If you've read my last blog post, you will know that I am currently operating on a large sleep deficit. My tank is just about empty now and I can feel that I am ready to fall asleep at any time. I do not enjoy this feeling one bit! Yet I cannot find the time to catch up adequately on my sleep.
I am trying to plan a couple naps into my schedule this week. If that isn't enough I will be doing my best in order to go to bed earlier than usual (11pm) until I am able to wake up in the morning without pain. In order to perform through the rest of the semester and especially during finals week, I know I will need to be well rested. This will allow me to retain more knowledge when I am studying for exams.
All-in-all I feel pretty good about what I have accomplished this semester. Once final grades are in, I plan to be sleeping easy knowing my hard work has paid off.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
(24) Performing Under Pressure
Well, it is that time of the year again, December finals. School is winding down but the pressure is building up, and all I can think about is my month off that I'll get to spend with my family. Over Thanksgiving weekend I brought two important assignments home with me, fully intending on completing them. It seems like I do this every time I have a short break from school, the outcome is always the same. This time, however, I was bound and determined to finish my assignments over the long weekend because both were due on Monday and both would have a large impact on my grad in the class.
Like every time before, I barely looked at my assignments. I spent my time having fun with my family and getting maybe 6 hours of sleep a night. On Saturday I only got four hours of sleep before I hit the road at 8am. Now I did work on my projects, but did not complete near as much as I needed to. So then I was left with one choice. To devote 100% of my time to completing those projects upon returning to Plainview on Sunday afternoon. When I returned to Plainview on Sunday the stress and worry began to build. I was already exhausted from my lack of sleep all weekend, but I got to work right away. I began consuming considerable amounts of caffeine starting Saturday morning in order to stay awake during my drive home. I ingested anywhere from 70-140mg of caffeine at pretty regular intervals (every 4-6 hours). I continued this until I completed my both of my projects on Monday before class. In 24 hours from when I started my projects in Plainview to when I turned them in, I spent about 1 hour unpacking, 2 hours working, 2 hours eating, 6 hours sleeping (involuntarily), and 13 hours working on the projects, or at least trying to focus and work on them.
In the end my efforts prevailed and I was able to turn both projects in on time and with a quality that I was content with (meaning I think the work will receive an A). I have done my best to no procrastinate this year, completing one research paper and final project a month before it was due. For some reason these projects evaded me and it came down to the wire. I don't like subjecting myself to this unneeded stress and lack of sleep, but at least I know that I can perform well when I'm under pressure.
Like every time before, I barely looked at my assignments. I spent my time having fun with my family and getting maybe 6 hours of sleep a night. On Saturday I only got four hours of sleep before I hit the road at 8am. Now I did work on my projects, but did not complete near as much as I needed to. So then I was left with one choice. To devote 100% of my time to completing those projects upon returning to Plainview on Sunday afternoon. When I returned to Plainview on Sunday the stress and worry began to build. I was already exhausted from my lack of sleep all weekend, but I got to work right away. I began consuming considerable amounts of caffeine starting Saturday morning in order to stay awake during my drive home. I ingested anywhere from 70-140mg of caffeine at pretty regular intervals (every 4-6 hours). I continued this until I completed my both of my projects on Monday before class. In 24 hours from when I started my projects in Plainview to when I turned them in, I spent about 1 hour unpacking, 2 hours working, 2 hours eating, 6 hours sleeping (involuntarily), and 13 hours working on the projects, or at least trying to focus and work on them.
In the end my efforts prevailed and I was able to turn both projects in on time and with a quality that I was content with (meaning I think the work will receive an A). I have done my best to no procrastinate this year, completing one research paper and final project a month before it was due. For some reason these projects evaded me and it came down to the wire. I don't like subjecting myself to this unneeded stress and lack of sleep, but at least I know that I can perform well when I'm under pressure.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
(23) The Caffinated Enlightenment
In Caffeine
and the Coming of the Enlightenment, Roger Schmidt eloquently defends his
thesis that “caffeine, books, and mechanical clocks disrupted irrevocably the
ancient architecture of human sleep, and with its collapse, the angels and
their odd companions began to depart” (Schmidt 133). The major components of
Schmidt’s argument is the role that caffeine, books, and mechanical clocks
played in the transformation of sleep. The first major element that brought a
change to sleep was the introduction of caffeine into daily life. Schmidt says,
“Caffeine fuels insomnia as it simultaneously attempts to alleviate the
symptoms” (137). In the fight against sleep, caffeine was used at all hours of
the day in order to combat exhaustion and focus into the wee hours of the
night. The primary activity that then consumed the night was reading, for
business and pleasure. Reading, a task that was formerly too monotonous to keep
a scholar awake through the night was overcome through artificial stimulation
received through teas and coffees. A catalyst to this superfluous reading was
the new perception of “time as something that spends itself out, never to
return again” (Schmidt 138). Time became something measurable, available to all
through clocks and wristwatches, and people began to carefully plan the use of
their time. Schmidt also
describes being baffled by the lack of research on the history of sleep given
the amount of clinical research that has been dedicated to the subject. That is what drove him to find out the history of sleep and why it changed from what our ancestor's experienced.
Sources:
http://www.theeuropean-magazine.com/juliane-mendelsohn/7871-a-new-philosophy-for-the-21st-century
Schmidt, Roger. “Caffeine and the Coming of the Enlightenment.” Raritan 23.1 (2003): 129-49. EBSCO, 2003. Web.
Sources:
http://www.theeuropean-magazine.com/juliane-mendelsohn/7871-a-new-philosophy-for-the-21st-century
Schmidt, Roger. “Caffeine and the Coming of the Enlightenment.” Raritan 23.1 (2003): 129-49. EBSCO, 2003. Web.
