

Sleepwalking is what we’re going to focus on here, but remember that certain other disorders (parasomnias or sleep-related movement disorders) can be relevant as well. While sleepwalking itself isn’t harmful to the person in question, they put themselves at huge risk of injury by roaming “blindly” around their living space. If they encounter a set of stairs (especially ones leading down), sharp corners or slippery floors, they can easily fall and suffer serious harm (or worse). To prevent this type of accident, or at least minimize the impact of a potential fall, you should examine your house carefully:

• Try to keep a soft carpet in as many places as possible, especially rooms where you know the sleepwalker tends to roam. It can soften the blow of falling over and prevent serious injuries or bruises.
• If at all possible, turn as many sharp furniture corners towards the wall in a way that makes them untouchable for the sleepwalker. If it’s not feasible in certain locations, put something less dangerous in the way (such as a chair with smooth edges and round corners).
• If the person regularly jerks their legs or tosses around in their room, move furniture away from the bed and install sturdy (but smooth) bed railing. These methods reduce the risk of injury near the bed.
• Keep a light on in the bathroom (or in all of them if you have more than one). Sleepwalkers are often drawn to light sources and tend to relieve themselves during their “journey.” Make sure the bathroom light is on, so they go to the correct place.

Preparing For Emergencies

Depending on where you live, different kinds of emergencies and disasters will be more common. However, floods and fires can happen just about anywhere, so there is no excuse for not being prepared to quickly evacuate and stay safe. If your area is susceptible to a natural disaster, it can be hard to feel completely safe in your own home. There are a handful of measures you can take to prepare yourself for the worst.

First of all, be informed about potential emergencies. There are apps for Android and iOS that are specifically designed to alert you of incoming disasters, and it never hurts to tune into the news once per day. You can also contact the Red Cross in your local area to find out exactly what kind of disaster you can expect to see at some point in the future. The more you know, the smarter your decisions can be.

Additionally, prepare an emergency kit. Not only is a set of first aid supplies useful to have in general, but you also want to store canned food and similar resources for when trouble happens. For every person in the family, pack around 1 gallon of water, and store as much long-lasting food as you can comfortably afford. Prepare sets of spare keys and maps of your town so you can navigate in the dark or during floods. A multi-purpose tool like a swiss army knife also helps, as it can get you out of trouble in a pinch, and help open food cans and sort out other small issues.

A commonly overlooked part of an emergency kit is a set of documents belonging to each family member. From ID cards to medical histories to anything else you can think of, it is incredibly smart to have emergency information available at a moment’s notice. This information helps medical staff, law enforcement, emergency relief volunteers and similar groups help you in a way that is most suitable, especially when it comes to medication allergies.

Be aware of every escape route you have available at home. Whether you’re being threatened by a fire, flood or earthquake, it is crucial to know how you can safely and quickly exit your home to avoid accidents and injuries. Plan out routes for each room in your home, so that no matter where a person is, they know how to take care of themselves in case of emergencies.

Quick tip: If you’re worried about fires, make sure all your interior doors are closed. If you do this, fires spread slower, giving you more time to plan your escape and retrieve important items, as well as protect family members.

Moving to a New Town

If you have the time, money and opportunity (usually in regards to work), you may want to consider moving to one of the safest cities in the US. Avoiding natural disasters and seeking low crime rates is a smart approach to ensuring a high level of home security, even if indirectly. If you’re trying to avoid crime, you typically want to look away from large cities like Chicago or Las Vegas and towards smaller places like Thousand Oaks. Safe cities also tend to come with other benefits, such as well-funded schools, good job opportunities and well-maintained parks – however, be ready to suffer living expense increases, like the rent, and purchase prices for apartments and houses here can be a bit steep.

Adolescence is a peculiar phase in everyone’s journey, where most of us are in a rush to move past it and enter adulthood. This period brings about numerous transformations in youngsters, such as hormonal surges, escalated responsibilities, changes in social connections, and an increase in personal independence. Teenagers attain more autonomy by choosing afterschool activities, learning to drive, and getting part-time jobs to learn about managing finances. Furthermore, they enhance their ability to think critically and deal with the pressures from their peers, marking this period as essential for a young person’s development.

