Consider These Top Sleep Tips For Sleeping Better At College

It can be difficult to get enough sleep every night—it can be even more difficult when you are trying to get that sleep while you are at college. Most people know that college means light nights study, late nights partying and often sleeping in tight, uncomfortable, stiff college dorm beds. However, even with all of these obstacles, there are still things that you can do in order to get better sleep at night. After all, the average college-aged adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Whether you are struggling to get enough sleep yourself at college, or if you are looking to pass on some tips to your college-aged student, consider these top tips for sleeping better at college. They can go a long way in helping you get the rest you need to keep up with the challenge of taking on a college education.

Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation is an unfortunately common issue among many college students and it is a lot more serious than many people realize. There are many college students who stay up all night because they think that studying this much and not sleeping will help them. However, if students cross the line into sleep deprivation it can actually cause memory loss and impact your grades and your ability to perform on tests.

Sleep deprivation has a serious impact on thinking skills and cognition as well. There gets to be a point where staying up late to study or cram starts doing much more harm than good.

Sleep Disorders

While sleep deprivation can happen when college students are up and studying all night long, there are some situations where sleep disorders can develop. This is very serious and something that college students should be on the lookout for. Consistently pushing yourself to stay up later and later so you are sleep deprived, can ultimately lead to some lasting, serious sleep disorders. Staying up late can also be an accidental guise for different sleep issues that college students may already have.

For example, if you are already staying up all night, you may be covering up an issue like sleep apnea, which is characterized by loud snoring and constant fatigue during the day. No matter what the reason for staying up late, depriving yourself of sleep is never a good option.

Tips for Getting Better Sleep at College

The more you know about sleep challenges, the better off you will be. However, there are still a number of other things that you can do in order to improve your ability to get enough sleep in this often chaotic college environment. Keep these tips in mind before heading to bed for the evening, as they can help improve the quality of sleep you are able to get.

1.  Avoid Caffeine at Night

College and caffeine may go hand-in-hand and caffeine may be necessary in order to cram for that big exam—however, it is important to limit your caffeine consumption in the evening if you are struggling to get to sleep. Do your best to not drink caffeine after dinner, so you give yourself some time to get let it out of your system.

Caffeine is a stimulant designed to keep you up and it can stay in your system for several hours. If you feel as though you still need a little pick-me-up when studying before bed, try a caffeine-free tea or a juice that will give you just a hint of sugar and flavor without acting as too much of a stimulant to keep you up.

2.  Skip Alcohol Before Bed

Alcohol, much like caffeine, is another common beverage that many college students may drink a lot of. Also like caffeine, alcohol can keep you up at night if you aren’t careful. If you are having trouble going to sleep at night, and are drinking alcohol in the evening, do your best to skip evening alcohol consumption—it may be to blame for your inability to get some rest.

There are some major misconceptions out there about alcohol and sleep and many college students think that drinking alcohol will actually help them fall asleep. This isn’t true, and even if you do get tired after drinking alcohol, you won’t be getting the quality sleep that you need to really get a good night’s rest.

3.  Sleep Schedule

One of the best things that anyone can do for their ability to get enough sleep, and to get quality sleep—is to set a sleep schedule for themselves. This can be very difficult in college, where your environment is a little more chaotic and unpredictable—but it is very important. Setting a sleep schedule means getting up at the same time every morning, and going to bed at the same time every night. If you happen to nap (as many college students do) then make sure you are napping at the same time every day.

4.  Don’t Sleep in on Weekends

Developing a sleep routine is so important, and it means not only sticking to this routine during the week, but on the weekends as well. Simply put, don’t sleep in on the weekends. While you may think that you are “catching up” on the sleep you didn’t get during the week, in the end it can end up doing more harm than good. You will be much better off if you keep your sleep routine consistent throughout the week and into the weekend and still get up and go to bed at the same time. While it may not be as fun, it will end up really helping with the consistency and quality of sleep you are able to get.

5.  Put Books Away 30 Minutes Before Bed

Keeping up with all of the studying that college demands can be very challenging. However, if you are struggling to get to sleep at night, then make sure that you put those books and that homework away at least 30 minutes before bedtime. This will give your mind a chance to relax, unwind and settle down after you spend so much time focusing on studying. In that 30 minutes, give your brain some time to unwind. Listen to music, chat with your roommate, go on a leisurely walk to the common room or anything else that helps you feel relaxed.

6.  Keep Laptop Away From Bed

For most college students their laptop is life and it goes with them everywhere. However, there is one place that the laptop shouldn’t go—and that is the bed. Remove your laptop from being beside your bed.

This will prevent temptations and prevent you from exposing yourself to blue light right before bed. Don’t even charge your laptop next to your bed. Your bed should be a place for sleeping and relaxing—it is not a place for studying and watching videos all night long.

7.  Exercise Earlier in the Day

Exercise is an important part of any college student’s regular routine. However, if you are someone who likes to exercise at night, and are struggling to sleep, start exercising in the morning instead. Exercising in the morning or earlier in the day comes with a number of great benefits.

It can help wake you up in the morning and help you get on your sleep schedule for the day. Exercise is a stimulant, even though you may feel physically tired when you are done. So, if you are exercising at night before you go to bed, you may actually be keeping yourself up later than you want to be.

8.  Don’t Watch TV Before Bed

There are many people who like to watch TV before bed, because they think that it can make them tired. However, if you have the TV on and find yourself staying up watching it all night instead of drifting off, then it is time to turn the television off. When you watch TV before bed, you are exposing yourself to blue light. Blue light can mess with your REM and sleep cycle and confuse your brain. Light has a lot to do with getting on your sleep cycled and exposing yourself to TV light can really impact your ability to sleep.

9.  Sleep With Earplugs

College dorms and apartments can be notoriously loud—making it very difficult to sleep through all of these sounds. An easy fix is to sleep with a pair of earplugs in. Drowning out noises from the campus or from your neighbors can help you get a better quality of sleep and help you fall asleep faster.

10. Turn out the Lights…the Blue Light

In addition to turning off the overhead lights when you head to sleep at night—make sure to turn off the blue light as well. Blue light is the light that comes from all of your technology screens. This means laptops, tablets and televisions. This light can seriously disrupt your quality of sleep in a few ways. It can delay your body’s ability to release melatonin—which naturally helps induce sleep and it can cause you to be more alert.  This light can also mess with your body’s internal clock or its circadian rhythm—throwing that important sleep schedule off all together.

Keep in mind, while blue light is the most serious offender, LED and fluorescent bulbs can also have a similar effect so talk to your roommate and make sure you are sleeping with all of the lights off.

Get Quality Rest You Deserve With These Natural and Organic Sleep Tips For College

If you are struggling to get enough quality sleep at college, keep these safe and natural tips in mind. If you are diligent, they can go a long way in helping you change your sleep habits for the better so you can get the quality rest you need to do your best at college. If you take these tips to heart and still are struggling to get enough sleep, then it may be time for you to contact your doctor. They can help provide you with the professional advice that you need to start getting the sleep you are looking for.

Karen A Mulvey is a personal social blogger and mom with 14 years of experience in the every day world of motherhood and sustainable product research. Karen is on a mission to help everyday families select sustainable, non-toxic organic products, stop stressing about uncertainties on sustainable home goods and apparel, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.

Follow Karen at @karenAmulveycs | Karen A Mulvey

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