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Fresh bedsheets and dusk walks: Expert tips for sleep-deprived freshers - Published It's the start of university - you're already on your fourth themed night out of the week and have signed up for every quirky-sounding society your campus has to offer. But your relationship with your bed could be key to keeping up with a busy social life, as well as that lengthy reading list. "If you can get out before 11am-ish then there's a part of the brain, just behind the eyes, that responds to light," says Jo Baker, a psychotherapist and student sleep and mental health expert. "Getting daylight early on in the day is really going to help to keep your body in check. How you sleep at night starts with how you wake up in the morning." Sleep is essential to learning and absorbing information. But late nights out, noisy flatmates and a strange new bed can mean good sleep habits go out the window. For Anna-May, 20, it's her four-hour round trip from Kendal, Cumbria to study dance at the University of Salford that leaves her short of sleep. She gets about five hours a night - the alarm goes at 05:00. "I track my sleep and get worried about how little I will get, and then sometimes that keeps me up," she says. "I can tell I'm more tired towards the end of the week and things can feel harder." Forcing yourself to have an early night isn't going to work, according to Baker, especially if you end up lying wide awake in bed. "Your brain learns this is somewhere I lie and get stressed about not being able to sleep - so the most important thing is a consistent waking time," she says. Alcohol and caffeine don't help When you feel groggy, it's tempting to chug multiple coffees or fizzy drinks. But caffeine hangs around in the body and blocks the build-up of sleepiness throughout the day. Too many flat whites and you'll not only be short of cash - you could also develop a sleep problem. Alcohol may also be a tempting way to boost your confidence around new people, but it doesn't help you sleep. "When you fall asleep [after large amounts of alcohol], you're anaesthetised really. It's like having an anaesthetic. You're not asleep," Baker says. In fact, alcohol pushes out the deep sleep which restores you physically, and replaces it with lighter sleep, which doesn't. Emma Young, deputy director of student services for health and wellbeing at Manchester Metropolitan University points out the low-key alternatives during freshers' week. "There are lots of alcohol-free events now, like sip and paint. You can also try wellness and wellbeing clubs, like yoga and crafts, if you don't fancy the sport or music societies." - Why caffeine makes some people buzz - and others barely notice - Published6 days ago Switch off properly before sleep Anna-May likes a hot shower or bath before bed, which research suggests helps the body's core temperature to cool down and prepare for sleep. Then the only way she can get to sleep is to watch episodes of Friends on her iPad. "I watch something I have seen time and time again - it's enough to quieten the busy part of my mind and I can fall to sleep," she says. But activities without screens like journalling or reading a book might be best for creating a calm, gradual transition to sleep. Listening to music or a podcast can also work. The natural hormone melatonin rises before bedtime, making us feel sleepy. But watching social media reels or films means your eyes stay active, blocking that process and keeping you awake. Baker also suggests: - Switching off screens an hour and a half before bed - Avoiding a heavy meal just before going to bed - Washing your sheets so they are nice and clean to get into - Chucking a throw over your laptop, books and desk so you know work is done for the day - Going for a walk at dusk - the changing light is a signal to the brain - Keeping your bed for sleeping in (rather than eating, working or watching YouTube) Plan for feeling ill in bed Feeling unwell can of course impact your sleep patterns. Freshers' flu is tricky to avoid, but good hand hygiene - washing regularly or using antibacterial hand gel - might just reduce your chances of getting a fever, sore throat and blocked nose, and spending a day or two in bed. Meningitis is far more dangerous and requires urgent medical help (call 999). It can look a lot like freshers' flu but if it's not diagnosed, it can progress very quickly and lead to seizures, brain damage and sepsis. That's why a free NHS vaccine called Men B is now on offer to all freshers students. Many universities recommend planning ahead in case you feel ill and need some medical help at some point, especially if you're living away from home. A typical to-do list should include: - Registering with a local GP - Finding your nearest chemist - Registering with an NHS dentist - Finding out where the closest A&E is You might also want to check out what your uni has to offer in terms of mental health support. Some pair up students for peer support and run dedicated 24-hour phone lines. Websites like Student Minds, external have lots of useful advice and information. And if you're not feeling like yourself, Young suggests a regular call home, to family or a best friend. Related topics - Published8 September - Published3 September - Published11 September
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