(22) Will the Colder Weather Help Me Sleep?
Well, it looks as if winter is nearly upon us! The massive cold front has blown in from Colorado, and I even heard some people mention that we could see some snow, that would be cool!
Along with the dropping outdoor temperature, the temperature in my room is also dropping even more than before! The seals on the windows are old and cracking, I can hear the wind whistling when it blows hard; I also see little piles of dust on the floor by the window, making it obvious there is a leak.
Anyways, I don't mind the cool air. It means I get to bundle up more before bed, so that I can create a cocoon of warmth amidst the cold air. I feel like I sleep better when it is cold out, assuming that I have enough layers to keep myself warm.
Is anyone else looking forward to the colder weather?
Along with the dropping outdoor temperature, the temperature in my room is also dropping even more than before! The seals on the windows are old and cracking, I can hear the wind whistling when it blows hard; I also see little piles of dust on the floor by the window, making it obvious there is a leak.
Anyways, I don't mind the cool air. It means I get to bundle up more before bed, so that I can create a cocoon of warmth amidst the cold air. I feel like I sleep better when it is cold out, assuming that I have enough layers to keep myself warm.
Is anyone else looking forward to the colder weather?
Thursday, November 12, 2015
(Class Blog) How Has Sleep Changed?
Sleep has come a long way in 300 years! Author Roger Ekirch believes that in the past sleep was divided into two segments each night. There was an hour or so of wakefulness in-between the first and second sleep segment. Historical medical books "frequently advised sleepers, for better digestion and more tranquil repose, to lie on their right side," during their first sleep and then to switch to their left side during their second sleep segment. (Ekirch 366).
In religion, the Catholic Church promoted early morning prayers amongst its followers, so that they could speak with, "God during the still hours of the night" (Ekirch 366). This practice was seen as favorable so that there was nothing else going on to bother the praying man or woman. It would only be you and God together in the middle of the night.
Since the middle ages our human culture has changed because of technology. Artificial light and caffeine give people the ability to stay up longer than ever before. More people around the world are now "night owls" as opposed to being a "morning person." In the middle ages, daylight meant work time, but now a majority of the work is no longer manual labor and can be carried on into the night. While more people do stay awake at night, the darkness still represents the same thing it did centuries ago, mischief. It is a common saying, "nothing good happens after midnight." It is as true today as it was in the past. People who stay up into the AM seem to have an inclination to cause trouble no matter where they are.
Source:
Ekirch, A. Roger. “Sleep We Have Lost: Pre-industrial Slumber in the British Isles.” The
American Historical Review 106, no. 2 (2001): 363-386.
In religion, the Catholic Church promoted early morning prayers amongst its followers, so that they could speak with, "God during the still hours of the night" (Ekirch 366). This practice was seen as favorable so that there was nothing else going on to bother the praying man or woman. It would only be you and God together in the middle of the night.
Since the middle ages our human culture has changed because of technology. Artificial light and caffeine give people the ability to stay up longer than ever before. More people around the world are now "night owls" as opposed to being a "morning person." In the middle ages, daylight meant work time, but now a majority of the work is no longer manual labor and can be carried on into the night. While more people do stay awake at night, the darkness still represents the same thing it did centuries ago, mischief. It is a common saying, "nothing good happens after midnight." It is as true today as it was in the past. People who stay up into the AM seem to have an inclination to cause trouble no matter where they are.
Source:
Ekirch, A. Roger. “Sleep We Have Lost: Pre-industrial Slumber in the British Isles.” The
American Historical Review 106, no. 2 (2001): 363-386.
Friday, November 6, 2015
(21) Sleep has Always Been Important
In the article Sleep We Have Lost: Pre-Industrial Slumber in the British Isles, author Roger Ekirch makes his mission clear, "to explore the elusive realm of sleep in early modern British society," and to uncover the truth of pre-industrial sleep (pg. 344). Ekirch opens his article with the belief that when the bastille of modern society is escaped and forgotten, man is taken back to the natural. In the context of sleep, there "is one stirring hour," of wakefulness that naturally occurs at night, "when all the outdoor world are on their feet" (pg. 343).
What Ekirch is trying to prove is that before the industrial revolution sleep was thought of differently than it is today. While it was considered as equally important as today, historically many the people of the British Isles revered sleep. Partly because once the sun set there was little light afforded to the poorer of society. The common bedtime of the period was 10pm in the summer and 9pm in the winter, with the average sleep times ranging between six and eight hours. However, it is thought that these six to eight hours would have been better quality sleep than six to eight hours today. The "evening silence coupled with overpowering darkness contributed to unusually peaceful repose, as did the fatigue ordinary men and women suffered from their labors" (pg. 358).
Overall, Ekirch makes a strong argument that sleep could have been better before the industrial era. I wonder if he'll completely win me over in the second half of the article.
Source:
What Ekirch is trying to prove is that before the industrial revolution sleep was thought of differently than it is today. While it was considered as equally important as today, historically many the people of the British Isles revered sleep. Partly because once the sun set there was little light afforded to the poorer of society. The common bedtime of the period was 10pm in the summer and 9pm in the winter, with the average sleep times ranging between six and eight hours. However, it is thought that these six to eight hours would have been better quality sleep than six to eight hours today. The "evening silence coupled with overpowering darkness contributed to unusually peaceful repose, as did the fatigue ordinary men and women suffered from their labors" (pg. 358).
Overall, Ekirch makes a strong argument that sleep could have been better before the industrial era. I wonder if he'll completely win me over in the second half of the article.
