By Staff
With finals coming up and the year coming to an end, it is easy to get stressed about your grades. Even though studying is super important, don’t forget to rest, because it is essential for passing your classes.
A recent study in child development has shown that sacrificing sleep in order to study may backfire. This is because during sleep the immune system is repaired and muscles are rejuvenated. If you are staying up and not getting the required amount of sleep, this process may be interrupted. Carter from KQED says, “In REM sleep, your brain is basically replaying everything that happened during the day and consolidating what you learned.” During the day you remember many unnecessary things that your brain clears out during your REM cycle.
This finals week will be my 6th, and I can say that getting a good night’s sleep before has helped tremendously. I can also say that I have stayed up studying for a test, and because I was tired the studying really did nothing and I didn’t retain much.
I get that you may put off studying until the last minute and telling you to try not to is way easier said than done, but it really is a huge help to start even just the week before. It is also super common to get sick during finals week, because the stress can compromise your immune system. Chugging energy drinks to stay up is not going to make your immune system stronger. Drinking lots of water and getting your 8 hours is the only thing to guarantee your best shot at staying healthy.
Sleep and mental health go hand in hand. Being tired is known to bring down your mood and dramatically affect your day. Poor sleep quality has been associated with anxiety and depression. It is also important to put your phone away an hour before going to sleep, because the blue light can make your sleep less effective, due to the lack of melatonin release.
Finals is a super stressful time, so just trying to take things slow and not put too much pressure on yourself. The only way to climb a mountain is one step at a time.
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