Sleep Awareness Week: Rest, Healing, and Resilience

Sleep is important for physical health, mental clarity, and emotional stability. Yet, many Black and Latino boys and men face unique stressors that can disrupt necessary sleep patterns to maintain their health. 

During Sleep Awareness Week, the Black Boy Healing Project breaks down the stressors that can affect sleep, the importance of maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, and what can be done in your community and everyday life to keep sleep as a vital part of healing and empowerment. 

How Racism Affects the Body and Sleep: 

Research has shown that racism produces real-time physiological stress responses throughout the body. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln conducted a study in which participants wore wearable devices that tracked real-time reactions. Results shown at participants experienced increased heart rate during racially stressful encounters (University of Nebraska–Lincoln Office of Research and Economic Development, 2021) When experiencing racially stressful encounters, the body is activated into a fight-or-flight response (Reed,2020) which overtime with chronicle exposure to such stressors can cause long-term physical strain and an increase in cortisol levels (Cheadle et aI., 2020) 

How this affects sleep: 

• Falling asleep is more difficult

• The brain stays in high alert at night 

• Sleep cycles become shortened or interrupted 

• Rest feels less rejuvenating 

• Muscle Tension

• Increased heart rate

• Release of cortisol and adrenaline

Overtime these disruptors can increase: 

• Emotional stress

• Fatigue 

• Anxiety 

Why sleep is Essential for growth: 

Having healthy sleep patterns supports both emotional and physical development. 

Getting quality sleep includes: 

• Improved energy and mood

• Strong immune system 

• Better emotion regulation 

• Improved focus and concentration 

• Stronger memory and learning abilities 

Sleep is known for processing daily experiences and emotional stress. Without getting proper rest, the body struggles to recover from the pressures of the day. And for Black and Latino boys and men navigating systemic challenges, gaining sleep becomes a key part of healing and resilience. 

Create a consistent sleep schedule: 

• Practice going to bed at the same time each night 

• Wake up at the same time each morning 

• Keep this routine even on weekends

Limit screen time at night: 

• Reduce exposure to bright light, blue light, and stimulation 

• Turn off phones and tablets 30-60 minutes before going to sleep 

Create a calming sleep environment: 

• Keep the bedroom dark and quiet 

• Set and maintain a comfortable temperature 

• Use relaxing routines before sleep

Move your body throughout the day: 

• Take 10-30 minute walks 

• Light yoga 

• Stretching for circulation 

Practice relaxation technique: 

• Meditation 

• Deep breathing 

• Gentle stretching 

• Journaling 

• Reading 

  
  

Implementing these habits will help the body transition to rest and recovery mode 

Sleep awareness week is a reminder that resting is essential to wellness. Sleep provides one of the most important pathways towards healing. By prioritizing sleep, the BBHP community can: 

• Feel safe enough to rest 

• Develop healthy coping strategies 

•  Build emotional strength

• Grow confidence and empower individuals

By starting here, we can build a future where rest and wellness are accessible to every boy and man of color.  

References

Cheadle, J. E., et al. (2020). Race and ethnic variation in college students’ allostatic regulation of racism-related stress. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Reed, L. (2020). New study shows real-time stress reaction to racism. University of Nebraska–Lincoln News.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Office of Research and Economic Development. (2021). Tracking Real-Time Physiological Reactions to Racism. In 2020–2021 Nebraska Research Report. https://research.unl.edu/annualreport/2021/stress/