Sleep is something that we all know is important, but as college students, don’t seem to get very much of. Things like homework, studying, friends, people of the opposite sex, Facebook and video games make it impossible for us to get sleep. It is important to remember that sleep and rest are crucial to live a happy and healthy life.

The National Institute of Health states that “sleep, like diet and exercise, is important for our minds and bodies to function normally. In fact, sleep appears to be required for survival. Rats deprived of sleep die within two to three weeks, a time frame similar to death due to starvation.”

The Sleep Guide gives reasons why sleep is important.

For one thing, “Sleep may be a time for the brain to recharge. During sleep, the brain shuts down and repairs neurons and exercises synapses that may slowly break down and weaken with a lack of activity. This could be a time for fine tuning the synaptic connections that get stronger, weaken, break and reform. Sleep, it is theorized, is a time to shift those synaptic connections back to their original design after they have been jumbled up during the day.”

Also, “Sleep gives the brain a chance to reorganize information to find answers to problems, to process new information, and to organize and archive memories. The brain reinforces memory and categorizes everything learned in a particular order, and erases the useless, impertinent information. During sleep, metabolism slows down as well as energy consumption.”

Third, “Sleep may also be a time for rest for our heart and lungs. Folks with normal or high blood pressure have a 20-30% reduction in pressure and a 10-20 percent heart rate reduction.”

And lastly, “Sleep gives the body a chance to replace chemicals and repair muscles, other tissues and aging or dead cells. It may also have an effect on strengthening the immune system.”

Since the above text gives proof that sleep is important, it is only right to follow it with good tips on how to get the rest you need.

1. Do not procrastinate! This stresses the body out, making it impossible to sleep and impossible for you to function well.
2. Exercise regularly. Studies show that it is easier to fall asleep after a 30 minute work out each morning.
3. Set a bed time and stick to it. Your body will get into a rhythm if you have a bedtime, making it easier to go to sleep and less tempting to stay awake.
4. Take a hot bath or shower. This relaxes the body making it easier to fall into a peaceful sleep.
5. Avoid bedtime and/or late-night snacks. Mercola.com reports that “if there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin.”

Follow these steps and be a more rested, healthy individual!