The Q& A from our lecture with Dr Neubauer, a sleep expert here at Hopkins:

and here is the second part of the lecture (we are having technical difficulties with part 1, please bear with us):

Sleep is a basic necessity for good health and proper functioning of all the body’s systems. It’s the time your body shuts down to repair itself. The immune system is replenished, human growth hormone is released and the neuronal synapses for long-term memory are laid down in the brain. Chronic sleep deprivation is a risk factor for some of the biggest killers out there; obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and yes road traffic accidents. Besides, it’s hard to concentrate in class if you’re not getting enough sleep, not to mention the embarrassment of sleeping through a lecture. Personally coffee doesn’t do much for me anymore, if I’m not sleeping at home I’m sleeping in class, it’s that simple. Considering the cost of tuition, those brief in-class naps cost plenty!

So what can you do to get better sleep? Well it’s simple; “prepare for it.” Sleep is easy but you can’t take it for granted. The first thing is to “plan” your schedule so that you can go to bed at night and get up in the morning around the same times everyday. Work out your schedule to give you as much freedom as possible to do this. Your body has an internal clock which regulates your activities throughout the day creating a “circadian rhythm”. Irregular bedtimes can mess up this rhythm leaving your body confused about when to sleep and when to wake.

Secondly, you might want to consider developing a “bedtime routine.” It could be anything as simple as brushing your teeth at night, reading a boring book, listening to soft music, prayer and meditation. These are just basically cues telling you it’s time for bed and nothing else. After sometime, your mind adjusts to doing these things and going to bed immediately afterwards. Whatever you choose to do, it should involve as little light and as little noise as possible. It absolutely should NOT involve the TV or your computer; this brings me to the last point.

“Power down.” About thirty minutes before you hit the sack, turn off your TV and shut down your computer. You get considerable eye strain from staring at the screen all day and you should rest your eyes before going to bed. Your eyes need to go to sleep before the rest of your body catches up, so give them a thirty minute head start. Also, the light from the TV and computer screen can mess up your circadian rhythm.

What I’m simply saying is this; always prepare for sleep, plan for it and do not assume that it’s just going to come. Taking steps to improve the quality of your sleep will save you all that time you spend tossing and turning in bed wishing for daylight. And even if you’re one of those people who sleep like a log and can fall asleep standing in an upright position, the quality of your sleep can still improve dramatically if you take the necessary steps. Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself and see. Well, it’s getting really late and I have to go start my bedtime routine, but first I need to tear myself away from this laptop. Excuse me while I power down. Goodnight, sweet dreams.

It’s easier than you think.
If Butters can do it so can you.

Where: W2008

Dr. David Neubauer, M.D. from Johns Hopkins Hospital will be presenting a seminar on the benefits of sleep for improving academic performance. There will also be a lengthy Q&A session for participants to ask all their burning questions about sleep. Check out Dr. Neubauer’s blog at health.yahoo.com/experts/depression

AND

Blue light from your television and computer monitor have been shown to “power up” your brain. Get your brain ready for bedtime by turning off your TV and computer at least 30 minutes before bedtime – it will thank you in the morning!

How is good and poor sleep in older adults and college students related to daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and ability to concentrate?

Abstract (from the paper)
We compared good sleepers with minimally and highly
distressed poor sleepers on three measures of daytime functioning:
self-reported fatigue, sleepiness, and cognitive inefficiency. In two
samples (194 older adults, 136 college students), we tested the
hypotheses that (1) poor sleepers experience more problems with
daytime functioning than good sleepers, (2) highly distressed poor
sleepers report greater impairment in functioning during the day
than either good sleepers or minimally distressed poor sleepers, (3)
daytime symptoms are more closely related to psychological
adjustment and to psychologically laden sleep variables than to
quantitative sleep parameters, and (4) daytime symptoms are more
closely related to longer nocturnal wake times than to shorter sleep
times. Results in both samples indicated that poor sleepers
reported more daytime difficulties than good sleepers. While
low- and high-distress poor sleepers did not differ on sleep
parameters, highly distressed poor sleepers reported consistently
more difficulty in functioning during the day and experienced
greater tension and depression than minimally distressed poor
sleepers. Severity of all three daytime problems was generally
significantly and positively related to poor psychological adjust-
ment, psychologically laden sleep variables, and, with the
exception of sleepiness, to quantitative sleep parameters. Results
are used to discuss discrepancies between experiential and
quantitative measures of daytime functioning.

D 2000 Elsevier
Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Welcome to our Sleep Smarter Blog where we hope to be of service helping you achieve better sleep habits so that you too may have a better night’s sleep.

As grad students we all all know the stress of being sleep deprived, and we all feel the effects of sleep-less nights spent tossing and turning worrying about how in the world you’re going to be able to get 3 papers and a capstone done by Friday when you’ve spent the weekend partying. The bags under the eyes, the weight gain, the nodding off just as the professor you need the important recommendation from looks your way…we all know the symptoms.

But there are only a limited number of hours in a day, so how does one maximize those few precious hours alloted to sleep?

That’s what we’re here to tell you. Browse the site, read the research, change your ways (just remember to do the reading 30 minutes before bedtime, unless you print it all out!)

Research suggests that performing the same steps every night right before going to bed can help your body and mind relax and trigger sleep responses in your brain. Developing a sleep ritual can be as basic as brushing your teeth, washing your face, praying/meditating, or even just deep breathing a few minutes before you want to fall asleep.

Stay tuned, we will soon be posting up videos of our bedtime routines. As you start to develop and get comfortable with yours, send them to us, and we’ll link them to our website.

Here are some actions to consider in your bedtime routine:

• Brushing your teeth and flossing
• Washing your face
• Meditating
• Going to bed and waking up at the same time every night

10 Tips for Better Sleep
MayoClinic.com

• Go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day, even on the weekends
• Don’t ear or drink large amounts before bedtime
• Avoid nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol in the evening
• Exercise regularly
• Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable
• Sleep primarily at night
• Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow
• Go to bed when you’re tired and turn out the lights
• Use sleeping pills only as a last resort

How to Sleep Better
by Michael Breus (WebMD)

• Bed should be used only for sleep and sex
• Make conditions as quiet, dark, and comfortable as possible
• Don’t drink fluids after 8 PM
• Avoid naps, or nap for no more than about 25 minutes
• Use nightlight to minimize light exposure at night
• Don’t use caffeine at least 4-6 hours before bedtime
• Don’t drink alcohol
• No more than light snack close to bedtime, stay away from protein and to carbs or dairy products
• Don’t exercise vigorously before bed