As a sleep-deprived teen who averages five hours of rest per night, I wanted to put healthy sleep habits to the test. From Oct. 7 to Oct. 14, I slept approximately 9 to 10 hours per night, cut off blue light exposure before bedtime, only drank caffeine in the morning and avoided exercise two hours before sleeping. Information about sleep hygiene, practices that lead to sleeping well regularly, was provided by Dr. Edward Pace-Schott, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Below are my observations.
Day one:
Despite going to bed at 9:30 p.m. instead of 1 a.m., I didn’t have a hard time falling asleep. As usual, I was ready for bed after completing my nightly routine. My first instinct was to grab my phone when I entered my bedroom, but my blue light restriction stopped me from doing so. Aside from my phone notifications, I heard cars passing by, which I had never noticed before. My thoughts wandered from wondering what my friends might be texting me to reflections on my day.
Day two:
When I got home from school, I sat down at my desk immediately, leaving no time for distractions. I had to prioritize my digital homework to accommodate my blue light restriction. I had no room for breaks, and even my dinner time was spent with my laptop instead of my family. I was unable to complete one of my online assignments before 8:30 p.m., so I accepted that I would have to do it the next day.
Day three:
This was the first time I have ever gotten more than five hours of sleep before a test. After ample rest, I felt more awake. I was confident while taking my science test because I was able to recall similar work done in class.
Day four:
I wanted to sleep in until 7:30 a.m., but I instead awoke at 6:30, my weekday wake-up time. I used the extra hour as an opportunity to pick up a warm latte from a café and get a head start on my homework. Energized by my morning brain activity, I felt prepared for a class discussion. In class, I was significantly more talkative and articulated concepts in greater detail than usual.
Day five:
On Friday nights, I am usually able to stay out longer with friends without feeling guilty for not getting my work done. By the time dinner and dessert were over, it was 10 p.m., and I was surprisingly exhausted. My friends wanted to hang out more afterward, but I knew I had to go home and get ready for bed. Because my body was getting used to my new sleep schedule, I was feeling more tired than usual, making the decision to go home early easier.
Day six:
This was the first time this year I could recall having vivid dreams. I had a weird dream that was related to a conversation from the day before. The previous night, my mom and I had discussed money-related topics. In my dream, I received a call from a strange man saying he wanted to stop by and collect some money. I heard him knocking on my front door and yelling that he was ready to make a transaction. Then, my fear woke me up.
Day seven:
Taking a nap is never on my to-do list. I avoid napping because I always wake up groggy and even more tired. But, feeling fried after a full morning of working on my laptop, I tried taking a power nap for the first time in ages. I limited my nap to 30 minutes to avoid grogginess. I woke up easily, energized and ready to tackle more tasks.
Conclusion:
I felt rejuvenated after getting adequate sleep, and the pounding headaches and terrible eye strains I normally experience were not a part of my morning anymore. Setting 10 blaring alarms subsequently with 10-minute intervals was no longer necessary. I felt more alert throughout the day and performed better in my daily activities. On the other hand, I struggled to manage my workload because I had to complete all my online assignments first and sometimes sacrificed work for sleep. I was also unable to fit all my regular activities into my schedule, such as going to the gym or taking study breaks. Moving forward, I would like to continue practicing healthy sleep habits, especially before I go to college, where my schedule will become even busier.