My fellow readers, have you ever pulled an all-nighter prior to a deadline? The night before an exam? Or are you just sleep-deprived?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you are not alone. (Well, maybe alone at night while everyone else is sleeping. But that’s beside the point!)
Here are some facts that you should know about sleep deprivation:
Stress is known to be the number one cause of insomnia. Stressors can include but are not limited to worries about arduous work, school, economic hardship, and so forth.
Maybe you’re overloaded with high-demanding work tasks or you simply have a bunch of homework that you put off till the last minute. (I’m not judging!) Regardless of the cause, if you have ever been physically present at work, school, or have taken an exam in the aftermath of an all-nighter, then you were mentally absent and your performance was not up to par due to cognitive impairment.
Sleep deprivation can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, immune system dysfunction, high blood pressure, weight gain, irritability, and last but not least, physical injury. Yes. I said it. Physical injury.
I’m speaking from experience. I once stayed up ALL NIGHT studying prior to an exam with the ambition of acing my test. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out so well. I felt as if I was under the influence during my commute to campus, I could hardly remember the content I studied, and my exam grade was disappointing overall. I was disoriented and not mentally present.
Now, if you habitually pull all-nighters, you might want to reconsider prioritizing your sleep. Here are some reasons why: sleep deprivation can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, immune system dysfunction, high blood pressure, weight gain, irritability, and last but not least, physical injury. Yes. I said it. Physical injury.
You see, when an individual is extremely exhausted, it causes clumsiness, lack of coordination, and it has even been compared to driving while intoxicated.
Luckily, there are several things that can be done to avoid pulling an all-nighter.
Have no fear, life changing habits are near!!!
Start off by studying at least one to two weeks prior to the exam date. Morton College’s Tutoring Center does a phenomenal job in helping students with math, science, English, and other subjects.
I take pride in stating that I utilize the MC tutoring center. One of the life-changing lessons that has embedded itself in my brain is from my Anatomy & Physiology tutor: the 52/17 ratio method. It taps into the natural ebb and flow of our energy levels, optimizing both productivity and recovery.
All you must do is set a timer for 52 minutes to tackle your prioritized work or get intensive studying done. Once your ears hear the chime, start a 17-minute timer to just relax, read a book, listen to your favorite music, or do whatever you desire. Repeat this ratio as many times as you can fit in your daily schedule.
In addition to the 52/17 ratio, setting a consistent sleeping schedule will help get your circadian rhythm (your body’s clock) in place. You can set an alarm at a reasonable time, at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Once that alarm goes off, stay away from all screens and set your bedroom to a relaxing state, avoid drinking liquids and go to your bedroom, turn your lights off (or dim them if you cannot sleep in complete darkness), fluff your pillow then lie down and flip the switch in your brain to “off” mode.
Sweet dreams.