Learning Challenge: Sleep
This week I decided to read the article 10 Ways Teachers Can Improve Their Sleep. Found Here!
Sleep is something I have always struggled with so I'm hoping this article will give me some tips on how to get more of it.
1. Find Your Optimal Bedtime
Well this sounds easy in theory, but with my work and home schedules, it's dang near impossible to find one that works and be consistent with it. It says you need to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. I think I might have gotten 9 hours total sleep for the week! I like to stay up late and wake up late, but unfortunately, my work scheduled does not allow this. I have to get up at 4am everyday that I work. This one might not be something that I can consistently do until I find another job.
2. Get Into a Routine
This goes back to the whole, find a bedtime thing. While I do love routine, I'm sure as hell not getting up at 4am on my days off. It does say that it is stressful for the body to pull the rhythms back and forth so much, but not really sure how I get around this one. Again, maybe if I were to find another job that had normal hours, I wouldn't mind getting up at 6am everyday, even weekends, but until then, not sure how to fix this one.
3. Beware of Cold Feet
This part says that your feet need to be warm to have better sleep. I never really thought about this, but my feet are always FREEZING! They say you should wear warm socks to bed. I will have to try this and see if it helps.
4. Embrace the Darkness
This part says that the darker the room, the better it is for your body. I have found that I am one that has to have it pitch black to get the best sleep. I do currently have a nightlight in my room so that I don't stub my toes in the middle of the night when I get up. I wonder though if it would just be better to turn on the lamp by my bed instead? I do know that I sleep better when it's dark. I'll have to turn the nightlight off.
5. Lose the laptop
This is one that I knew. The light from laptop (or smartphone) can cause you to feel less tired at night and keep you awake. This is something that I really struggle with. I like to play on my phone before bedtime. I need to stop doing that and find another activity that can quiet my brain before it is time to sleep.
6. 90-Minute Rule
This basically says that your sleep cycles go in 90 minute rotations and it's best to wake up after one is done than in the middle of it. I'm curious to see if this works or not. It says if you wake up in the middle, you're more likely to be tired all day. Again, not sure how likely this will be though since I don't get a lot of sleep as is. If I miss my window, then I may get an hour less than what I normally do just so I can wait up for my cycle.
7. Avoid Caffeine Before Bedtime
This is one that I knew for sure. I stop drinking caffeine around 4pm or I will never fall asleep!
8. Exercise in the Morning
This says that exercising at least six hours before you go to bed is best. However, I have a hard enough time trying to fit in exercise as is. Not sure it's realistic to exercise in the morning before work. Did I mention that I get up at 4am? I'm not getting my butt up at 3am to go work out. Just not going to happen! But maybe I can exercise in the morning on days off instead of in the afternoon like I normally do. This might improve my sleep on my time off.
9. De-Clutter Your Room
I think it's interesting that a messy environment would affect how you sleep. This is not something I have to worry about though. I can't do messy anything!
10. Meditation
This says to try meditation. I have always wanted to try it, just have made it a priority. This might be something good to try right before bedtime. I always thought it had to be this big to do, but I think if I just took a few minutes before bed each day, this might help me be more successful sleeping.
Sleep is something I have always struggled with so I'm hoping this article will give me some tips on how to get more of it.
1. Find Your Optimal Bedtime
Well this sounds easy in theory, but with my work and home schedules, it's dang near impossible to find one that works and be consistent with it. It says you need to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. I think I might have gotten 9 hours total sleep for the week! I like to stay up late and wake up late, but unfortunately, my work scheduled does not allow this. I have to get up at 4am everyday that I work. This one might not be something that I can consistently do until I find another job.
2. Get Into a Routine
This goes back to the whole, find a bedtime thing. While I do love routine, I'm sure as hell not getting up at 4am on my days off. It does say that it is stressful for the body to pull the rhythms back and forth so much, but not really sure how I get around this one. Again, maybe if I were to find another job that had normal hours, I wouldn't mind getting up at 6am everyday, even weekends, but until then, not sure how to fix this one.
3. Beware of Cold Feet
This part says that your feet need to be warm to have better sleep. I never really thought about this, but my feet are always FREEZING! They say you should wear warm socks to bed. I will have to try this and see if it helps.
4. Embrace the Darkness
This part says that the darker the room, the better it is for your body. I have found that I am one that has to have it pitch black to get the best sleep. I do currently have a nightlight in my room so that I don't stub my toes in the middle of the night when I get up. I wonder though if it would just be better to turn on the lamp by my bed instead? I do know that I sleep better when it's dark. I'll have to turn the nightlight off.
5. Lose the laptop
This is one that I knew. The light from laptop (or smartphone) can cause you to feel less tired at night and keep you awake. This is something that I really struggle with. I like to play on my phone before bedtime. I need to stop doing that and find another activity that can quiet my brain before it is time to sleep.
6. 90-Minute Rule
This basically says that your sleep cycles go in 90 minute rotations and it's best to wake up after one is done than in the middle of it. I'm curious to see if this works or not. It says if you wake up in the middle, you're more likely to be tired all day. Again, not sure how likely this will be though since I don't get a lot of sleep as is. If I miss my window, then I may get an hour less than what I normally do just so I can wait up for my cycle.
7. Avoid Caffeine Before Bedtime
This is one that I knew for sure. I stop drinking caffeine around 4pm or I will never fall asleep!
8. Exercise in the Morning
This says that exercising at least six hours before you go to bed is best. However, I have a hard enough time trying to fit in exercise as is. Not sure it's realistic to exercise in the morning before work. Did I mention that I get up at 4am? I'm not getting my butt up at 3am to go work out. Just not going to happen! But maybe I can exercise in the morning on days off instead of in the afternoon like I normally do. This might improve my sleep on my time off.
9. De-Clutter Your Room
I think it's interesting that a messy environment would affect how you sleep. This is not something I have to worry about though. I can't do messy anything!
10. Meditation
This says to try meditation. I have always wanted to try it, just have made it a priority. This might be something good to try right before bedtime. I always thought it had to be this big to do, but I think if I just took a few minutes before bed each day, this might help me be more successful sleeping.
Title: Dog in Sleep
Source: Wikimedia
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