Updated with current information for 2022
Sleep for Success
Looking to ace all your classes this semester? Sleep on it. Recent science indicates we all should be napping more to boost brain energy.
Naps have been shown to improve cognitive function, creative thinking, memory. Scientists have learned that a nap as short as 40 minutes after learning something can help you better retain that information.
Cat Naps
The National Sleep Foundation recommends a short nap of 20 to 30 minutes to improve alertness. “This type of nap provides significant benefit for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep,” the Foundation suggests.
Longer Naps
But longer naps can boost memory and creativity. Slow wave sleep, napping for 30 to 60 minutes, helps decision making and memory. Rapid Eye Movement, the stage of deep dreaming, happens after 60 to 90 minutes of napping and plays a key role in reconnecting the brain and creative problem solving, according to WebMD.
Napping Techniques
There are tricks to napping. Be consistent with a regular nap schedule. Doctors recommend napping in the middle of the day, anytime between 1 to 3 p.m. Do it in the dark with the curtains drawn. And set a timer to make sure you don’t wake up groggy. Too much of a nap can be difficult to crawl out of.
Try a Biphasic sleep routine
Okay, so this one probably sounds confusing, but the concept is pretty straightforward.
Humans have a circadian rhythm that determines how energized one is at any given time. This coincides with our monophasic sleep cycles; which basically just means sleeping once a day for several hours.
However, there are other sleep cycles, too, one of those being biphasic.
Biphasic sleep is essentially just dividing a normal monophasic sleep cycle into two separate “blocks” of sleep. It can also be an addition to a normal monophasic sleep routine, such as adding a siesta, or nap, in the middle of the day for even more sleep.
If you live in a studio or one bedroom apartment, this practice shouldn’t be difficult to figure out logistically. But if you live in a bigger space, say a four or five bedroom house, then you’ll have to find a time to pencil in your extra sleep for when you know the house will be quiet.
Similarly, this will likely be harder to do if you live uptown instead of further from campus, because you’ll be combatting the commotion and hustle and bustle that Court Street apartments are subjected to.
The benefits of this sleep can lead to increased productivity but can also lower overall sleep quality. So do this at your own peril – it’s not for everyone.
Ultimately, getting enough good quality sleep is a key element to success in college and in life. Don’t shortchange yourself.