Sleep plays an important role in our physical, mental and emotional health and well-being but many people don’t often focus on making it a priority. Emory faculty and staff are invited to change that by joining the “Sleep better! Feel better!” campaign during December to improve their sleep habits.
“'Sleep better! Feel better!' is about raising awareness of the importance of sleep and providing resources to help employees make improvements,” explains Marisa Hutchinson, wellness specialist. “Creating a pre-bedtime routine, determining a sleep schedule and monitoring habits throughout the day contribute to improved sleep, and this campaign helps provide the tools to start.”
A good starting point is the “Be in Bed” challenge, available on Healthy Emory Connect through Dec. 20. Employees are encouraged to strive for at least seven hours of sleep each night. All who achieve this goal for 10 out of 14 days will receive 1,000 Healthy Emory Connect points.
In addition to the “Be in Bed” challenge, employees can track sleep daily for points, attend a webinar (“Mindfulness for Sleep” on Dec. 15 or “Sleep Facts and Myths” on Dec. 17) or complete a sleep Journey program on Healthy Emory Connect:
- Calm Your Mind for Sleep
- Get Back to Sleep
- Plan for Sleep
- Set Up Your Room for Sleep
- Sleep for Parents
Everyone who completes one full sleep Journey will receive a total of 4,000 points. For more detailed information about the challenge and the resources and points available, visit the “Sleep better! Feel better!” web page.
Jessica Wang with Campus Services Transportation Services says that tracking her sleep through Healthy Emory Connect brought awareness of her sleep patterns. “Once I started using the Healthy Emory Connect app, I discovered that my sleeping habits were terrible,” Wang explains. “I almost never made it to seven hours of sleep. Since using the app gives me points for tracking the hours I sleep, I’ve been better about getting more of it, and consistently, too.”
Awareness is the first step. Start making sleep a priority today, so you can sleep better and feel better.
For questions about the “Sleep better! Feel better!” campaign, email Healthy Emory at healthyemory@emory.edu.