As we acknowledge mental health awareness month, sometimes it’s important to go beyond the usual (but important) antidotes promoting well-being. Clearly, better eating, more exercise, meditation, and seeking professional help as needed are on the menu for the perpetually stressed college student.
But more and more studies are linking a lack of sleep to feelings of anxiety and depression. In a 2020 article published in the Australian Journal of Psychology, researchers reported that poor sleep quality was significantly linked to anxiety and depression in college students. For male students, the problems were often worse because men were less likely to seek help for insomnia.
Even more interesting is the belief that sleeplessness is not necessarily a symptom of poor mental health, but the other way around (Suni and Dimitiu, 2024). In other words, the anxiety you are feeling may be caused or triggered by an ongoing pattern of not getting enough sleep.
How to Get More Sleep
A paradox of trying to get more sleep is that the very act of worrying about sleeping can lead to insomnia. Almost everyone has had some experience feeling tortured by a night of tossing and turning. Yet using willpower to force sleep seems to only make it worse.
So first, try to stop worrying about sleep itself.
Also, consider minimizing the presence of people or activities that cause you to stay up feeling worried or angry at night. While it is normal to experience ups and downs in relationships and jobs, an ongoing pattern of having consistently negative feelings towards one person or role is not.
Sleep Hygiene
Secondly, pay attention to sleep hygiene. Sometimes simple steps such as making a room cooler or investing in a better pillow can make a positive difference. It is also important to maintain sheets, washing them regularly to keep them feeling crisp and fresh. And yes, making your bed each day can help a lot.
Be Consistent
Changing routines can also make a difference. Whether it’s 9:30 pm or midnight, try to go to bed around the same time every night. Avoid late night eating as well as caffeine. And as most college students know, sometimes simply reading or studying a textbook can suddenly make staying awake nearly impossible.
Reset Your Circadian Rhythms
Sometimes our internal clocks simply fail to reflect the ideal circadian rhythms that help us to sleep naturally. This can be caused by excessive daytime napping, travel, night jobs, or naturally getting a second wind late at night.
According to Byran and Guo (2024), one of the best ways to reset these rhythms is through light therapy. This means not only avoiding the blue light of computers and televisions at night, but also making a small investment in machines that promote that type of light that you need at various types of the day and evening. Light therapy may even come in the form of a specialized alarm clock. However, it’s important to make sure that the light therapy is geared toward sleep issues as some types of light therapy are for different purposes.
A related strategy is to spend at least an hour a day outside in the sun. This can involve simply relaxing or adding exercise to the mix.
Still Need Help?
If sleeping problems continue or get worse, then it’s time to seek help. You can start with the medical or mental health providers on your campus. If sleep issues are causing significant issues for you, they may refer you to someone who specializes in treating sleep disorders.
USG eCampus is a service unit of the University System of Georgia that assists SACSCOC-accredited USG institutions in administering quality, affordable, high-demand, post-secondary online degrees and credentials that address the workplace needs of Georgia and beyond.
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By Austen Clay, anclay@ecampus.usg.edu
Media Contact: Katie Black, kblack@ecampus.usg.edu
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