The day is as long as it is, and there is no exception for anyone. As a result, we all struggle to squeeze everything within 24 hours and interestingly, some excel at it and others fail completely. If you start your morning snoozing your alarm clock button several times before actually getting up, or struggle to fall asleep for hours at night, we are afraid to inform you – you are failing to organize your time. More specifically, you are bad at organizing your sleep time.
According to the University of Alabama, 60 percent of college students sleep insufficiently. This doesn’t just affect their academic performance and ability to finish the rest of the tasks, but is also bad for their health. Skimping on sleep time can contribute do many health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, as well as put you at risk for metabolic diseases.
That being said, if you are pulling an all-nighter often or struggling to get the sleep you desperately need to get through school, you will appreciate these six sleeping hacks below.
1. Give Your Bed and Bedroom a Sole Purpose
The temptation to treat your bed as a place where you write homework, use your laptop, or even snack is big. However, it is also very bad for your sleep habits, which is why you need to give your bedroom one and one purpose only – a place to sleep in. If you teach your mind that this is a place for sleeping only, you will find it much easier to fall asleep at night instead of spending hours on your phone unable to catch some sleep.
2. Avoid Evening Caffeine Intake
If you stick to water instead of caffeinated drinks in the evening, you will be much more likely to fall asleep and get quality rest. Too much caffeine is bad for your health in general, but it is also one of the biggest reasons why you struggle with sleeping though those already limited sleep hours you have.
3. Get Regular Exercise
As a student, you probably find it really hard to set time aside for luxuries, but opposite to what many believe, exercise is not a luxury – it is a necessity. To be able to get through the day with enough energy, as well as keep yourself healthy, you need to get regular exercise.
It doesn’t even have to be as often or as lengthy. Three to four times a week for a duration of 30 minutes is perfectly enough to promote a good night’s sleep and keep you energized when you wake up.
4. Make It a Routine
Your schedule must be a mess, which means that your sleep routine is more or less non-existent. If you want to get enough sleep in the limited time you have, it is time to set a strict routine and actually stick to it.
See how much time you have for sleeping and set a routine where you go to sleep and wake up at the same time, every day. This might be hard for you at the beginning but very soon, you will get used to this habit and as a result, get better and higher-quality sleep.
5. Reduce Your Stress
Easier said than done, but still possible! If you are finding it hard to fall asleep or often experience restless nights, the culprit is most likely stress. In the life of a student, stress is very common.
That being said, do your best to reduce your stress before you go to sleep at night. Do some meditation, take some time off, take breaks in between studying and doing homework, etc. Choose your own stress reliever and use it on daily basis.
6. Take Naps
If your days are too much to handle, take a short nap. Remember to stick to that sleeping routine we mentioned, which means that you should limit your naps to maximum 30 minutes, and take them in the bedroom – the place where all the sleep happens.
A short nap should keep you refreshed and trick your mind into thinking that you are rested enough to continue. It will also serve as the much-needed break from studying and writing assignments, so you might want to add this one to your routine if you feel tired in the middle of the day often.
Conclusion
These six hacks are very popular among students who experience troubles with sleep deprivation and sleep quality. To be able to get a good night’s sleep, it isn’t just enough to decide not to make an all-nighter. You must also change your routine, get exercise, work on reducing your stress and simply, get focused on the goal of adding quality sleep into your limited, busy days.
BIO
Laura Buckler is contributor for educational portal Scholaradvisor and freelance writer. She believes that everything in our life is simple and achievable and tries to help people recognize their own potential. Personal motivation is her main driving force. You can follow her on twitter.