Research indicates that depression, anxiety, academic workload, and excessive use of screens before going to bed - all those late-night doom-scrolling and video game marathons - are some of the main reasons for insomnia among university students. All of these factors create the perfect mix for an anxious nervous system.
According to sleeping coach Camilla Stoddart, two main forces keep us awake: “low sleep drive and hyperarousal”. Sleep drive is your brain’s daily desire to sleep. It's normally weak in the morning and intensifies during the day, ideally peaking around evening. If your nervous system is in neutral condition, you’ll be able to sleep effortlessly. But if you’re in hyperarousal - a tense state of the sympathetic nervous system, triggered by fear, stress and coffee - sleep drive doesn’t stand a chance. Your ability to fall asleep is determined by how these two factors interact.
The sympathetic nervous system steps in like a hyper-vigilant security guard keeping you alert, assuming that the way to protect you is by hyper-fixating on that mistake you’ve made on that exam, every embarrassing moment from middle school, all of the deadlines lining up and so on. It's driven by your brain’s amygdala, “your brain’s worry centre, responsible for emotional processing. It’s the amygdala that judges whether something is worth panicking over.”
The sympathetic nervous system steps in like a hyper-vigilant security guard keeping you alert
Thankfully, Camilla also has the solution: journalling.
Reflective thinking, a component of journalling, activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in reasoning and problem-solving, helping regulate the activity of the amygdala when it is aroused. Over time, more balanced, less reactive emotional processing may occur from the relationship between journalling and the prefrontal cortex. When you write down your fears, worries or random thoughts on paper, your brain gets the memo: “noted, we can stop worrying now", so goes to sleep.
However, changing your brain’s function doesn’t happen overnight, so here’s a science-proven tip to help you tackle a lack of sleep-induced woozy day: 20 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, as a study by the University of Portsmouth has shown. Getting your heart pumping can help regulate the brain hormones responsible for concentration, mood and motivation. Cardiovascular activities include brisk-walking, jogging, cycling, jumping rope, dancing and so on.
In a world where overstimulation and anxiety predominate, the key lies in making a conscious effort to maintain peace of mind. Start by decreasing your screen time, setting social media limits and being intentional and specific with how you spend your time. Engage in activities that nurture your well-being and practice reflective journalling. So, give your amygdala a little break and embrace the restful nights ahead.
