One of the many unique observances of November is its classification as National Sleep Comfort Month. Sleep is a very important function of living, as important as food and drink! As a college student, you probably hear often that you need to make sure you get a lot of rest, to get that 7-8 hours a night! Most of the time, students put other things first, like extracurriculars and homework, but a lack of sleep can cause many issues, everything from poor academic performance to relationship issues. Even a brief nap a day would help, and as it is National Sleep Comfort Month, treat yourself to one if you ever feel your eyes starting to droop… as long as you’re not in class.
If you have a lot going on and have a hard time falling asleep at night, here are some tips to make sure you’re as rested and ready for the days as possible!
-
Turn off your devices at least an hour before you go to bed. Your screens stimulate your brain, so using them before bed will make it harder to get rest.
-
Stay consistent. Try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time! Creating a ritual like this will help cue your body that it’s time to sleep or to wake up!
-
Make it dark! Eliminate light sources so you can have a deeper rest. Buy an eye mask if you must!
-
Relax. Let go of whatever happened during the day that bothered you to calm down your brain and prepare for sleep.
-
As tempting as that ice cream may be, don’t eat at night! Snacking before bed can actually be very harmful to the quality of your sleep.
Want to know more? Here are a couple of books on the topic of sleep!
Sleep thieves : an eye-opening exploration into the science and mysteries of sleep by
Sleep Disorders in Neurology by
Sleep deprivation : causes, effects and treatment by
We here at the Library want to make sure you’re all taking care of yourselves and getting enough shut eye. So pull out your fluffiest blanket, sink into your pillows, and take a long nap! You deserve it!