Source:
Ekirch, A. R. (2001). Sleep We Have Lost:
Pre-Industrial Slumber in the British Isles. American Historical Review,
343-363.
(20) I Can Tell I'm Running on a Sleep Debt
Friday is a day that I look forward to all week. I have no classes, few obligations, and lots of free time. It is the first (sometimes the only) day of my weekend.
Every Friday is pretty much the same, waking up at the regular time in order to make it to work at 8am. Work ends in the mid-morning so I head back to campus. In my room I plan out my day. Most of the time I don't have to be anywhere until the late afternoon. Once I realize I am free to do as I please I hear it... from across the room it calls to me. My bed! Like a moth to a light I can't help but gravitate in its direction. I fight the though, but on Friday my bed always wins, but only for 15 minutes. And then another 30 minutes, just another 15 minutes and that's it. My plan for a quick power nap turns into a two hour slumber!
By the end of the week I just can't resist the urge to catch up on sleep. Rather than continue to fight my urges, I think in the future I should just plan on a two hour nap so that I can get a full cycle in and make up some of the time that I have lost throughout the week. So next week I am going to plan on using Friday as a recharge day so that I am sharp for work at Reagor-Dykes on Saturday!
Every Friday is pretty much the same, waking up at the regular time in order to make it to work at 8am. Work ends in the mid-morning so I head back to campus. In my room I plan out my day. Most of the time I don't have to be anywhere until the late afternoon. Once I realize I am free to do as I please I hear it... from across the room it calls to me. My bed! Like a moth to a light I can't help but gravitate in its direction. I fight the though, but on Friday my bed always wins, but only for 15 minutes. And then another 30 minutes, just another 15 minutes and that's it. My plan for a quick power nap turns into a two hour slumber!
By the end of the week I just can't resist the urge to catch up on sleep. Rather than continue to fight my urges, I think in the future I should just plan on a two hour nap so that I can get a full cycle in and make up some of the time that I have lost throughout the week. So next week I am going to plan on using Friday as a recharge day so that I am sharp for work at Reagor-Dykes on Saturday!
Saturday, October 31, 2015
(19) Early Research, Sleep and Exercise
It is common sense to most that sleep, exercise, and nutrition are the building blocks of good health. All three play a crucial role in your body's performance and longevity. But how are the three related? How do they all effect each other? My primary focus is on the inter-relatedness of sleep and exercise, but I felt that nutrition was also a paramount piece of the puzzle that should be included in my later research.
Max Hirshkowitz, PhD, brought to light in his article that through the analysis of 38 comprehensive, independent studies, "exercise-related [activities] increased total sleep time, increased slow wave sleep time, decreased REM sleep time, and prolonging latency to REM sleep" (2013, para. 3). Hirshkowitz is a firm believer that sleep does positively affect a person's quality and quantity of sleep.
Now much of an affect chronic exercise habits can have on sleep is something that I haven't figured out yet, but I plan to find out!
Sources:
Hirshkowitz, M. (2013). How does exercise affect sleep duration and quality? Retrieved from National Sleep Foundation: https://sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/how-does-exercise-affect-sleep-duration-and-quality
Max Hirshkowitz, PhD, brought to light in his article that through the analysis of 38 comprehensive, independent studies, "exercise-related [activities] increased total sleep time, increased slow wave sleep time, decreased REM sleep time, and prolonging latency to REM sleep" (2013, para. 3). Hirshkowitz is a firm believer that sleep does positively affect a person's quality and quantity of sleep.
Now much of an affect chronic exercise habits can have on sleep is something that I haven't figured out yet, but I plan to find out!
Sources:
Hirshkowitz, M. (2013). How does exercise affect sleep duration and quality? Retrieved from National Sleep Foundation: https://sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/how-does-exercise-affect-sleep-duration-and-quality
(18) Sleeping Without My Roommate
For the past two days and nights my roommate has been out of town with the Wayland volleyball team. I don't know if that is the primary reason, but I have sleep perfectly the last two nights!! It has been amazing after a long hard week to finally sleep two full nights in a row.
The only thing that has changed these last two days is the absence of my night owl roommate. He stays up into the AM nearly every night playing his computer games and watching The View... It is extremely aggravating trying to fall asleep while the room is illuminated by his blaring computer screen coupled with the noise he makes.
All in all, I'm coming to find that I enjoy living along better than having a roommate. His mess and disorganization annoys and stresses me out. His lazy habits lead to me thinking negatively about him. The most concerning factor of having a roommate is how he can directly disrupt my sleep. Although most of the time it is unintentional, the fact remains that I am losing quality sleep by having a roommate.
The only thing that has changed these last two days is the absence of my night owl roommate. He stays up into the AM nearly every night playing his computer games and watching The View... It is extremely aggravating trying to fall asleep while the room is illuminated by his blaring computer screen coupled with the noise he makes.
All in all, I'm coming to find that I enjoy living along better than having a roommate. His mess and disorganization annoys and stresses me out. His lazy habits lead to me thinking negatively about him. The most concerning factor of having a roommate is how he can directly disrupt my sleep. Although most of the time it is unintentional, the fact remains that I am losing quality sleep by having a roommate.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
(17) Research on the Correlation of Sleep and Exercise
For my research topic, I am planning on looking into the positive effects exercise can have on sleep, and how sleep then helps you recover from vigorous activity. This subject really interests me because I am an athlete. I know that sleep is an important part of my athletic performance, but now I want to be able to prove it.
