A good night’s sleep and being a college student are two things that don’t often go together. In fact, when work starts piling up at school, sleep is usually the first thing most students take off their to-do lists. The trouble is that sleep habits are linked to academic performance. The less rest you get each night, the worse you will feel, and therefore, the worse you will do at school. College students are more sleep-deprived than ever, but, with these tips, you can change that.
Get Outside Right Away
As tempting as it may be, you should avoid lounging about in bed each morning. This only increases the likelihood of you falling back to sleep, which could cause you to miss your classes and might make it harder to fall asleep at night. Instead, get yourself outside as soon as you can. The natural light will tell your body to wake up and keep it in its natural sleep cycle.
Stop Studying In Bed
Your bed should be reserved for sleeping alone. If you use it as a place to watch television and study too, then your mind will begin to associate it with these activities. Because they’re not relaxing, you’ll find it difficult to wind down when you actually want to. Instead of sitting in your bed to study, you could head to the library, a nearby cafe, or, at the very least, the desk in your room.
Try A Sleep Aid
There are many natural aids that can be of great help in getting to sleep. Options that you might want to try are melatonin supplements, for example, and valerian root. You could even eat a few different edibles. If you don’t already know what those are, then check out this marijuana glossary. Just make sure that you take these aids early enough to keep you from sleeping in.
Put Your Phone Away
While you may check your phone every five minutes throughout the day, you should avoid doing so at night. As well as keeping your mind active, the blue light that this device emits can interfere with your circadian rhythm. Because of this, it’s best that you turn your phone off an hour or two before going to bed. If you use your phone as an alarm clock, then put it in a drawer instead.
Make Exercise A Habit
Everyone knows how beneficial exercise can be. It helps you to maintain a healthy weight and combat stress at the same time. However, most people don’t realize that it can improve your sleep too. That being said, you should only exercise early in the day. If you work out too close to your bedtime, then you’ll wake yourself up, making it harder to drift off.
Stick To A Routine
Exercising at the same time, eating at the same time, and going to bed at the same time will all help you to get a better night’s sleep. This is because your body will pick up on certain cues, so it will begin winding down an hour or two before you usually go to sleep. Other activities you might want to include in your bedtime routine are taking a shower and putting electronics away.
College students are often sleep-deprived, but, with the tips above, you can get a good night’s rest.