We all know being in college is stressful and very
tiring, but do you know how many hours of sleep you should be getting, and not
the 4 hours you get a feel energized. Well according to sleep specialist the
number of hours of sleep you get isn’t important, but the quality of sleep.
Everyone should invest in good pillows and sheets. The only way to know if you
are getting the right amount of sleep is depending on how you feel the next
day. Are you irritable, unenergetic, and tired? If so you probably did not get enough sleep. One good night of rest will make up for several nights of lost
sleep. Even with the lack of sleep, sleeping to much can be a warning sign for
several things like physical and emotional or behavioral problems.
The triangle to the right is the life of a
college student seems pretty accurate right? Well to change things up a little
you are only able to choose two of the three. Now what do you do? Most people
will choose to sacrifice sleep because having a social life is important, and also
good grades. But it is possible to have all three. Some tips on getting enough
hours of sleep are:
- “Forego regular exercise at bedtime. Although physical activity is good, exercising before bedtime may actually make it more difficult to go to sleep.
- Finish eating a large meal a minimum of three hours before going to bed.
- Have a set bed time as well as sleep time, allowing variation of only one hour, even on weekends.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants in the late afternoon and evening.
- Try not to use your bedroom for activities other than sleep. Some of these may include television watching, studying, etc.
While most people use their bedrooms for a
number of things your bed should only be used for sleep. Removing TVs and radios
out of your room will make it more relaxing. If you are in your room and can’t
go to sleep it is best to leave out and do something relaxing in another room
until you become tired.
Getting a good nights rest will help you to feel more energized and ready to take on new adventures and activities.
**Good sleep is the key to success**
References:
Watkins, Sheridan C. "Sleep Tips for College Students." Sleep Tips for College Students. N.p., 1 Dec. 2015. Web. <http://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/student-life/blog/sleep-tips-college-students/>.
Oelschlager, James R. Sleep and College Life (n.d.): n. pag. Web. <http://www.fit.edu/caps/documents/SleepandCollegeLife.pdf>.