I hope to learn many new things about the physical benefits of sleep. Maybe I will find some best practices for falling asleep and staying asleep. It would also be good to know which supplements are best absorbed at night. I've heard through the grapevine that fish oil should be taken before bed rather than in the morning because it is absorbed better at night. Now, I don't know if it is true or not, but I have blindly accepted it as fact in recent months and it would probably do me some good to find out the truth.
When it's all said and done, my goal is to be able to tell y'all how a workout can improve your sleep habits.
I hope to learn many new things about the physical benefits of sleep. Maybe I will find some best practices for falling asleep and staying asleep. It would also be good to know which supplements are best absorbed at night. I've heard through the grapevine that fish oil should be taken before bed rather than in the morning because it is absorbed better at night. Now, I don't know if it is true or not, but I have blindly accepted it as fact in recent months and it would probably do me some good to find out the truth.
When it's all said and done, my goal is to be able to tell y'all how a workout can improve your sleep habits.
(16) Our Medicated Military
According to William Saletan, "an arms race in pharmaceutical enhancement of combat troops, (para. 1)" is currently running rife throughout the United States military. It is no surprise that troops in combat are pushed beyond their limits physically and mentally. However, some might be surprised to know how the U.S. military combats this fatigue, specifically sleep deprivation.
Because the U.S. military believes that the most vital, "human performance factor in military effectiveness is degradation of performance under stressful conditions, particularly sleep deprivation, (para. 3)" the military has invested millions of dollars and countless hours to ameliorate its effects. The U.S. military started using stimulants to fight the affects of fatigue around the time of WWII. One of the most popular has been amphetamines (speed) which is a controlled substance for civilians. More recently, the military has been studying a new class of drugs called ampakines, which are capable of restoring "performance to levels compaarable to or better than, (para. 18)" those who were well-rested.
My concern with this widespread us of drugs is the effects on soldiers over time, specifically the addiction they could be sent home with. While in combat, these drugs may be a necessary evil in order to save lives (although stimulants have also been accused of leading to friendly fire incidents). When soldiers are discharged, I think the military should have a recovery program in place in order to prepare soldiers for success in the civilian world.
Source:
Because the U.S. military believes that the most vital, "human performance factor in military effectiveness is degradation of performance under stressful conditions, particularly sleep deprivation, (para. 3)" the military has invested millions of dollars and countless hours to ameliorate its effects. The U.S. military started using stimulants to fight the affects of fatigue around the time of WWII. One of the most popular has been amphetamines (speed) which is a controlled substance for civilians. More recently, the military has been studying a new class of drugs called ampakines, which are capable of restoring "performance to levels compaarable to or better than, (para. 18)" those who were well-rested.
My concern with this widespread us of drugs is the effects on soldiers over time, specifically the addiction they could be sent home with. While in combat, these drugs may be a necessary evil in order to save lives (although stimulants have also been accused of leading to friendly fire incidents). When soldiers are discharged, I think the military should have a recovery program in place in order to prepare soldiers for success in the civilian world.
Source:
Saletan, W. (2008). Night of the Living Meds. Retrieved
10 19, 2015, from Slate:
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/human_nature/2008/07/night_of_the_living_meds.html
Picture:
http://archive.airforcetimes.com/article/20120614/NEWS/206140317/DoD-cracks-down-off-label-drug-use
Monday, October 12, 2015
(15) More Covers Please!
Now that we're well past the autumn equinox passing, winter will soon be setting upon us here in west Texas. With it comes the changing of the leaves, less sunlight, and, unfortunately, cooler weather.
All summer long is slept with very few covers if any at all because of how easily I got hot in my warm house. For a while here at Wayland it was the same story. I was hot almost every night and had to minimize the amount of covers. Now, however, I am facing the opposite: nights that are too cold!
It took me a week or two to figure out what was disrupting my sleep, but I finally found that it was cold weather leaking in through my poorly insulated dorm room window. Because of the lax maintenance it's either too warm or too cool in my room at night. More often now I am having to break out my thick comforter to make it through the night comfortably. I don't mind it so much now because I have fixed this cause of poor sleep by bundling up before falling asleep. Now I'm looking to a warm and cozy winter.
All summer long is slept with very few covers if any at all because of how easily I got hot in my warm house. For a while here at Wayland it was the same story. I was hot almost every night and had to minimize the amount of covers. Now, however, I am facing the opposite: nights that are too cold!
It took me a week or two to figure out what was disrupting my sleep, but I finally found that it was cold weather leaking in through my poorly insulated dorm room window. Because of the lax maintenance it's either too warm or too cool in my room at night. More often now I am having to break out my thick comforter to make it through the night comfortably. I don't mind it so much now because I have fixed this cause of poor sleep by bundling up before falling asleep. Now I'm looking to a warm and cozy winter.
(13) "Manhole 69"
For the first few pages all went well.
However, I was reading at night and occasionally began to dose off.
Overall, I did enjoy reading Manhole 69. It made me think quite a bit about how the loss of sleep could affect the human mentality. I wonder how they chose their three test subjects for the experiment, and how much Dr. Neill paid them.
What happened at 3:15AM really threw me for a loop. I didn't quite understand what was happening at first, but later realized that time was not passing for the test subjects minds. They were effectively trapped in a shrinking room for eternity. If they went crazy in the 10 minutes that Morley was gone, what did they experience in the hours before Lang was "revived"?
I suppose it was meant to end that way, with the author leaving us unanswered questions to make us think and draw our own conclusions.
However, I was reading at night and occasionally began to dose off.
Overall, I did enjoy reading Manhole 69. It made me think quite a bit about how the loss of sleep could affect the human mentality. I wonder how they chose their three test subjects for the experiment, and how much Dr. Neill paid them.
