Midterms are sneaking up on us, and that means one thing: That goal we set at the beginning of the school year to get enough sleep every night seems doesn’t seem so feasible. We’re busy, and the amount of sleep we get each night comes second to everything else.
We all know that the total lack of sleep can be detrimental to our health, but it can have a greater effect than feeling groggy. It makes us more susceptible to the common cold, weight gain, and even has links to obesity, diabetes, bone deterioration, and the development of heart disease. So, how can we balance sleep among all of our other priorities? Strive for quality sleep above all. A deep and peaceful snooze can actually be more beneficial than a longer, disrupted one.
Here are 7 ways to help you make the most of your essential sleep time:
1.Stop consuming caffeine after 4 pm
Caffeine is one of the most obvious culprits of restlessness at night. Next time you’re thinking of a pick-me-up to get through one of your evening classes, think about how the caffeine will set back your circadian rhythm another 40 minutes. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have 40 minutes to lose.
2. And refrain from consuming alcohol before bed
Studies show that while consuming alcohol may make you feel languid or drowsy, it only leads to uneasy, disrupted sleep.
3. Meditate
Clearing your mind is often essential to a good sleep, as an overloaded brain can cause insomnia for hours on end. Taking a few minutes to focus on clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and centering yourself can relax you into a good night’s rest.
4. Make use of your phone’s ‘Do not disturb’ setting and power down all other electronic devices
Putting away all of these devices 30 minutes before bedtime is ideal to recover from the blue light emitted by electronic screens that keeps eating away at your sleep. This will give you some time to wind down, much like the meditation. If you can’t be left alone with your thoughts, snuggle up with a textbook to make the most of your time (you may even fall asleep faster!).
5. Have your dinner earlier
Eating your last meal of the deal as early as possible has been advised by nutritionists for years. Sleeping on a full stomach strains the digestive process (and may lead to that weight gain we talked about earlier).
6. Squeeze in some extra activity or exercise
Research suggests that 150 minutes of exercise or more, about 20 minutes per day, can improve quality of sleep. If you don’t have time to hit the gym, try briskly walking to class instead of slowly trudging across campus or pedaling a little faster on your bike.
7. Download a sleep soundtrack
iOS app Sleep Sounds HQ contains over 600 full-stereo natural recording from sites around the world designed to help you fall asleep quickly and keep you sleeping soundly. You can also use it while you meditate!
Who knew getting some rest could be so much work? Good luck Aggies and rest up!