Sleep

Sleep is a BIG deal for having an optimal VCE year. After Isabelle got sick despite the fact that she was slipping behind with course work we knew how important it was that she got her sleep so her immune system could restore, her brain could concentrate and absorb information again and so she could minimize the risk of a relapse.

Most of us in the Western World are sleep deprived. Year 12 students typically need almost 9 hours a night. A good guideline is if you fall asleep within 5 minutes you are sleep deprived with 15 to 20 minutes being good and longer indicating that you might also be sleep deprived through poor sleeping habits.

Having a comfortable bed, bedding and sleepwear is important. Keeping bed for sleeping and not studying or eating are other tips the experts give.

The deep REM sleep patterns that occupy about 2 hours of a night’s sleep are not fully understood, but one of the most accepted theories are that this is when the data from the previous day is dealt with, much like sorting important from unimportant information into different filing cabinets in the brain. This is obviously a process that you want to work effectively.

If you are having problems with sleeping then spending some time learning effective relaxation techniques is time well spent. You may also want to consider a couple of non-drug solutions to assist you sleep. Swisse have a product with magnesium and herbs such as Valerian. Vitality Brands have a product that gets rave reviews called Chillax with a  blend of Montmorency Cherry juice and Lactium that helps the body sleep without the side effects that sleeping pills can have.