notice
While you were sleeping
An interview with an insomniac
Photo Illustration by Kit Leffler
Bv James Foley, Jayplay writer
The sun set hours ago. The pale, moonlit streets of West Lawrence seem bleak and desolate as I drive along. Soon most of the city will wake up to a fresh sunrise, ready to start a new day. But not me. I'm still awake. I have to be. I have an interview with an insomniac.
Peering through the darkness, I spot the address and park the car. Two lone zeroes let me know I've found the place;
the other two digits vanished during a party, I later find out. Inside is active and bright, a contrast to the quiet night outside. I'm greeted by Andy Crowson, Leavenworth sophomore. Wide awake, he beckons me in, eyes showing little fatigue from the mere one hour of sleep he's had in the past 48 hours.
An insomniac is one who has problems falling and/or staying asleep. Crowson says his
According to a National Sleep Foundation study, more than 70 million Americans suffer from insomnia. Some have it more severely than others. Crowson, who has not been professionally diagnosed, says the longest he's gone is six straight days without any significant amount of sleep, though he usually maxes out at four. "I get tired," he says, "and I lay places trying to fall
Sleeping problems
Hypersomnia:
Excessive sleepiness throughout the day.
Narcolepsy:
Excessive daytime sleepiness and intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the daytime.
Sleep bruxism:
Involuntary, unconscious, excessive grinding or clenching of teeth during sleep. Sleep enuresis (AKA bedwetting).
Sleep enuresis (AKA bedwetting):
Being unable to maintain urinary control when asleep. Sleep apnea.
insomnia started about three months ago. It keeps him awake well beyond the waking hours of the average twenty something. He bids goodnight to his roommates only to greet them again the next morning. Though Crowson may be an extreme case, he's also one of millions of Americans who have insomnia.
Serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night.
Sleep apnea:
Insomnia taxes the body and mind. It's also an obvious cause of sleep deprivation, which is more serious than insomnia itself. Ruth Ann Atchley, associate professor of psychology, teaches
problems falling asleep; and terminal insomnia, where you can fall asleep but have problems staying asleep.
asleep." He just never does. Crowson and the sunrise are good friends.
insomnia exists in various forms and intensities. The way insomnia affects the body varies according to the individual. It can last a matter of days or can go on for months at a time. There are two main types of insomnia: sleep-onset insomnia, where you have
a class called Sleep and Dreaming.She says the average college student is chronically sleep deprived, getting less than the eight hours a night the body needs.
The living conditions of the average
Sleep tips
- Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
- Establish regular times to go to bed and wake up.
- Avoid late-night meals.
- Avoid using alcohol, caffeine or nicotine late in the day.
- If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up to do something else until you get sleepy.
Sometimes events in our lives cause so much stress that it becomes impossible to sleep. Be it school, relationship problems or depression, having sleep problems because of a specific reason is
college student make us susceptible to sleep onset insomnia. Living in a dorm or cramped apartment where your personal space is limited causes us to economize, our beds often doubling as a place to do homework or watch TV, Atchley says. Regularly using your bed for activities other than sleeping or sex tricks your mind into thinking that the bed is a place to be awake.
Atchley says practicing good sleep hygiene is key to treating cases of sleep onset insomnia. She says maintaining consistent sleeping and waking schedules, avoiding prolonged or frequent naps and exercising regularly will help your body get a good night's sleep. Also, don't sleep away the morning just because you don't have class until noon. Doing so will disrupt your circadian rhythm, Atchley says.
"College students do everything in their beds; that's part of the problem" she says.
called secondary insomnia. Zach Waite, Leavenworth junior, went two and a half months without a good night's sleep last year when he had problems with a long distance relationship. It worked him up so much that
he couldn't fall asleep. His mind would race in circles, keeping him awake when he wanted nothing more than to sleep. His sleepless nights met days filled with class and work, where he found himself unable to concentrate and dozing constantly. "I was exhausted all the time," he says. "It was terrible."
Being unable to sleep can drive you crazy. But there are remedies that can help you take the reins and get insomnia under control. The Web site www. WebMD.com suggests getting into a regular exercise routine, because the exercise will tire your body and help it fall asleep.The Web site also recommends reserving your bed for activities where a bed is required, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep when you need to.
Getting enough sleep is crucial to having a healthy, functional life. While college is a time for us to play just as hard as we work, it's important to make time for a good night's sleep. Doing so will make you much healthier in the long run. Goodnight.
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