Ask Angel

Dear Angel (are my sleeping habits normal?),
My roommate insists I don’t sleep enough. She wants lights-out by midnight. During the week, I usually have to be up until 2 or 3 a.m. in order to get my studying done. I have 7:45’s every day, so I can’t get up early to study like she does. I admit I am frustrated — it seems like I just can’t get ahead, but at least I’m doing ok with grades. Napping for a couple of hours in the afternoon gets me by. I think this is just part of college life, and my roommate needs to chill out. I really need to keep my grades up in order to keep my scholarship and have a high enough GPA to get into graduate school.
Signed,
Sleep Deprived


Dear Sleep Deprived,
Studies have linked sleep deprivation to a decrease in reaction time, poor judgment, decreased vision, greater difficulty in processing information, poor short-term memory, weight gain, impaired immune and cardiovascular systems, relationship difficulties and a host of other preventable or avoidable health problems. So, yes, sleep is very important to your success both now and in the future.

Since your pressing concern now is doing well in classes, I won’t go into later-life consequences of sleep deprivation, but I will encourage you to consider how the lack of sleep is impacting your GPA. It may be that instead of studying harder, you need to study smarter! It stands to reason that if processing information and shortterm memory is impaired due to sleep deprivation, you will not perform as well on quizzes or exams. Most likely, the quality of daily assignments and larger papers or projects will be substandard due to fatigue. You are also more likely to miss class due to sleeping through your alarm. Fatigue also contributes to decreased motivation and organizational skills and has a negative impact on your capacity to enjoy activities and people outside of class. So, getting sleep can actually mean you will study less and have more time to enjoy other parts of a healthy college life. Here are some things you might try:

• Set a schedule for yourself. Pick a regular time to get up each morning and go to bed each night. This routine should extend to weekends as well. While it is tempting to “sleep in,” varying too far off of your regular weekday routine throws off your biorhythms and decreases the quality of your sleeping and waking time.
• Keep in mind the saying “nothing good happens after midnight.” Studying after midnight doesn’t equate with good grades.
• Try to get a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Keep the time frame similar. Please note, I am suggesting that you get the 8 hours in one time frame. Splitting the time into two or three nap periods does not allow the body and mind to rejuvenate.
• Skip your afternoon nap or keep it to a short 20-minute “power nap.”
• Add some mild exercise into your daily routine. You might consider doing this during the time you currently nap. Not only will exercise make you more alert, it also has the advantage of improving the quality of your sleep. Pay attention to your eating and stress levels—these can interfere with your ability to concentrate, study and do well.

If you are having difficulty falling asleep, there are other techniques that can be of help depending upon the cause. Feel free to stop in the Wellness Center and set up a time to talk about this.

Ask Angel: How to manage stress from finals

Dear Angel,
I get very stressed before and during a final. I know it’s last minute, but do you have any tips to help
keep me on track?
Signed,
Stressed About Finals

Dear Stressed,
It’s not unusual to feel overwhelmed this time of the year. Here my suggestions for easing this stress. Of course, you are always welcome to stop in the Wellness Center for support as well.

The night before a final:
Don’t stay up all night! Nothing good happens after midnight — your ability to concentrate, retain facts and clearly convey what you know is reduced if you are sleep deprived.
Avoid, or significantly reduce, your use of stimulants (i.e. pop, coffee, tea, No Doz etc.). In large amounts, they can act as a depressant and will also reduce your ability to rest well.
Take frequent stretch breaks (one every 15 to 30 minutes).

Here are a few ideas:
Break #1: Raise your arms above your head, linking your fingers together, and gently pull up. As you do so, take in a slow, deep breath. Release your arms and slowly breathe out. Repeat three or four times.
Break #2: Push your chair away from your desk, inhale and lean forward, touching your toes. Exhale. Repeat three or four times.
Break #3: Stand up. Place hands on hips. Inhale. Rotate at the waist to your left — exhaling as you do. Return to center. Inhale. Turn to right, exhaling and back to center. Repeat three or four times.
Break #4: Close your eyes. Place your palms over your eyes. Inhale to the count of five and then exhale to the count of five. Repeat three to four times. At least every two hours, take a longer break of 15 minutes. Walk around, get a snack, talk to friends.

