I think we can all agree it has been quite a bittersweet first few weeks of school accepting the fact that our summers spent interning, traveling, catching up with high school friends, and making up for lost sleep have finally come to an end. As cynical as you still may be, fall semester is here and here to stay!
The adjustment period from summer break back into school mode is tough considering most professors aren’t very sympathetic to our lack of focus and motivation. This absence of attention develops from our inconsistent sleep schedules as college students. Lack of sleep impacts your academic performance, affecting things like brain function, health, safety, and longevity. Researches have found that sleep actually improves mental function, which is vital for learning and memory. Your ability to focus will be improved making it easier to retain new information and complete tasks such as studying or writing a paper. This consistency in your sleep schedule will even repress feelings of irritability, fatigue, sadness, anxiety, etc. Your body will adjust to these changes and thank you for it later! I have put together some tips to help prepare you for a good night’s sleep while regulating your sleep patterns
1. Get AT LEAST seven to nine hours of each night
2. Get up at the same time every morning, including weekends if possible, which regulates your internal clock to keep you on schedule.
3. Avoid naps. (As an avid nap taker myself I find this tip hard to follow but naps interfere with your sleep schedule and make it difficult to sleep well at night).
4. Stay away from caffeine, tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol before bed
5. Go to sleep when you actually feel sleepy
6. Keep your bedroom a “sleep sanctuary”. Leave your technology and electronics in another room and do your studying, reading, etc. elsewhere
7. Physical activity before or after class can make it easier to fall asleep at night
8. Unwind before bed so when you actually go to bed you are totally relaxed
9. Try writing down your thoughts in a journal or notebook every night to eliminate the anxiety and stress of tomorrow’s to-dos
10. Pay attention to what you eat; don’t go to be hungry or stuffed
A FitBit is an awesome way to put these tips into perspective and track your progress. For those of who are unfamiliar with this innovation, a FitBit is essentially a wristband that helps you develop a healthier lifestyle by tracking your diet, activity, and sleep patterns. You are able to set a sleep goal on your computer dashboard based on your actual calculated sleep rather than time spent in bed. A FitBit enables you to better understand the quality of your sleep!
As the well rounded, busy college students we all are, maintaining this regular sleep schedule isn’t an easy task taking into consideration living situations, studying, night classes, social events, and all the other factors demanding our attention. We are all guilty of putting sleep on the back burner during the school year, but staying up late cramming for an exam or pulling an all-nighter to finish a paper actually hinders your ability to retain the information you’ve spent countless hours trying to remember. Prioritizing and planning in advance for your paper and tests will give you the ability to preform better with a good night sleep under your belt!