What happened at 3:15AM really threw me for a loop. I didn't quite understand what was happening at first, but later realized that time was not passing for the test subjects minds. They were effectively trapped in a shrinking room for eternity. If they went crazy in the 10 minutes that Morley was gone, what did they experience in the hours before Lang was "revived"?
I suppose it was meant to end that way, with the author leaving us unanswered questions to make us think and draw our own conclusions.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
(14) Do I Need Beauty Sleep?
Beauty sleep is something I've always though of as something "women" worry about. I have never given it much though. However, I do notice the ugly looking bags under my eyes after a few nights of rough sleep. It has been fairly easy to connect those bags and my pale face to my lack of sleep. Maybe I should start considering my beauty sleep if I don't want people to see me as "less healthy and less attractive," than my peers getting their full eight hours of sleep (Laurance, para. 2, 2010).
Since I'm not one for cosmetics, I think sleeping at least eight hours a night is going to be my best bet for looking young and invigorated. I know that after eight hours my body feels better, but I guess that sleep also contributes to my body looking better as well. Laurance also mentions how sleep deprivation can affect the immune system, "increasing the risk of infections, glucose regulation was weakened and blood pressure was raised" (para. 7, 2010).
The way I see it I need to sleep for eight hours a night because that is what allows my body to function at 100%. Beauty sleep is not going to become my main focus for getting eight hours every night, but it is a nice reward for keeping your body healthy.
Sources:
Jeremy Laurance, “It’s true—there is such a thing as beauty sleep,” The Independent, Dec 15, 2010 (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/its-true-ndash-there-is-such-a-thing-as-beauty-sleep-2160619.html)
Since I'm not one for cosmetics, I think sleeping at least eight hours a night is going to be my best bet for looking young and invigorated. I know that after eight hours my body feels better, but I guess that sleep also contributes to my body looking better as well. Laurance also mentions how sleep deprivation can affect the immune system, "increasing the risk of infections, glucose regulation was weakened and blood pressure was raised" (para. 7, 2010).
The way I see it I need to sleep for eight hours a night because that is what allows my body to function at 100%. Beauty sleep is not going to become my main focus for getting eight hours every night, but it is a nice reward for keeping your body healthy.
Sources:
Jeremy Laurance, “It’s true—there is such a thing as beauty sleep,” The Independent, Dec 15, 2010 (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/its-true-ndash-there-is-such-a-thing-as-beauty-sleep-2160619.html)
(12) Keeping Track of My Waste
On Tuesday I was challenged to collect all of my waste for 24 hours to measure how much I throw away in a typical day. I began collecting my trash yesterday, Wednesday, at 2pm.
What I found through this experiment is that I am doing a decent job of reducing my carbon footprint. By no means do I mean I am doing a perfect job reducing my waste, but I am well under the EPA's estimated averages. The EPA estimates that Americans throw away 4.4lbs of trash each day. At the end of 24 hours I only had about 1lbs. of trash collected. I reuse my plastic water bottles and also recycle anything that I can. The two areas I know I can improve upon are the amount of paper I use and the amount of water I send down the drain.
It seems that every week I am printing off new PowerPoint notes for class, exam reviews, and articles for research. If I were to use daily what I happened to use in the past 24 hours. I estimate that I would throw away about 5,000 sheets of paper. One way I can combat this is by leaving my notes in electronic form. As for water... I have such a bad habit of turning on the shower or faucet and then leaving to go do something! Ugh, such a bad routine to be in! I have to start reminding myself of how much water flows out every minute the faucet is on, almost 2 gallons!!
(11) Half a Semester Down
Time has flown in my honors seminar, Sleep-Starved: Science, Faith, and Sleep, this year. It has been enlightening to say the least. In my readings, I've learned about the many different stages of sleep (1 through REM) and how important each can be in the body's recovery process. I've learned about circadian rhythms affects on the human body and mind and its sleep drive. I've also learned a myriad of sleep related vocab words that I cannot think of from the top of my head, but I'd know them if I see them.
As is customary for the middle of a college semester, midterms are beginning on the Wayland campus. I always try to thoroughly prepare for my midterms because of the weight that they can carry depending on the professors preferences. I am sure that I will be prepared for all of my midterms including the Sleep midterm. I think what I enjoy most about studying for the midterm is being able to see all of the new words I have added to my vocabulary. I think an eloquent vocabulary is something that should be commended and respected by others, so I always like adding words to mine.
I haven't put much thought into my Sleep research paper. I would be very interested to explore the effects that exercise can have on a person's sleep patterns.
As is customary for the middle of a college semester, midterms are beginning on the Wayland campus. I always try to thoroughly prepare for my midterms because of the weight that they can carry depending on the professors preferences. I am sure that I will be prepared for all of my midterms including the Sleep midterm. I think what I enjoy most about studying for the midterm is being able to see all of the new words I have added to my vocabulary. I think an eloquent vocabulary is something that should be commended and respected by others, so I always like adding words to mine.
I haven't put much thought into my Sleep research paper. I would be very interested to explore the effects that exercise can have on a person's sleep patterns.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
(10) I Knew Americans Were Unhealthy But...
Wow, it amazes me that as one of the world's wealthiest industrialized nations, America is currently facing such a huge health epidemic among its citizens. Paul Krugman says that Americans, "spend much more per person on health care than any other nation, yet we have lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality" (2006, para. 2). Compared other modernized nations (Canada, Japan, and most of Europe) America ranks very low in health of its citizens. For example, "middle-age Americans are twice as likely to suffer from diabetes as their English counterparts," says Krugman. A fact that is now baffling researchers who discovered the statistics. Those researchers have come to a conlusion that "being American seems to damage your health."