Sleeping well is essential for adolescents, as they are still growing and developing, and they should preferably get 9 hours each night. Unfortunately, with a lot of responsibilities and different activities, teens often choose to sacrifice sleep to get everything else done. Missing necessary rest on a daily basis leads to sleep deprivation that is just terrible for their health. It results in a weakened immune system, impaired memory, decreased learning ability and attention which ultimately leads to worse academic performance, harder time controlling emotions, and increased risk of mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression. To make things even worse, these mental disorders also have an additional impact on sleep, which leads to even shorter rest time per night. Because of all of this, adolescents need to pay special attention to their sleep habits, and researchers think that the best way to do this is to shift school starts a little later in the morning.

Sleep Deprivation and Adolescence

As much as 60% of teens report feeling fatigued during the day, and 15% have even fallen asleep during school. A growing body of evidence tells us that the reason for that is the early morning start, which is something we can change. Academic researchers agree that moving the school start to 8.30 am or later can bring many benefits. Unfortunately, 83% of middle and 93% of high schools start before 8.30 am.

Because of work, school, extracurricular activities, and other responsibilities, 90% of teenagers don’t get the recommended 9 hours of sleep — no wonder why they feel so exhausted. They also further compromise their rest by using electronics late at night. Screens emit blue light that suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that is essential for sleep, and basically tells our brain that it’s time to be active. Because of that, it is harder to fall asleep, and there is a higher risk of sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation is no joke, as it affects many aspects of our lives, including our cognitive performance. When we lack sleep, our ability to concentrate is impaired, it is harder to obtain and retain new information, and our problem-solving skills are way worse. All of these are much needed for excellent academic performance.

Our emotional well-being is affected by lack of sleep as well. Sleep deprived people are more likely to act irrational, make poor judgments, and have a harder time regulating their mood and temper. Mix that in with a combination of hormones going wild in teenagers, and the effects only get worse. It may cause them to have a hard time coping with the stresses of everyday life and school, and they might turn to alcohol, drugs, and nicotine abuse. Poor decision making can also make them think that it’s okay to drive when they are under the influence of alcohol, or when they are feeling too tired. Car accidents are the number one death cause among teenagers.

Beside affecting us mentally and emotionally, sleep deprivation also has physical consequences. When we don’t get enough sleep, our body’s production of ghrelin and leptin, two hormones responsible for our appetite, is affected. That makes us crave more sugary and fatty foods, and that brings us one step closer to weight gain and obesity. Chronic lack of sleep also increases our chances of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, even certain types of cancer.

Why Don’t They Go to Bed Earlier?

A logical step if you are constantly sleep deprived is to go to bed earlier. Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Teenagers need 9 hours of sleep, compared to 7 to 9 that is recommended for adults. Also, right around the adolescence, there is a natural shift in a body’s circadian rhythms. The production of melatonin starts later in the night compared to childhood, and it also stops later in the morning. Because of that, teenagers tend to go to sleep later and to sleep longer in the morning. This shift is also observed in other animal species during adolescence, so it is entirely normal behavior. Unfortunately, early school start makes them miss the needed sleep, and they just can’t go to bed earlier.

School dictates everything. Teens need to find time to squeeze in other extracurricular activities, jobs, socializing with friends, family obligations, hobbies, and other basic needs like eating and bathing. They also need to contribute to the household by doing chores, and even though they spend a big part of the day at school, they still have homework and extra assignments to do back at home. This brings a lot of stress, and they often willingly choose to compromise their sleep, so that they can have time for all these activities.

To complicate things even more, most teens are not aware of good sleep hygiene, and they often take part in behaviors that are damaging their sleep. The basics of sleeping well are:

• Stick to a regular schedule by going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Get the right amount of sleep, which is 7 to 9 for adults, 9 for teenagers, and even more for children. Toddlers sleep for 16 hours a day.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine that helps you unwind before bedtime.
• Sleep in a cool, quiet, dark bedroom, free of any distractions.
• Do not use electronics at least 30 minutes before bed.
• Avoid drinking caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and eating large meals before bed.

If you have ever come in contact with a teenager, you know that these are the directions they simply don’t follow. They stay up late playing games, watching videos on Youtube, and texting with their friends. Prolonged exposure to bright screens trick their brains into thinking that it is daytime, so it makes it harder to fall asleep when they decide to lay down. They also drink a lot of energy drinks to keep up with responsibilities. Energy drinks and sodas are full of caffeine, and they are proven to disrupt sleep, especially if taken too close to bedtime.

