By Allison Warren, Staff Writer
As each new school year begins, many students feel hopeful that this will be the year where they stay organized and diligent over their study schedules. Finding ideal study spaces, studying at appropriate hours of the day, and having a color coded planner are all ways in which students plan to prepare for the semester ahead.
One commonly held debate pertaining to students’ studying habits is whether or not one should study in bed. Atul Malhotra, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, with a focus on sleep medicine, sets the record straight by sharing that “lying down or sitting upright doesn’t impact your brain function—your posture doesn’t matter.” Interestingly, Malhotra suggests that in the morning, when one wakes up and is lying in bed, it may be a worthwhile opportunity to study, as there are typically minimal distractions.
In fact, a study from 1968 by Gifford and Sommer sought to determine if there was truth behind the notion that studying in bed was detrimental for one’s school performance. The researchers compared the GPA of students who studied at desks with students who studied on their beds and found there was no difference in the GPA’s between the two groups. Therefore, the authors determined that to assume “there is a single type of study environment optimal for all students appears unwarranted.”
Janice Fletcher, an ergonomics specialist at UC San Diego Health, addresses the concern regarding one’s posture when studying in bed. Fletcher explains that when one stands with their arms relaxed at their side their posture is considered “neutral,” with no stress placed on any part of their body. Fletcher lists lying in bed flat on one’s back as the second-most neutral posture. When studying in bed, Fletcher recommends that one sit with their back against a headboard with pillows under their arms to read their notes at eye level and prevent bending their necks.
Dr. Harris Cooper, a social psychologist with a specialty in education at Duke University, addresses the concern that studying in bed may make one tired, which could potentially have a negative impact on one’s ability to retain information. Cooper suggests one track their progress to see if they are truly capable of producing quality work when studying from bed, or if a desk is more suitable for them.
Yet others argue that studying in bed is an activity one should avoid entirely. Annie Miller, psychotherapist and behavioral sleep medicine therapist, shares that one should not study from bed so as to avoid forming an association between one’s bed and wakefulness. Rather, we want our beds “to be a cue for sleep,” and working from them may weaken that association. If one’s sleep quality were to decline, their productivity seemingly would as well.
There is the additional concern that if one has been working from bed all day, they may struggle to stop thinking about their work as they attempt to fall asleep. Or on the contrary, they may struggle to stay awake while doing their work, and give into their tempting pillows and blankets and fall into a premature slumber.
Yet, regardless of productivity, or possible sores from improper posture, is studying in bed a hygienic choice? Dermatologist Dr. Alok Vij details how our bodies shed half a teaspoon full of dead skin daily. Skin is shed when there is friction, therefore plenty is shed when we lie on our sheets at night and especially if we spend our days in bed studying, feeding the dust mites living under our covers. Dust mites are too small for one to see with their naked eye, but they are eight-legged creatures, related to the spider, that feed on dead skin cells. Up to one million dust mites can feed off skin we shed each day.
Although these mites do not bite or burrow under our skin, they may cause rashes, eczema, asthma, and allergies. Bacteria, which love skin and commonly inhabit it, will thrive off our sheets too due to the perfect breeding ground we created for it with our dead skin cells sweat, oil, saliva, and food crumbs. Even though Dr. Vij acknowledges that the likelihood one may get a bad bacterial infection from dirty sheets is low, practicing good hygiene and cleaning sheets is often a healthy practice to ensure our “bacterial ecosystem doesn’t get out of whack.” Fascinatingly, Dr. Vij recommends that one should not make their bed each morning, yet rather should let their sweaty sheets air out in order to “reduce the moisture that dust mites and bacteria need to flourish.”
Surprisingly, research from a study that analyzed microbes and arthropods from chimpanzee treetop beds, revealed that our beds are less sanitary than theirs, an animal known for throwing feces. Megan Thoemmes, lead author of this study and a Ph.D student at North Carolina State University, shared that “35 percent of bacteria in human beds stem from our own bodies, including fecal, oral and skin bacteria,” yet the chimpanzee beds “were much less likely to harbor fecal, oral or skin bacteria.”
An alternative to studying in bed, or sitting at an uncomfortable desk, may be utilizing a standing desk. A study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health found that when sitting, subjects burned 80 calories per hour. Yet, while standing one burns 88 calories per hour. Just a few hours of work while standing can cause you to burn as many calories as found in a carrot. This suggests that it does not seem too likely that a standing desk will help with weight loss or prevent weight gain. Yet, a standing desk still proves worthwhile, with health benefits such as the reduced risks of shoulder and back pain. Additionally, sitting for long periods of time is associated with higher risks for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature death.
For those who do intend to experiment with a standing desk they should be mindful of potential side effects, like back, leg, or foot pain. It is recommended that one eases into using their standing desks by initially only using it for 30-60 minutes a day and gradually increasing their time.
Whether one chooses to study in bed, at a desk, or using a standing desk, each option comes with its own set of benefits and concerns. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and finding the option that best suits one’s individual needs. The goal is to select a study environment that maximizes comfort and productivity, ultimately leading to the best results in school.
Photo Caption: Sitting at a desk may not be the best place for you to study
Photo Credit: Unsplash