This was news to me. I knew Americans in general had a poor diet which led to high obesity rates and a myriad of other healthcare issues, but I didn't realize it was pretty much only us scoring this badly.
I think Krugman makes a good point to address the average American's work schedule. Noting that full-time American workers average 46 weeks a year versus their counterparts oversees working only 41. Krugman makes a point to mention that this added stress could be a major reason Americans are having so many problems with their health.
BUT most importantly (and I think this needs more research) is the way healthcare is conducted in the United States. Krugman mention this as well in his article. Healthcare providers in the United States are out to make as much money as they can, they are businesses after all and rely on profits to succeed and grow. Now, the way that healthcare providers make money is by treating sick people. So I would say that their goal is to treat as many sick people as they possibly can.
My point is that if an American doctor had a cure to your disease and had the option to treat the symptoms or the cause of the disease he/she would choose to treat the symptoms. This way you would feel better for a while, but that you would come back, needing their services again. I think this is why Americans are so sick all the time, because of the billion dollar a year healthcare industry.
Source:
Paul Krugman, “Our Sick Society,” NYT, May 5, 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/05/opinion/05krugman.html?_r=0)
This was news to me. I knew Americans in general had a poor diet which led to high obesity rates and a myriad of other healthcare issues, but I didn't realize it was pretty much only us scoring this badly.
I think Krugman makes a good point to address the average American's work schedule. Noting that full-time American workers average 46 weeks a year versus their counterparts oversees working only 41. Krugman makes a point to mention that this added stress could be a major reason Americans are having so many problems with their health.
BUT most importantly (and I think this needs more research) is the way healthcare is conducted in the United States. Krugman mention this as well in his article. Healthcare providers in the United States are out to make as much money as they can, they are businesses after all and rely on profits to succeed and grow. Now, the way that healthcare providers make money is by treating sick people. So I would say that their goal is to treat as many sick people as they possibly can.
My point is that if an American doctor had a cure to your disease and had the option to treat the symptoms or the cause of the disease he/she would choose to treat the symptoms. This way you would feel better for a while, but that you would come back, needing their services again. I think this is why Americans are so sick all the time, because of the billion dollar a year healthcare industry.
Source:
Paul Krugman, “Our Sick Society,” NYT, May 5, 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/05/opinion/05krugman.html?_r=0)
Sunday, September 27, 2015
(9) What a Saturday Night!
Last night was undoubtedly one of the best Saturday nights I've had in a while; I got to sleep 11 hours and it was amazing all the way through.
But I've started my story too far in. Last week was crazy busy for me. I buckled down and finished all of my homework for a little while. Friday night was the icing on the cake. I stayed up until about 2am doing homework that wasn't due for a week or so, it felt so good. The next morning I woke at 7am for some intense birding with Dr. Pyeatt (y'all missed out btw). We saw a barn owl, ladder backed woodpecker, and all the doves. And a lot of other stuff that Dr. Pyeatt was spotting before I could think. Of yeah, a kestral, that was a falcon we saw. Anyways, after that I headed to do some odd jobs, painting for a few hours. Then off to the football game to sell some Kenyan jewelry to the rowdy Wayland fans. Below, a pic. of our awesome handmade jewlery! After that it was back to odd jobs until dark.
I ended the day a little while after sunset. When I climbed into bed I was too tired to even want to look at my phone. The next thing I knew I was waking up at 10am and feeling amazing. Best. Sleep. Ever.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
(8) A Weekend of Camping
This past weekend I got to go on an AWESOME geology trip to northern New Mexico. Before the trip I was looking forward to seeing the mountains, enjoying the sunlight, and the long nights of sleep away from any city lights. However, only most of my wishes camp true. Maybe I had inflated my expectations of the trip just a little bit.
It's been so long since I've been camping I forgot a lot of the struggles sleeping outside can bring. On almost every night of the trip I woke up cold or in pain from the hard ground. I realized it's not quite the same as the low altitude Texas camping I grew up on. I plan on conducting a little research about how to stay warm at high altitudes before I return to New Mexico next month for a fishing trip.
Another thing I'll have to avoid is outdoorsy thriller movies. I had recently watched a movie call Backcountry on Netflix. The gist of the movie was that a hungry black bear terrorizes two hikers. Since I was in bear country, I couldn't help thinking there was a bear lurking in the dark waiting to come get me... not fun at night.
It's been so long since I've been camping I forgot a lot of the struggles sleeping outside can bring. On almost every night of the trip I woke up cold or in pain from the hard ground. I realized it's not quite the same as the low altitude Texas camping I grew up on. I plan on conducting a little research about how to stay warm at high altitudes before I return to New Mexico next month for a fishing trip.
Another thing I'll have to avoid is outdoorsy thriller movies. I had recently watched a movie call Backcountry on Netflix. The gist of the movie was that a hungry black bear terrorizes two hikers. Since I was in bear country, I couldn't help thinking there was a bear lurking in the dark waiting to come get me... not fun at night.
Monday, September 21, 2015
(7) I'm Going to Get in my Vacations Now!
In the article Please Don't Make Me Go on Vacation, author Rosenbloom stated that the "American vacation is dying." Frankly, that worries me. In a few years I will be entering the workforce, and a few years after that I hope to have the discretionary income to sustain all of my vacation wishes.
What happens when my dreams are clouted by my fears of falling behind my peers? What will I decide? I know that I am very competitive when it comes to accomplishing a goal. The article has me thinking that I will be one of the late-nighters, fighting for the next promotion. In fact, I know I will be. Assuming I will always be looking for upward growth, it's likely I won't be taking my vacation until I begin my midlife crisis, realizing I never took the time to do what I wanted to do.
