Tips for Quality Sleep for College Students

Published on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 by Dania Mallette Category: College Tips

While there are plenty of things that college students must focus on, their health should always be the one of the most important priorities. Sleep is perhaps one of the factors that students tend to gloss over. However, neglecting the right amount of rest on a daily basis can create more problems in the long run. Students trying to figure out how to get a full night’s rest will find a handful of solutions to this issue below.

Create the Perfect Sleeping Environment Sleeping Student

Setting up your sleep area in a way that promotes rest and relaxation may be challenging, especially if you live with roommates, but with a few key changes, it doesn’t have to be impossible to achieve. As difficult as it may be, do not have a television in your bedroom. One of the worst habits is falling asleep with the TV on. Although it may eventually cause you to doze off, chances are the programs on TV will be distracting enough to keep you awake well past the time you were hoping to be asleep. While you’re at it, avoid having your laptop or desktop computer on in your room as well. Any video games or other electronic distractions should be removed from your bedroom each night. Keep the room dark and if you need to, wear ear plugs to drown out any noises from your roommates or neighbors.

Be Consistent

Just as you maintain your routine of school, homework and studying, the same routine should target your sleep habits as well. Make a concentrated effort to go to bed at the same time each night and in the same area (no sleeping on the couch one night, passing out on your bed the next night and dozing off on the floor the night after that). Good sleep involves training your body to become familiar with a routine. If needed, set your alarm for the same time every evening to go to bed just as you would for when you wake up.

Get the Exercise and Caffeine Out of the Way Early

You may have heard that exercising before bed is a great way to exhaust your body so that you’ll be able to fall asleep easily. However, this is only partly accurate. A good rule of thumb is to exercise no sooner than three hours before bedtime. Additionally, if you’re planning a major study session and need caffeine to keep you going, do the same thing and schedule it well in advance so that by the time you’re ready for sleep, the caffeine will be out of your system. For best results, switch to decaffeinated tea to help you wind down once your study session is over. As tempting as it may be, do not allow your study session to go into the wee hours of the morning.

Relax Yourself

Sometimes just lying down in bed isn’t enough to fall asleep. The more relaxed your body is, the easier it will be to wind down for sleep. Take a hot bath/shower, listen to soothing music or read a good book. These are all actions that will prep your body for sleep and lessen any anxiety or stress you may be feeling that is related to school or the fact that you can’t fall asleep right away.

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