Do you need more sleep?

Do you ever find yourself trying to get enough sleep every night but always fail to do it consistently? Or have you ever slept for more than 8 hours and still wake up feeling tired?

In this THRIVE article, we will show you tips to get a good night rest so you can wake up fresh and ready to conquer the day!

“Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow.”
Tom Roth

How can we fix our sleeping schedule?

We all know that we must sleep 7 to 9 hours each night but often sacrifice our sleep for other activities.

These are very common issues students face because of their busy schedules in college. We might have many assignments or exams that keep us awake late till the night, or even hang out with friends that make us lose track of time.

Here are a few tips to start with:

Gradually adopt a new sleep schedule.
It could be a short 15 or 30 minute adjustments over a series of days. Keep on adjusting until we reach our ideal sleep schedule!
Keep a consistent sleep schedule.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday. It trains our brain to recognise what time is for sleeping and waking up. The best time to sleep is between 10 p.m. to midnight and waking up around 7 a.m.
Set a daily goal.
Try to finish it before night time and don’t feel guilty for sleeping earlier because rest is vital to keep yourself energised tomorrow.
Set boundaries on your schedule
Tell your friends about the exact time you need to leave so you can avoid going home too late.

How can we have good sleep quality?

Sleep quality is not about how many hours we sleep. Instead, it measures how well we sleep through the night.

Let’s check together if we have good sleep quality!

You feel rested and energised when you wake up
You fell asleep within 30 minutes or less after getting into bed
You don’t wake up more than once through the sleep
You fall back asleep within 20 minutes if you do wake up

Here are ways to improve it:

Create a simple sleep routine. A few relaxing routines could be drinking tea, reading books, and listening to sleep music.
Keep away from our phones, laptops, or TVs at least 30 minutes before bedtime. It tricks our brain into thinking it’s daylight so limit your screen time as it affects our body clock!”

Body Clock and its Effect on Sleep

Do you know that your body has an internal clock that makes you feel awake during the day and sleepy at night? This clock is controlled by part of the brain named the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). As SCN sends out varying signals to the body, the cycle of special clock genes gets switched on and off around once every 24 hours.

However, this cycle also adapts and responds to signals from outside the body to keep us synchronised with the world around us. One main external signal to the body clock is light.

If you are an international student, you might be able to relate to this. How do you feel when you have just arrived in Sydney? Do you have trouble falling asleep or experience daytime sleepiness? Then, yes, those are common symptoms of jet lag and your body clock trying to adjust. It happens when our body is synced to our original time zone and has not changed to the new one. When we fly abroad, the light in the new time zone sends a signal to our clock and help us get synchronised. It takes a few days to adjust so carefully time the light exposure and we will be ready to begin or continue our exciting journey in Sydney!

Student Profile

Name: Hai Anh (Panda)

Role: Program Assistant (Health and Wellbeing Ambassador)

What are you studying at UNSW?

Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering

How do you adjust your body clock when you travel to another country?

When I travel to another country, I will try to stay awake until my usual sleep time, even if the time differs in the new time zone.

How do you maintain a healthy sleep schedule?

I will try to divide the workload equally in each day of the week so I have better time management. This will make sure that I can avoid working overtime and sleep on time every night.

Do you have any sleep routines that help you have a better quality of sleep?

One of my sleep routine is reading a book before sleeping.