In order to mitigate my impending regret, I think I will take as many vacations as I can now. During a time when I can't move upward any faster by working longer hours. For the next two years, my class schedule has been predetermined. I know what I've accomplished and where I plan on going, up until I walk across that stage. So, I think I'm going to enjoy my free time while I have it. I will use college as a time to take advantage of the freedom of adulthood and the blessing of three day weekends.
What happens when my dreams are clouted by my fears of falling behind my peers? What will I decide? I know that I am very competitive when it comes to accomplishing a goal. The article has me thinking that I will be one of the late-nighters, fighting for the next promotion. In fact, I know I will be. Assuming I will always be looking for upward growth, it's likely I won't be taking my vacation until I begin my midlife crisis, realizing I never took the time to do what I wanted to do.
In order to mitigate my impending regret, I think I will take as many vacations as I can now. During a time when I can't move upward any faster by working longer hours. For the next two years, my class schedule has been predetermined. I know what I've accomplished and where I plan on going, up until I walk across that stage. So, I think I'm going to enjoy my free time while I have it. I will use college as a time to take advantage of the freedom of adulthood and the blessing of three day weekends.
Rosenbloom, S. (2006). Please Don’t Make Me Go on
Vacation. Retrieved from The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/10/fashion/10vacation.html?_r=0&ex=1155960000&pagewanted=all
Monday, September 14, 2015
I Don't Want Heart Issues
Recently, a Russian study found that "men who sleep badly are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack and up to four times as likely to have a stroke compared with those who slept well." Historically, sleep disorders have been related to cardiovascular diseases, but this study was the first the first to reveal the strong correlation between sleep disorders and the development of heart failures. While sleep is only one of the factors that can contribute to cardiovascular diseases, it is thought to be a crucial one.
The evidence presented by this research is convincing enough to me that I will continue to get a good night's rest for the rest of my life if I want it to be a very long one. The best explanation for this is that my body needs that time in NREM sleep in order to restore its physical self. Without that time my body will slowly wear down over time, similar to what happens to an engine without oil.
References:
The evidence presented by this research is convincing enough to me that I will continue to get a good night's rest for the rest of my life if I want it to be a very long one. The best explanation for this is that my body needs that time in NREM sleep in order to restore its physical self. Without that time my body will slowly wear down over time, similar to what happens to an engine without oil.
References:
Minerd, J. (n.d.). Sleeplessness Bad for the Heart.
Retrieved from MedPage Today:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/MyocardialInfraction/52154
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
My Roommate's Alarm
Imagine this, you doze off eager about the night's rest ahead because tomorrow will be a day of the week that you get to sleep in for and extra hour or two! When you wake, however, you don't wake up to your alarm but your roommates. An annoying little ding that has been dinging for what seems like forever. You become hot and bothered while pulling a pillow over your head, but the person who the alarm was intended for is either fast asleep or too lazy to turn it off.
This is how I start many of my mornings. While I am usually able to go back to sleep, my roommates alarm is no doubt interrupting my sleep cycles. Time after time his alarm wakes me up before himself. I can't express how frustrating this is!
The only solution I could think of would be to have him put his phone on the other side of the bed, further away from me. Maybe this will be enough to allow me to sleep through his early morning wake ups.
Any other suggestions?
This is how I start many of my mornings. While I am usually able to go back to sleep, my roommates alarm is no doubt interrupting my sleep cycles. Time after time his alarm wakes me up before himself. I can't express how frustrating this is!
The only solution I could think of would be to have him put his phone on the other side of the bed, further away from me. Maybe this will be enough to allow me to sleep through his early morning wake ups.
Any other suggestions?
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Sleep patterns of college students.
I knew before starting this article that college students generally don't set the best example for ideal sleep patterns. But reading about some of the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation is making me re-think my own sleep patterns.
Most often when I drive at night I become very dreary and end up swerving all over the road. I try and try to wake myself up, usually to no avail. I learned that some aren't as lucky as I have been to avoid an accident while driving tired. Forquer reports that nearly "55% of sleep-related accidents involve individuals younger than 25 years" (2008, para. 2).
I do find it interesting that they measured bedtimes and rise times, finding that "bedtimes on weekends were more than 1 hour later and rise times were more that 2 hours later"(Forquer, 2008, para.7). I would think this is a pretty common archetype among college students around the nation (private and public). I would have like to see a comparison of what the average adults' bedtime and rise times are. I doubt it is only public college students who follow this pattern of increased weekend activity.
I found myself relating to many of this major sleep issues listed as common among the students including: hearing a noise from someone else, needing to use the restroom, and stressing about something. I also wake frequently throughout the night like 21% of other college students.
Lastly, the author offers some advice on how to achieve a better night's sleep. One method being creating a consistent circadian rhythm (falling asleep at the same time each night). The also mentioned that naps should be kept to less than 1 hour, beds should only be used for sleeping, and that a bedroom should be a comfortable place.
Reference:
Forquer, LeAnne. Camden, Adrian. Gabriau, Krista, Johnson, C. (2008) Sleep Patterns of College Students at a Public University. Journal of American College Health Print, Volume 56, 563-565.
Most often when I drive at night I become very dreary and end up swerving all over the road. I try and try to wake myself up, usually to no avail. I learned that some aren't as lucky as I have been to avoid an accident while driving tired. Forquer reports that nearly "55% of sleep-related accidents involve individuals younger than 25 years" (2008, para. 2).
