Sleepless In Boston

Any urbanite can tell you getting a decent night’s sleep in a major city can be an uphill battle. There may be little data published on whether city-dwellers actually get fewer hours of shut-eye than their suburban and rural counterparts, but cities definitely come with a unique set of barriers to a full night’s sleep.

City residents tend to experience higher levels of anxiety throughout the day, and they’re more likely to take work-related stressors home with them. Either one or a combination of these can make it much more difficult to unwind at the end of the night.

Those living in cities also tend to have smaller residences, which means they end up sleeping in closer proximity to their household electronics. You might not think to blame your studio apartment’s microwave clock for your sleepless nights, but the light it omits can, in fact, keep you up. Similarly, those in smaller residences are more likely to have no choice but to sleep near their phones and tablets, which are known to omit even more intense sleep-disrupting lights.

Metropolitan residents also generally report not having close relationships with their neighbors and not feeling as safe in their homes. The mind cannot rest if it feels unsafe—this is the same reason you many have trouble falling asleep in an unfamiliar setting or outdoors.

Sam Powers (CAS ’20) credits this as the cause of his freshman-year sleeplessness.

“I don’t mind the noise [of the city], I find the cars lulling,” he said. “But it was definitely harder to sleep when I came here, just because of the change of environment.”

Another culprit is the availability of city nightlife—as tempting as Boston’s bar and music scenes may be, staying out all weekend can interrupt your circadian rhythm and throw a wrench in your sleep schedule for the rest of the week. Your circadian rhythm is your internal body clock, which controls sleep patterns and other bodily functions. It responds to biological and environmental factors, such as stress levels and light. The best way to keep a healthy circadian rhythm is to maintain a consistent sleep schedule all week long—try your best to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, even on the weekends.

Keeping a regular sleep schedule is an absolute necessity when it comes to getting quality sleep. That means being consistent during the week but staying out all hours of the night on weekends does not qualify as “regular.”

“It can be pretty annoying,” said Brianna Goldberg (COM ’20). “I’ll be so consistent throughout the week and sleep great, but if I have one or two late nights it really throws me off.”

This can contribute to sleep deprivation, which is known to affect one’s mood and cognition.

“[When I don’t get enough sleep], my depression becomes prevalent and my anxiety spirals,” said Seb Tellez (COM ’20). “I’m unable to tackle my usual tasks.”

Those suffering from insufficient sleep also experience negative physical symptoms, such as a weakened immune system and a higher risk of obesity and heart disease. Sufficient sleep is also vital for anyone looking to lower their blood pressure or weight—those who regularly get enough rest generally have higher levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite and helps us feel full.

Experts have found that sleep is all about quality over quantity. The National Sleep Foundation describes key indicators of quality sleep: successfully falling asleep in 30 minutes or less, waking up no more than once per night and being awake for no longer than 20 minutes after initially falling asleep.

Kabita Das (CFA ’20) said that she only gets about 6 hours of sleep per night and that it has taken a toll on her productivity.

“I feel like I’m less creative [when I’m tired]. It impairs me from making work,” Das said.

Noise pollution can also ruin one's hopes of getting consistent sleep. If you live in an especially noise area, try sleeping with noise-blocking ear plugs or using a white noise machine.

“It’s less noisy in Boston than New York, which is where I’m from,” said Brittney AuYoung (CAS ’20), “but I still like to listen to music to fall asleep, it blocks everything out.”

Similar steps can be taken to combat the city’s light pollution: use warm, low lights in your home in the evenings; use a sleep mask, or consider investing in thick, high-quality curtains to block out the ever-present glow of streetlights and headlights.

Though this may not be an option for those living in studio apartments or dorm rooms, do your best to turn off or silence all electronics and keep them out of your bedroom.

If your sleep schedule and quality are generally healthy but you need a quick fix for one restless night, the American Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends taking a 30-minute (or shorter) nap or ingesting caffeine. Both can increase alertness and fight fatigue— but be sure to cut your nap off at 30 minutes (any longer can increase fatigue) and use caffeine cautiously. Frequent caffeine ingestion can lead to tolerance and withdrawal effects.

According to the AASM, “these quick fixes are not to be relied on day-to-day.”

“The only sure way for an individual to overcome sleep deprivation is to increase nightly sleep time to satisfy his or her biological sleep need,” one AASM study reads. “There is no substitute for sufficient sleep.”

Sleep is a vital element of physical, mental and emotional health. Yet, so many of us consistently fail to get enough of it. It can be difficult to prioritize sleep, especially for those who live in cities. Fortunately, for every streetlight and car horn keeping you up, there are countermeasures you can take to help you get the rest you need. Whether you identify as a morning person or a night owl, there are measures you can and should take to ensure you get the rest necessary for you to function at your highest level.

by Nicole Wilkes / photo by Audria Hadikusumo / design by Sarah Campbell