Even if you enjoyed a relaxed start to your semester, by now everything is in full swing. As the leaves begin to change color, it could mean only one thing…midterms! They come in all shapes and sizes—tedious exams, extensive papers, take-home tests, or anything else that is stress-inducing. And that doesn’t even factor our extracurriculars into our daily lives. But even in this busy stretch to fall break, REMEMBER TO SLEEP. Here are some friendly reminders to ensure the sweetest of sweet dreams:
1. I’ll take decaf, please. Monitor your caffeine intake—whether it be soda or coffee. Try not to drink caffeinated beverages as evening approaches. When you’re planning to hit the hay in a few hours, drink decaf coffee instead. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to fall prey to the placebo effect. Even if people can initially fall asleep with large amounts of caffeine in their bodies, they often endure a night of restless sleep. And nobody wants to toss and turn for six hours.
2. Bedtime snack. We’ve all heard that we shouldn’t eat just before bed. But a little nightcap could do you good! Pour yourself a mug of milk and pop it in the microwave for about two minutes. Sound too bland? Spice it up with some cinnamon or, my preference, honey. Warm milk creates a soothing effect, and you’ll sleep as well as you napped after Monon last year.
3. Exercise early. Exercise can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to bedtime. If you work out in the mornings, then you should be tuckered out by night. But if you go on your run a few hours before bed, chances are your body will still be wired. Rigorous exercise is invigorating and prepares your body for a busy day—not a comatose slumber.
Above all, remind yourself that sleep is NOT underrated. Past a certain point, sleep deprivation even becomes equivalent to intoxication. Sleep deprivation will also hurt your immune system, and sometimes it produces anxiety or mood swings. Gently tell your roommate that she is indeed mistaken if she believes she can “sleep when she’s dead.” Let’s all get our beauty sleep, and together we’ll keep our campus happy, healthy, and rejuvenated!