Have you ever sat in class struggling to keep your eyes open, wishing you’d just gone to bed earlier? But why does sleep really matter for students? It’s more than just feeling tired-lack of sleep can mess with your memory, mood and even your grades.
Deep sleep is like the brain’s housekeeping shift, tidying up the mess from the day. Meanwhile, REM sleep is like your personal movie theater, where your brain replays scenes and practices new skills. During REM sleep, your brain consolidates memories and supports emotional regulation. Studies display that students who get enough REM sleep perform better on tests and remember new information more easily. Students with irregular sleep schedules often find it harder to wake up for morning classes, feel more stressed during exams and struggle to recall new information. They may also notice mood swings or difficulty staying motivated for group projects and extracurricular activities. Consistency helps my brain and body feel ready for learning and daily challenges. Last semester, I’d get in bed, telling myself I’d just scroll through Instagram for a few minutes to relax. Before I knew it, an hour had passed, and my mind was still racing from all the posts and stories. The next morning, I’d wake up feeling groggy and have a difficult time focusing in my 8 a.m. class. I realized that late-night scrolling was actually making it harder for me to fall asleep and leaving me feeling drained the next day. Once I started putting my phone away earlier in the evening, I noticed I fell asleep faster and woke up feeling more refreshed and ready to tackle the day. To reduce blue light exposure at night, you can use night mode on your devices, use blue light glasses or read a book/journal instead of scrolling. Scrolling through social media at night might seem like a way to relax, but it often has the opposite effect. Notifications and endless content can keep your brain alert, making it harder to fall asleep. Instead of checking my phone an hour before bed, I tried reading or listening to calming music, which helped me unwind without the screen’s stimulation.
Improving sleep starts with small, consistent changes. Those changes include setting a regular bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends; avoiding caffeine late in the day; creating a calming bedtime routine; keeping your room cool and dark; practicing relaxation techniques; and limiting screen time for at least an hour before bed. Research has shown that establishing a regular sleep schedule can enhance both academic performance and daily energy levels in students. Research indicates that college students with consistent sleep patterns tend to have higher GPAs than those with irregular sleep schedules. Regular sleep helps maintain stable energy levels throughout the day, while irregular sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness and lower concentration. Sleep is crucial for student success because it helps focus, energy and grades. Strategies that can help include avoiding heavy meals before bed and limiting caffeine intake. Prioritizing a regular sleep schedule can feel challenging at first, but the rewards: better academic performance and improved well-being, are worth it. Try making sleep a priority and see the difference it can make in your college experience.