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Eagles’ Rest Sleep Program

Getting an average of eight hours of quality sleep per night is an important part of academic success and overall health. There are many benefits to getting good sleep, especially for students, as proper sleep hygiene is essential for increased memory retention, learning, decision making, and critical thinking. Eagles’ Rest can help you address obstacles to getting a good night’s sleep.

NOTE: If you are experiencing major sleep disturbances that interfere with your well-being, you should consider scheduling an appointment with a healthcare provider.

Logo for the Eagles' Rest program, a cartoon Eagle with a nightcap sits in a nest.

Sleep Myths

Truth: Caffeine, found in all kinds of food and drink (e.g., coffee, energy drinks, chocolate, etc.) is a stimulant. Eating or drinking anything with caffeine 1 – 6 hours before going to bed can disrupt your sleep. Even a little sleep loss adds up and can lead to a drop in your alertness and performance during the day.

Truth: While alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, it can decrease the quality of that sleep. You’re likely to miss out on deep, restful sleep which helps your brain recover, process memory, and learn.

Truth: Daily use of cannabis can lead to sleep disruption and insomnia. Similar to alcohol, regular cannabis use often leads to poor sleep quality causing you to feel tired and sluggish during the day.

Truth: A good night’s sleep can improve your ability to remember what you’ve studied by up to 40%. Skipping a good night’s sleep (even to study) decreases your ability to learn and retain information. Ultimately, this may lead to worse results in the classroom.

Truth: Watching TV, streaming on your computer, or scrolling through social media on your phone right before bed can not only make it harder to fall asleep but also lead to less sleep altogether. Changing the temperature of the light (i.e., cool/blue light vs. warm/yellow light) doesn’t make much of a difference.

Truth: Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Averaging less than 6 hours of sleep can lead to significant mental and emotional distress. Not getting an adequate amount of sleep for long periods of time can contribute to serious illness such as breast cancer, heart disease, and depression.

Truth: You can’t regain or catch up on lost sleep by sleeping more at another time. Being sleep deprived means you accumulate a “sleep debt” that is impossible to “repay.”


Resources

Selected
Strategies
Special Populations

Strategies

There may be some barriers keeping you from getting the sleep you need. Some strategies that can help address them include:

  • Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise during the day (avoid doing so an hour before bedtime)
  • Using aroma therapy (e.g., a diffuser) with lavender or some other calming scent
  • Avoiding caffeine, smoking, or vaping nicotine and/or cannabis close to bedtime
  • Having a light snack, but avoid a heavy meal close to bedtime
  • Having a regular bedtime routine that you use most nights
  • Turning off your phone or enabling “do not disturb” mode
  • Lowering the temperature in your room (69°F is optimal)
  • Listening to a meditation, white noise, or use ear plugs
  • Setting a regular nightly bedtime routine

Sleep Diary

Use this Sleep Diary to track your daily sleep habits over one week.
Download the Diary

Special Populations

First Year Students

  • Establish a consistent bedtime & wake up time
  • Proactively discuss your preferred sleep needs with your roommate
  • Work out agreed upon “quiet hours” with your roommate

International Students

  • Drink a lot of water while traveling. Dehydration can disrupt sleep quality and duration
  • Try to sleep while traveling
  • Jet lag can last a few days or a few weeks. If you can’t get to campus early, try to begin adjusting your sleep schedule in your home country before leaving for AU
  • Don’t forget to convert the time zone to EST/EDT on your watch and electronic devices

Law School Students

  • Study for exams throughout the semester (as opposed to cramming during finals week and forgoing sleep)
  • Proactively identify safe places to take a nap outside of your home
  • Prioritize sleep quality if the optimal sleep duration isn’t possible. Reduce or remove anything that may disrupt your sleep (e.g., use black-out curtains for light, earplugs for traffic noise, and lower room temperature)

Consultation

Speak with a staff member in the Center for Well-Being about your sleep.

Request a Meeting

Sleep Assessment

After completing the Sleep Diary, fill out the Sleep Assessment to see a snapshot of where your sleep patterns and practices can use a boost!

Sleep Kit

Sleep kits are available by request from the Wellness Center for student who are looking for some support towards a better night’s sleep. Kits include:

  • Eye mask
  • Ear plugs
  • Sleep Diary

Request Here