Getting back into a routine can be difficult after a long summer. For me personally, it was a serious struggle to find a balance between work, sleep, and a social life during my first few weeks on campus.
We’ve all heard it before from our parents at one point or another:
“Make sure you get a good night’s sleep.”
As a college student, that doesn’t always seem possible. Whether you’re in Trexler Library, studying for an exam the next day, GQ grinding out a paper due at midnight, or hanging out in a friends room, sleep is usually our last priority.
Research says, the average college student gets around 6 hours of sleep every night. On average, we should be getting well over 8 to 8.5 hours of sleep. While it isn’t something we always think about, consistent lack of sleep is pretty serious. It can result in memory and physical issues and really hurt you in the long run.
Here are some tips I find really helpful in order to get an adequate amount of rest:
● Avoid caffeine at night.
● Create a regular sleep schedule.
● Do not study or do work on your bed.
● Exercise earlier in the day, rather than at night. (Exercise, believe it or not, gives you energy)
● Turn the lights off once you get into bed. This can be difficult when living with a roommate, so I recommend investing in a sleep mask…you won’t regret it!
Next time you pull an all-nighter for that exam in the morning, keep in mind that your health is the most important thing. You only get one body so treat it well. Happy sleeping!