Many of those who pursue higher education will lose sleep to keep up with the accelerated lifestyle. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! Proper sleep gives way for the body to heal and the mind to get that long term memory going. Here are some tips for higher quality sleep that’ll give you a boost to perform and feel your best.
- Avoid electronics that emit backlight thirty to sixty minutes before bedtime: the blue light emitted has been shown to have negative affects on the circadian cycle.
- Separate the bedroom: try to avoid working or consuming media in the bedroom as the association can result in restlessness
- Exercise regularly, ideally in the morning
- Avoid use of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol after 1pm
- Getting twenty minutes or so of sunlight in the morning helps promote deeper sleep later at night
- Have a worry journal to help sort through stresses a few hours before bedtime
- Avoid naps if possible
- Cherries are a natural source of melatonin
Ideally, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. It may take some time or seem overwhelming to start these all at once, so pick a few and slowly progress through the list. These habits can go a long way!