How much sleep did you get last night? How about during finals week? At least eight hours? No, we didn’t think so either.
As busy collegiettes, sleep can easily be pushed to the bottom of our to-do list – but it definitely shouldn’t be. A good night’s sleep is not only necessary to recover from the past day, it is also invaluable for your well-being the next day. ”A good day starts the night before,” says Arianna Huffington, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Huffington Post in her new book Sleep Revolution. Her own wake-up call came when she collapsed at her desk from exhaustion after which she’s dedicated her time on lecturing about the importance of sleep and how we should all pay attention to getting enough of it.
In today’s world, we are constantly wired and burning out has started to look like an inevitable part of success and accomplishment. According to Huffington, this has lead to a global sleep deprivation crisis which we shouldn’t take lightly. After all, sleep affects our every waking moment. It helps us succeed at our studies, form lasting relationships and live a healthy and happy life in general. In Sleep Revolution Huffington studies sleep the way we can use it to regain control of our lives, and also gives some handy tips on how to get a better night’s sleep.
So, what gives if you generally sleep only a few hours at night and maybe can’t fall asleep before midnight even if you tried to? Try some of these tips:
- Realize that a good day starts the night before. Don’t sacrifice your sleep for studying for an exam – you’re likely to just do worse as your brain doesn’t function properly when you’re exhausted.
- Make your bedroom a relaxing oasis. If you can, avoid studying at bed. Your bed should be reserved for two things only: sleep and sex.
- Don’t hang on social media just before turning the lights off. You should switch off all your electronic devices at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Spend your evening reading a good book instead of scrolling through Instagram and you’re guaranteed to be more relaxed and sleep better.
- Leave your day and all the stress behind when you go to bed. A good way to wind down is to keep a gratitude journal where you’ll write down a few things that you’re grateful for every evening. That will end your day in a more positive note than spending hours tossing and turning, thinking about all the things you still should have done.
Next time you’re tempted to pull an all-nighter think again and choose sleep. We guarantee you’ll feel better and more productive the next day!