sleep – The Orbital

15Oct

By Luz Sanchez-Real ZielniewiczNo Comments

Science & Technology

Much Ado About Sleeping

The end of summer feels like the end of a dream. Lie-ins morph into morning lectures; you never seem to win the daily battle with your alarm clock; and all you really want is to finish that dream about the llama and the-- never mind... Sometimes, it seems that getting a good nights’ sleep (and then waking up again) is harder than getting your actual degree. You’re likely aware that there are different stages of sleep which affect how you’ll feel when you wake up. However, it’s difficult to get the timing just right. To paraphrase Shakespeare, ‘the course of true rest never did run smooth’. If we break it down, though, you might just figure out how to wake up feeling fresh as a daisy and ready for all of those 9AMs... The first step to a solid sleep is the non-REM (REM = Rapid ...

6Nov

By Laura StoodleyNo Comments

Lifestyle

Naps: The Natural Pick-Me-Up

I am a huge advocate for naps. Usually, you can find me waking up from my early evening nap and preparing for a night out, or less favourably and more commonly, settling in to grind down on a night full of homework. Lately, I’ve been wondering - are these naps helping me or just helping me procrastinate? Unsurprisingly, napping has a number of benefits including reducing fatigue, increasing alertness, and improving mood. In addition, as bad sleep can increase the amount of stress hormones and negatively affect the immune system, a quick nap can reverse the hormonal impact that comes with a night of bad sleep. Although, napping only benefits you if used properly (think great power, great responsibility). Lucky for you, I’m here to give you a brief guide to how to most effectively nap. ...

7Jun

By Beth CarrNo Comments

Opinion

In search of some much needed sleep

Sleep. It’s vital, especially for students. We seem to have two moods: ‘sleep is for the weak’ and ‘I want to sleep for a week’. With the frantic juggling of work and socialising, sleep tends to be neglected, especially around deadlines and exams. But then it can also be cruelly taken away by late night revellers, as many students in halls have found. One angry, sleep deprived resident said: "Due to living in Wedderburn sleep is often interrupted by fire alarms or drunk people singing ‘I dont want to miss a thing’ outside my window." This is not ideal for anyone, but especially inconvenient on nights before exams. It can be especially hard when you are free from work and others around you are not, but being considerate coming home from Monkey’s or the SU should be the norm. Another f...

7Jun

By No Comments

Opinion

Start Afresh

During the exam period, revision meant I’d use it as an excuse not to do an array of things, include eat healthily and exercise. However, now I have no excuse with three months of summer coming up, I’m determined to get fit and be productive! Number one: Exercise. Whether it is going for a six mile run or just a Zumba class, I’m determined to do more. I’ve already found it makes me feel more proactive and awake (for those days, when getting out of bed is a challenge). Number two: Water. It is suggested that you should drink approximately eight glasses of water a day, so that’s what I’m going to do (in theory). Number three: Healthy eating. This one is tough for me, my sweet tooth rules my life. I’ve attempted to cut out fizzy drinks, with a large degree of success, but can’t quite...