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Student Counseling Services

To Sleep or Not to Sleep

Many of the students at OUHSC often see themselves as pushed to the max. Too much to do and not enough time to do it. As a result, many Health Sciences Center students suffer from excessive stress, anxiety, and worry, which can interfere with sleep. Research shows that sleep enhances learning and retention of studied material. Listed below are some tips that may help you get a good night’s sleep.

Factors that Cause Insomnia:

  • Medical illness such as head injuries, hyperthyroidism, asthma, hypertension, coronary artery disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, headache, low back pain, seizures, Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease, kidney disease and thyroid dysfunction, among others.
  • Psychological disorders such as major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, dementia, and schizophrenia.
  • Medication and drugs such as alcohol, narcotics, amphetamines, caffeine, Resperine, Clonodine, certain antidepressants, steroids, L-dopa, Theophylline, nicotine, and others. Withdrawal from benzodiazapines, barbiturates, and alcohol.
  • Other sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, nocturnal myoclonus, periodic leg movements in sleep, phase advance sleep disorder, phase delay sleep disorder, sleep state misperception, and nightmares.
  • Poor sleep habits such as extended time in bed, napping, or an irregular sleep schedule.
  • Situational factors such as stress, bereavement, unfamiliar sleep environment, jet lag, shift work, bed partner, or a poor sleeping environment (noise, temperature, light or a poor sleeping surface).

Here's What the Sleep Experts Advise:

  • Establish regular sleep schedules and avoid napping. Never oversleep because of a poor night's sleep. Sleeping late for even a couple of days can reset your body clock to a different cycle.
  • Avoid coffee, caffeine, nicotine, or chocolate in the evening. It disturbs sleep, even in those who think that it does not affect them.
  • While alcohol may help you get to sleep, the ensuing sleep architecture is disrupted, and it produces early morning awakening.
  • Sleeping pills also disturb sleep patterns and produce short-term amnesia and impaired motor skills. For example, benzodiazepine hypnotics impair short-term memory, reaction time, thinking, and visual-motor coordination (such as driving).
  • Strenuous exercise (brisk walking, swimming, jogging, squash, etc.) in the late afternoon seems to promote more restful sleep. Reduce physical and mental stimulation late in the day (except for sexual activity).
  • It may be helpful to keep a notebook by your bedside to write down thoughts or worries that are keeping you awake.
  • Have a light carbohydrate or dairy snack before bedtime.
  • Have a hot bath or shower early in the evening.
  • If you can't fall asleep, get up and leave the room and return only when sleepy. Don't sleep anywhere but in the bedroom and avoid any activity in the bed except sleep and sex.
  • A sleep induction technique may be to focus on diaphragm breathing and counting down from ninety-nine on each exhalation until you go to sleep.

Where to go from here?

Counseling is available to explore and address issues and concerns hindering your sleep cycle and the achievement of personal, academic, and interpersonal successes. Services provided by Student Counseling Services are FREE and confidential. If you have further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact us at (405) 271-7336 or counselors@ouhsc.edu