By now, we all understand that getting a good night’s rest in college is priceless. Apart from learning that your least favorite professor has cancelled class, waking up and feeling well rested is the most precious rarity in college. Far too many students believe that being well-rested in college is impossible, when getting that epic good night’s rest may only take a little preparation.
The following steps are easy to follow and, if followed precisely, will get rid of those puffy bags from underneath those eyes.
Organize and prioritize
Time management is essential to being well-rested. Many of us have become professional procrastinators and, by extension, restless sleepers. You will need to make enough time to sleep. Look at your assignments, and get things done on time by starting them immediately because college is a time warp, and before you know it, deadlines are here, and you are already behind.
Start by buying a calendar and putting memos on them. This will help you to keep track of important dates and will hopefully urge you to get stuff done on time. With your assignments done and calendar up to date, it will be easier to get some well-deserved hours of sleep.
Wean off the caffeine
A cup of coffee in the morning is fine, but coffee or any caffeinated drinks in the evening can affect your sleep. Nothing is worse than laying in bed and being unable to fall asleep, so to prevent this, put a cap on how many caffeinated drinks you have throughout the day.
If, for some reason, you have late classes and need the extra energy to survive, try drinking ice-cold water and munching on something during class. The cold water will shock your system enough to keep you from falling asleep, and snacking keeps your mouth active, which helps to keep you up and alert. Without the caffeine in your system, it should be easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Log off
Being a college student in the social-media era can complicate our lives. We are plugged in 24/7, and it can be difficult to plug out. Therefore, you have to make a conscientious effort to log out of all social media websites before bed because they can be distracting. We’ve all been guilty of laying down at night and spending hours scrolling through Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. You are robbing yourself of a good night’s sleep when you spend hours perusing social media, so give yourself a deadline.
Tell yourself that by 9 p.m., you will log out of all social media accounts, and resist all temptation to break this rule. That way, your mind can relax, and you won’t have anything else to do but fall asleep. By the way, if you wake up in the middle of the night, do not go on social media. It will definitely keep you up, and before you know it, you have given away priceless hours of sleep.
To nap, or not to nap?
Many students won’t agree with this tip, but before you dismiss it, take a moment to carefully read through it. Napping is great, and after a good nap, everyone feels refreshed. The problem with napping is that when it’s time for bed, you can have a difficult time falling asleep.
Napping is definitely not worth it in the long term; it throws you off your sleep cycle, especially if you are already struggling to get a good night’s rest. However, napping is definitely recommended if you are extremely exhausted. If this is the case, try to keep it between 10 and 20 minutes so you won’t suffer from sleep inertia. According to the Valley Sleep Center, sleep inertia is that groggy feeling you get when someone wakes you up in the middle of your sleep, and it can leave you feeling disoriented and miserable for the rest of the day. Take a nap if absolutely necessary, but don’t make a habit out of it if you want restful sleep at nights.
Schedule unwind time
Throughout the day, your mind and body are constantly working, and it can be hard to slow them down for bed. Many of us will find ourselves in bed with our minds still moving at 40 miles per hour, which can prevent you from falling asleep.
To put a stop to this problem, dedicate an hour to unwinding before bed. The National Sleep Foundation suggests reading something funny or entertaining. Try staying away from using laptops and electronic devices close to bedtime, as this can make it hard for some people to fall asleep.
Furthermore, the National Sleep Foundation suggests staying away from bright lights, as being exposed to bright lights before bed can lead to anxiety that can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. The light from our devices also disrupts our sleep cycles.
Whatever you choose to do in this hour, make sure that it is calming and does not require a lot of effort to prep your mind and body for sleep.
Bond with your bed
Many of us use our beds for studying, watching Netflix and many other activities. However, the National Sleep Foundation recommends using your bed only for sleep to train your mind to associate your bed with sleep. When you have created this relationship, it will be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep when you go to bed.
Lastly, remember that sleep is vital, and, to do well in school, it is of the utmost importance to be well rested.
