Learning Challenge: I Heart Sleep!
For this HEART Learning Challenge, I decided to read about sleep. I always look forward at least a little bit to getting in bed at the end of the day, and waking up is always a struggle, so I thought it would be interesting to learn a little bit more about sleep and how I can possibly feel a little bit more refreshed in the morning. The article I decided to read was 'Sleep deprivation is not a badge of honor' by DNH. Coincidentally, I found out that the author of the article is one of the founders of Basecamp, an office organization/communication platform that I use everyday at my internship.
This article focused on deconstructing the culture of glorifying sleep deprivation in the tech industry, but I think it is equally relevant to college students. I swear it's almost every day that I hear someone talking about how they only got two hours of sleep last night, and they're not complaining. They're bragging.
I've found this troubling for a while for a couple reasons. First, it seems like common sense that running on little to no sleep every day is detrimental to your health. Second, from my personal experience I know that I'm far from my best when I haven't gotten a good night's sleep. My head feels cloudy, and it becomes really difficult to focus and sometimes even just think!
This article's discussion of the negative consequences of not getting enough sleep definitely confirm my feelings about pulling an all nighter. A lack of creativity and irritability are results of not getting enough sleep, and these results negatively affect your performance and effectiveness during the day, no matter how productive you think you were last night when you stayed up late to finish that project or assignment.
One new thing I learned from the article was that a lack of sleep can actually make you more stubborn. The author's example is when he's trying to solve a problem at work. When he is sleep deprived, he often finds himself stubbornly retrying the same solution over and over again, instead of diverting to an alternate solution. I hadn't ever thought about this as connected to a lack of sleep before, but it really resonates true. I think it also definitely ties in with a lack of sleep causing a lack of creativity.
I already try and avoid being sleep deprived as much as possible, so I'm not sure that there's anything new I would like to try that the article stated. However, the article definitely did make getting a good night's rest a bigger priority for me. Before, I usually would think that I should go to bed, but that staying up an extra half hour couldn't hurt. Now I'm thinking about how that might impact my productivity at work and school! The author also mentions that he aims for eight and a half hours of sleep every night, which seems a little excessive to me, as I always thought getting eight hours of sleep was exceptional! Maybe during a slower week I'll try sleeping a little longer and see if I notice a difference in my energy and creativity levels.
This article focused on deconstructing the culture of glorifying sleep deprivation in the tech industry, but I think it is equally relevant to college students. I swear it's almost every day that I hear someone talking about how they only got two hours of sleep last night, and they're not complaining. They're bragging.
I've found this troubling for a while for a couple reasons. First, it seems like common sense that running on little to no sleep every day is detrimental to your health. Second, from my personal experience I know that I'm far from my best when I haven't gotten a good night's sleep. My head feels cloudy, and it becomes really difficult to focus and sometimes even just think!
This article's discussion of the negative consequences of not getting enough sleep definitely confirm my feelings about pulling an all nighter. A lack of creativity and irritability are results of not getting enough sleep, and these results negatively affect your performance and effectiveness during the day, no matter how productive you think you were last night when you stayed up late to finish that project or assignment.
One new thing I learned from the article was that a lack of sleep can actually make you more stubborn. The author's example is when he's trying to solve a problem at work. When he is sleep deprived, he often finds himself stubbornly retrying the same solution over and over again, instead of diverting to an alternate solution. I hadn't ever thought about this as connected to a lack of sleep before, but it really resonates true. I think it also definitely ties in with a lack of sleep causing a lack of creativity.
I already try and avoid being sleep deprived as much as possible, so I'm not sure that there's anything new I would like to try that the article stated. However, the article definitely did make getting a good night's rest a bigger priority for me. Before, I usually would think that I should go to bed, but that staying up an extra half hour couldn't hurt. Now I'm thinking about how that might impact my productivity at work and school! The author also mentions that he aims for eight and a half hours of sleep every night, which seems a little excessive to me, as I always thought getting eight hours of sleep was exceptional! Maybe during a slower week I'll try sleeping a little longer and see if I notice a difference in my energy and creativity levels.
I need to start following my cat's lead and prioritize sleep!
(Personal image)
Preaching to a class-sized choir here, Alyx! I think so many of us face issues with sleep, and the way students handle it is pretty incriminating. You are right that it seems people are bragging more than complaining. I wonder if it is a coping style. I would assume that even if sleep deprivation was a "badge of honor," a lot of us would still opt for the rest.
ReplyDeleteHey, Alyx!
ReplyDeleteGetting more sleep is fantastic resolution! It may seem silly to think that you need to put effort into your relaxation, but -- like your article said -- quality sleep is essential to recharging your body's batteries. It's commonly accepted that we run best on healthy foods and nutrients, but maintaining a healthy "sleep diet" is just as important and frequently overlooked.
Hi Alyx,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that I came across your learning from heart post. You brought my attention to a topic that I had never really considered. I, too, have always found it strange that people seemingly brag about how little they sleep. I try to sleep as much as possible, and I believe this increases my productivity and helps me become more efficient.
-Andy
Hey Alyx,
ReplyDeleteMy senior thesis in high school was actually a thirty page in-depth look into sleep! I think people as a whole don’t know enough and need to be more informed. You are right that college students are notorious for not sleeping and for glorifying sleep deprivation. New studies are linking sleep deprivation to overeating, depression, heart diseases and even Alzheimer’s! It is so vital to get enough sleep. On a side note, if you are having trouble waking up, you may be setting your alarm to wake you up in the middle of your REM cycle. Typically, it lasts about a full cycle takes an hour and a half so keep that in mind when you’re trying different lengths of sleep. There are actually sites that tell you what time you should go to sleep depending on what time you want to wake up.
-Elyse