START THE YEAR RIGHT

• We are creatures of habit, so start it off right!

• How much sleep you get affects your daily mood, energy,

attentiveness…basically your entire life!

The problems with being tired…

Sleep deprivation can lead to:

• chronic tiredness• mood changes• frustration• difficulty controlling

emotions • inability to think abstractly• absenteeism

It isn’t just you

• 36% of 18 – 29 year olds have difficulty getting up in the morning

• 22% are late to school or work due to sleepiness

• 40% sleep at school or work at least two days a week

According to the National Sleep Foundation

Driving Drowsy Kills

• 60% of 18 – 29 year olds have driven while drowsy

• 25% have actually dozed off

• 22% admit to driving faster when tired

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “Drowsiness has been the cause of 100,000 traffic crashes each year, killing more than 1500 Americans and injuring another 71000

• 18 – 29 year olds are responsible for more than half of these accidents

How much sleep?In order to be at your peak

performance you need at least 7 hours of sleep.

What Can you do?• Try to go to sleep at the same

time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Try not to take naps during the day because naps may make you less sleepy at night.

Avoid Naps!

If you can't fall asleep and don't feel drowsy, get up and read or do something that is not overly stimulating until you feel sleepy.

If you have trouble lying awake worrying about things, try making a to-do list before you go to bed. This may help you to "let go" of those worries overnight.

• Follow a routine to help relax and wind down before sleep, such as reading a book, listening to music, or taking a bath.

• Avoid using your bed for anything other than sleep or sex.

Avoid Studying in Bed

• Don't eat a heavy meal late in the day. A light snack before bedtime, however, may help you sleep.

• Make your sleeping place comfortable. Be sure that it is dark, quiet, and not too warm or too cold. If light is a problem, try a sleeping mask. If noise is a problem, try earplugs, a fan, or a "white noise" machine to cover up the sounds.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol late in the day. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and can keep you from falling asleep. Alcohol can cause waking in the night and interferes with sleep quality.

Get regular exercise. But try not to exercise close to bedtime because it may stimulate you and make it hard to fall asleep. Experts suggest not exercising for 3 hours before the time you go to sleep.

Try not to take the night shift at work if you can because once again, this will mess up your whole sleeping

schedule