To those who promise to call it a night early, but still find themselves up until 2:00 am or later, please try to actually follow through. You need your sleep now more than anything. Even though we are "young college students" we still need to make sure we are well rested. Less than 8 hours of sleep per night can slow down productivity, decrease happiness, and create an overall higher risk of developing certain diseases. Here are some tips on how to ensure you are in bed at a reasonable hour:
Cut back on your beloved naps.
Yes, you had a long day, and yes, that three-hour block between your classes is practically begging you to head back to your room and nap the whole time, but that is too bad. You need to remain strong and fight the urge to take extended naps during the day if you truly want to be able to experience that deep slumber you have been yearning for.
Reduce blue light exposure.
Although the end of the day is typically the common time catch up on all of your social media feeds, a high amount of blue exposure, especially at night time, can heavily affect your sleeping patterns. Blue light is emitted by most LED screens (tablets, cell phones, televisions, computers/laptops, smartwatches, etc.) Exposure to blue light at night results in overstimulation of senses, which is detrimental when it comes time to sleep, and it can also disrupt your circadian rhythm. To try and prevent this, utilize night mode on Apple devices, or download screen filters for PC/Android devices, these typically provide an alternative yellow/warm backlighting. Aside from filters, blue light glasses are another option for shielding.
Increase daylight exposure.
GiphyExposure to more natural sunlight helps maintain circadian rhythm, which in turn will help you wake up for those eight am classes feeling energized even after a long night. If the weather is nice, try having an outdoor study/hangout session!
Utilize your breaks.
If your workload is the reason behind the divide between yourself and sleep, try to utilize your breaks. If you have small blocks of free time throughout the day, schedule this time to get a jump on your studies. However, if you find your schedule littered with classes, research, and other extracurriculars try to utilize the few 15-30 minute breaks that you may have. This will help you get more time at night and allow you to get caught up on your sleep.
Increase your melatonin intake.
If you truly find extreme trouble when it comes time to head to bed, try adjusting your overall melatonin intake! Melatonin is produced by the brain but it can be found in foods (fruits, veggies, grains, nuts/seeds), as well as supplements which can be purchased at your local grocery store.
Set up a routine.
Give yourself a strict bed time and stick to it. This will cause your body to get used to the pattern and ultimately get you back on track to dreamland.
Exercise more often.
Working out during the day can help you to expend any pent up energy, this will ultimately get your body to feel tired and make you want to sleep. Grab your designated workout buddy or your favorite friend and head to the gym!
