I usually try to get at least seven hours of sleep every night, but, with the workload and stress that often come along with being a college student, that doesn’t always happen. Here are some tips to getting more sleep in college that have been really helpful to me in my mission to get adequate rest!
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CREATE A SLEEP SCHEDULE — Set an alarm not only for when you want to wake up, but when you want to go to sleep. Try to follow that schedule as strictly as you can every night. Your body’s rhythm is thrown off when you break too much from your set sleep schedule, so make sure you follow it at least fairly closely for that reason.
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BLOCK OUT DISTRACTIONS — I’m a pretty heavy sleeper once I actually get to sleep, but I do have trouble falling asleep with too much noise around me (which is almost always the case in a college dorm). I suggest ear plugs, a white noise machine, or soothing music to drown out any irritating noises and help you get to sleep quicker and easier.
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AVOID CAFFEINE BEFORE BED — For me, this one is easy, as I dislike the taste of both coffee and soda and thus rarely drink either. But, I know that a lot of my friends both back home and here at Emerson are always having caffeine way too close to bed. Since coffee is a stimulant, it’s a bad idea to drink before going to bed. Most sources suggest limiting your consumption of it during the day and not having it at all in the evening.
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TURN OUT THE LIGHTS — Sometimes, having the lights on while you’re sleeping is unavoidable if your roommate has homework they need to do. In that case, and if they can’t study anywhere else besides the dorm, I’d suggest getting a lamp that has a much dimmer light than the bright overhead lights most college dorms have. A sleep mask is also a great the idea to block out bright light. In general, though, it’s a great idea to turn the lights off when you’re ready to go to bed.
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DON’T USE ELECTRONICS JUST BEFORE BED — This has been the hardest one for me to follow, but it’s one of the most helpful tips I’ve found (if you actually stick to it). Try to put all electronics away around a half hour before bed. It really works!
These sleep tips might not work for everyone, but they are what I’ve found most useful in the past few months since getting to college. Whatever you end up doing, good luck on your mission to restful sleep!