By Elizabeth von Klan
As the school year progresses, staying up ‘til the wee hours and sleeping in past noon may be habits you picked up this past month after summer vacation ended. However, it’s important to break that habit once you get back to school to keep up with your studies! Follow these tips in order to get ample sleep for a healthy start to the school year.
Tips for Going to Bed and Getting Great Sleep
- Turn Night Shift On, or stay away from electronics at night
The Night Shift setting on iPhones dims your screen and reduces the white light that your phone emits, allowing your eyes to adjust at night. Either slide up your control menu and select the sun and moon icon to turn it on, or configure it through your Display Setting to turn on and off at a certain time each day. An even better option is to refrain from using electronics at night, since any bright light can keep you awake longer than you plan to.
- Do something relaxing before bed
If you are having trouble getting to sleep at an appropriate time, it might be from not being in a relaxed state before finally getting into bed. Try a soothing activity, like taking a bath, reading a book, or journaling to put your mind and body at rest and allow yourself to ease into a deep sleep. Avoid exercise at night, since the recent rush of adrenaline and endorphins can make it harder to finally fall asleep.
- Exercise earlier in the day
Although exercise in the evening isn’t recommended, any other time of day works wonders for not only getting great sleep, but to feel less sleepy throughout the day as well. A morning or midday workout is perfect for when you’re hitting the books and need to stay alert!
- Take showers before bed
The cooling effect of the water on your skin post-shower allows your body to relax and feel less tense before you get to bed. Getting into the habit of night-time showers may help you to fall asleep with greater ease.
Tips for Waking Up Bright-Eyed and Feeling Refreshed
- Eat dinner a couple hours before bed
Eating late leads to waking up late, since the bodily signal to “break” your “fast” (where the term “breakfast” originates) becomes delayed. Try eating dinner a couple hours before hitting the hay to prevent unwanted shifts in your sleep schedule.
- Look forward to your day
Find yourself laying in bed even after you wake up? Let your first thought of the day be something you can look forward to– Not only does it put you in a positive mindset, but gives you a boost of motivation to start your day.
- Use natural light to wake you up
If you can sleep with the curtains open, allow the light to shine through in the morning to wake up to bright, natural light. Prefer pitch black sleep? You can invest in a natural light simulator to mimic the effect.
- Drink a glass of water
Starting out your morning with a glass of water helps to purify your intestinal system and aid other bodily functions. This can prevent you from feeling sluggish and leave your body energized and more prepared to take on your day.
With these tips, you can properly align your body clock to a sleep pattern more suitable to your busy school schedule. Here’s to a happy and healthy start to fall quarter!
Sources:
https://sleep.org/articles/sleep-better-in-summer/
http://helpmetosleep.org/sleep/how-to-wake-up-bright-and-early/
https://sleep.org/articles/how-to-be-productive-on-low-or-no-sleep/
http://www.newhealthguide.org/Drinking-Water-In-The-Morning.html
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/study-physical-activity-impacts-overall-quality-sleep
Healthy Aggies at UC Davis 