Have high-energy snacks on hand. Cheese and crackers, peanuts, fruit, vegetable sticks and water are some good choices. High fat options will tend to make you more lethargic and less able to concentrate. Stay away from overly anxious or competitive people.

ANXIETY IS CONTAGIOUS.

Don’t waste energy “whipping” yourself about what you “could or should” have done this past semester. FOCUS on what you can do NOW.
The day of a final:
• Eat a good breakfast and lunch.
• Don’t swap questions at the door.
• Leave your books at home.
• Give yourself some positive self-talk (“I can do this”).
• Review the entire test carefully before beginning. Determine which sections will count more, which will require more time. PLAN YOUR STRATEGY for completing the test.
• If you are feeling anxious, employ a slow deep breathing technique. Try the palming technique described above.
• Answer the essay questions first.
• Work on only one question at a time. If you are “stumped” by a question, leave it until the end; FOCUS on what you do know.
• Make an outline of an essay question BEFORE writing your answer. This will help you organize your response and allow you to include more information.
• FOCUS on what you are doing. Avoid wasting time and energy paying attention to how others are doing (i.e. getting done first). When the test is over, leave your thoughts of it behind and focus on the next one; you can’t change what you have already done.

Good Luck with your finals, and may you all have a relaxing and joy-filled break.
-Angel

Ask Angel: Avoid overeating during the holidays

Dear Angel,
I have made a commitment to get in shape and maintain my weight. I’ve done pretty well this since the school year started. With the stress of finals and then the holidays, I am dreading the next six weeks since I usually overeat when I’m stressed, and the holidays give me lots of extra options. Any suggestions?
Signed,
Keeping it off



Dear Keeping,
Congratulations to you for taking charge of your health. Maintaining a healthy weight and a regular exercise program will serve you well now, as well as throughout your lifetime. Research shows that individuals who do this generally live longer and also have an overall improved quality of life. Like anything though, it is important to keep things in perspective. It sounds like you have already established some pretty good habits and they will serve you well. Here are a couple of suggestions:
• As your days get hectic, don’t skip meals. Waiting too long to eat can trigger overeating. This is especially true for breakfast.
• Pack a light, healthy snack in your backpack (fruit, yogurt, granola bar) to have on hand in case you get hungry between meals.
• Eat a light, healthy meal a few hours before the holiday event. You’ll be better at controlling intake if you are not very hungry.
• Eat slowly. If you are not hungry, pass on the second helpings.
• Foods high in fiber slow the transit of food through the upper digestive system, making you feel fuller for a longer time. Choose an apple or veggie sticks for a snack rather than a handful of chips.
• When choosing from a buffet, skip the usual foods and choose the special holiday items instead.
• Choose your favorite dessert and share it with someone. Just a taste may be all you need.
• Relax! You are not alone if you overeat when stressed. You might also feel you don’t have a lot of time to relax but you most likely can work in a “mini vacations” throughout the day. In between classes, before meals, and before bed spend a minute drawing breath in through your nose and out your mouth. When you do this, focus on the rise and fall of your chest.
• Don’t give up your exercise. This will help with stress as well as calories.
• Select your beverages wisely. Most holidays drinks are high in calories. Drink plenty of water.
• If you’re going to a big party or dinner, don’t starve yourself all day. You’ll be less likely to over-indulge if you eat low-fat snacks before going out.
• Don’t feel like you have to say “yes” to everyone that offers you food.
• Mingle at parties! Spending time with others leaves less time for eating.
• If you splurge one day, start the next day fresh and give it your best!

Sincerely,
Angel