I do find it interesting that they measured bedtimes and rise times, finding that "bedtimes on weekends were more than 1 hour later and rise times were more that 2 hours later"(Forquer, 2008, para.7). I would think this is a pretty common archetype among college students around the nation (private and public). I would have like to see a comparison of what the average adults' bedtime and rise times are. I doubt it is only public college students who follow this pattern of increased weekend activity.
I found myself relating to many of this major sleep issues listed as common among the students including: hearing a noise from someone else, needing to use the restroom, and stressing about something. I also wake frequently throughout the night like 21% of other college students.
Lastly, the author offers some advice on how to achieve a better night's sleep. One method being creating a consistent circadian rhythm (falling asleep at the same time each night). The also mentioned that naps should be kept to less than 1 hour, beds should only be used for sleeping, and that a bedroom should be a comfortable place.
Reference:
Forquer, LeAnne. Camden, Adrian. Gabriau, Krista, Johnson, C. (2008) Sleep Patterns of College Students at a Public University. Journal of American College Health Print, Volume 56, 563-565.
Labor Day Weekend
Well, Labor Day weekend was extremely fun to say the least, but I am so glad to be back at school so that I can catch up on my sleep! I averaged about 5 hours a night over the holiday weekend and it's catching up with me. I would say it was worth it though. Missed sleep can be made up but you don't get a second chance at a missed adventure.
Day after day I could feel myself getting tired and grumpy more easily during the day. Now that the weekend is over, I plan to restore my sleep reserves because I am operating with a semi-large sleep deficit. I am definitely not 100% today; I was dozing off on the way back to Plainview this morning, I struggled through my wrestling workout, and I am dreading a night class that I have enjoyed in past weeks.
All I know is that tonight should be a glorious night of sleep, assuming I get all my homework done at a decent time!
Day after day I could feel myself getting tired and grumpy more easily during the day. Now that the weekend is over, I plan to restore my sleep reserves because I am operating with a semi-large sleep deficit. I am definitely not 100% today; I was dozing off on the way back to Plainview this morning, I struggled through my wrestling workout, and I am dreading a night class that I have enjoyed in past weeks.
All I know is that tonight should be a glorious night of sleep, assuming I get all my homework done at a decent time!
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
No One Fully Understands Sleep!?
If you spent a third of your life doing something, wouldn't you be able to explain why you were doing it? Of course you would!! As it turns out, we all do something for nearly a third of our lives and cannot truly explain why, sleep.
Yes we know that we need sleep because of how we feel when we don't get it. We also know that sleep is good for us because of the way it makes us feel when we finally tuck into the covers at night. We know sleep is good because sometimes just the thought of it can bring that nostalgic feeling of the night before.
This intrinsic knowledge of sleep is what drives the science and research of our slumber today. Even the experts admit that they do not have a good answer for why we need to sleep. They have measured brain waves and studied test subjects but there is still no widley accepted answer for sleep. Maybe our class will have a break-though this semester and finally be able to explain sleep to the world!
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Settling into Plainview for a Third Year
Well, school is finally back into full swing! It's looking like it will be a very busy semester for me, so getting good sleep will be paramount for my success.
As of right now I am getting about nine hours of sleep every night or more, but I feel that my quality of sleep has not been very good. I wake frequently, for various reasons. I think the mostly likely cause of this is the huge change in environment.
I spent the summer at home in Southlake, TX where I stayed in my childhood room most nights. Back home my room is cool, dark, and is equipped with a roomy queen size bed. That particular bed is the best bed I've ever slept on; more because of how long I've slept on it than its quality. I almost always get a goodnight's sleep in that room. Now that I'm back in Plainview I don't have all of the same amenities that I had gotten used to.
In my dormitory, Caprock hall, I can keep the temperature cool by cranking up the A/C, and I have kept out the light by hanging up a blackout curtain over the window. However, all of the rooms are equipped with twin XL mattresses. That is the major factor that I can't change. Now, the twin XLs are the same length as a queen mattress, but the width is almost cut in half (36in. vs. 60in.). I think this difference is one of the main causes of my sleepless nights. I used to be able to stretch out and roll around undisturbed, but now I am confined in a 3ft. bed. I have been told I can be very active at night. If that is true, I have much less room to move around, causing my body to wake itself up more frequently every time I get close the edge of the bed.
I hope that eventually I will adapt to my new bed, but until then I will be using all of the tricks in the book to get a good nights sleep!
Cody
As of right now I am getting about nine hours of sleep every night or more, but I feel that my quality of sleep has not been very good. I wake frequently, for various reasons. I think the mostly likely cause of this is the huge change in environment.
I spent the summer at home in Southlake, TX where I stayed in my childhood room most nights. Back home my room is cool, dark, and is equipped with a roomy queen size bed. That particular bed is the best bed I've ever slept on; more because of how long I've slept on it than its quality. I almost always get a goodnight's sleep in that room. Now that I'm back in Plainview I don't have all of the same amenities that I had gotten used to.
In my dormitory, Caprock hall, I can keep the temperature cool by cranking up the A/C, and I have kept out the light by hanging up a blackout curtain over the window. However, all of the rooms are equipped with twin XL mattresses. That is the major factor that I can't change. Now, the twin XLs are the same length as a queen mattress, but the width is almost cut in half (36in. vs. 60in.). I think this difference is one of the main causes of my sleepless nights. I used to be able to stretch out and roll around undisturbed, but now I am confined in a 3ft. bed. I have been told I can be very active at night. If that is true, I have much less room to move around, causing my body to wake itself up more frequently every time I get close the edge of the bed.
I hope that eventually I will adapt to my new bed, but until then I will be using all of the tricks in the book to get a good nights sleep!
Cody
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)