Benefits of Later School Start Times

Current research shows that it can be very beneficial to move the school start time to 8.30 am or later. Generally, students spend that extra time sleeping, and it is significant for their well-being. Some of the benefits are:

• Longer sleep duration
• Increased daytime alertness
• Fewer chances of falling asleep in the class
• Better attendance due to fewer sick days and fatigue
• Decreased risk of depression and anxiety
• Fewer car accidents due to drowsy driving
• Better academic performance (better scores on tests including GPA and college admission test scores)
• Faster reaction times
• Fewer disciplinary actions
• Better relationship with family and friends
• Mood improvement

Unfortunately, even with all of these proven benefits, parents don’t seem to understand the needs of their children. Only around 50% of parents are in favor of moving school start times.

Scientific Research Supporting Later School Starts

One study from 2018 looked at 375 students in Singapore, and how delayed sleep start affected them. Academic success is extremely important in Eastern Asian countries, so researchers were interested in how socially acceptable this delay would be, and how the students would behave. The school agreed to move the start 45 minutes later to determine short and long-term impact on students.

The findings showed that after one month, even though students went to sleep a little later, on average they spent 23.2 minutes more asleep. Nine months later, the effects were a bit smaller, but there was still a 10 minutes increase in sleeping time. Students also reported lower levels of daytime sleepiness and higher levels of emotional well-being at both instances.

The majority of students (89.1%), parents (75.6%), and teachers (67.6%) agreed that the later start times were better for students. It means that it is feasible to delay the school start, even in the culture that often chooses to sacrifice sleep to study more and get better academic performance.

A 2017 study was conducted to see how the delayed start times later than 8.30 am would affect student attendance and graduation rates. They monitored over 30,000 students from 29 different high schools located across seven different states. Interestingly, both the attendance and graduation rates significantly improved, giving the more reason for delaying school starts.

A comprehensive assessment of school starting times in Canada was done in 2016. Researchers wanted to see how this parameter correlated with the quantity of sleep the students were getting. They collected data from 362 schools in Canada, and they surveyed nearly 30,000 students aged 10 to 18. They found out that the average starting time was 8.43 am. And even though students slept for over 8 and a half hours on average on a school night, 60% still felt fatigued in the morning. For every 10 minute delay in starting time, students got 3.2 more minutes of sleep; they were 1.6% more likely to get sufficient sleep, and also 2.1% less likely to feel tired in the morning. As the students who were attending school later reported to get more sleep and feel well-rested in the morning, it just builds a larger case to why we should just quit torturing our kids with early morning wake-ups.

A study done in 2014 by the University of Minnesota, followed over 9,000 students from 8 different public schools. Their goal was to see how the later start time correlated academic performance, overall health, and well-being of students.

The results were not surprising, as the later start times enabled 60% of students to get at least 8 hours of sleep, which is a bare minimum for teenagers. Start of 8.35 am or later meant significantly improved academic performance. Students had higher grades in core subjects such as maths, science, English and social studies. They also performed better on state and national tests. Students’ attendance improved, as there are less sick days because of the better sleep quality, while their daytime fatigue decreased. Students who slept less than 8 hours per night, reported significantly higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, caffeine and substance use. Their grades and overall performance was also much lower. Another key finding is that when a school changed starting time from 7.35 to 8.55 am; there was a massive 70% decrease in teenage car crashes. Sleep-deprived kids were also observed to be more sedentary and prone to junk food, as exercise, eating healthy and sleeping well are all tied together.

A study of nearly 10,000 students from 2008 showed consistent results. Researchers analyzed the effects of one-hour delay on students and car crash accidents. They found out that the total sleep time of students increased by 12 to 36 minutes depending on the grade. The percentage of students getting 8 or more hours of rest risen from 37.5% to 50%, as did the number of kids having at least 9 hours (6.3% to 10.8%). Car crash rates were lower by 16.5%.

Is Changing School Start Times Too Complicated?

Getting sufficient sleep, better academic performance, being well-rested during the day, mood improvement, fewer signs of mental health disorders, lower car crash rates, there are just too many benefits to moving delaying school starts. But why aren’t we doing it?

The main concern that the officials have for this is the cost. They said it would just take too much money, with the most significant chunk going to the adaptation of bus schedules. Current schedules are fitted to high and elementary school needs, so changing this would probably mean that there would need to employ more drivers and rent more buses, which cost a lot. However, if it benefits our children so much, is it really important?

Few researchers have gone as far as predicting that we would economically have a lot of benefits from school delay. There would be far fewer car crashes, and the improved academic performance and better education would mean more economic gain. Not to mention that obesity, suicide, mental disorders, and other health issue rates would drop, which is all beneficial to the economy as well. Let’s cut out all the excuses and do what’s right for our children according to scientific research, and that is delaying school start to 8.30 am or later.