How to Improve your Sleep in College. Yeah, It's Possible.

Even though classes just started a few weeks ago here at Rice University, I’m already so behind on sleep. How is this possible?! I’ve been here for less than a month and my sleep schedule is so out of whack. According to the National Sleep Foundation, college students average about 6 or 7 hours of sleep per night (awesome, I’m not alone!). Sadly, college students who stay up late studying, working, or partying are susceptible to bouts of sleep deprivation, which can cause daytime sluggishness, depressed mood, poor academic performance, and difficulty concentrating.

After some research on the topic, I’ve decided to compile a little guide for all of the yawning students sitting in their 9 o’clock classes. Read up and learn how to catch up on your ZZZs, or at least how to make the most of them!

1. How many hours of sleep should I really get? According to the National Institutes of health, the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, but generally teens and young adults (that’s us!) need about 8-9 hours of sleep per night to function normally.

2. Naps. A lot of health articles say not to nap because it disrupts your internal sleep-wake clock, blah blah blah. Well let’s be realistic here. In college, we are bound to have irregular sleep schedules since our day-to-day activity and class schedules vary, and naps can be very re-energizing. If you think you need a nap, try to do so in the afternoon so it doesn’t interfere too closely to your bedtime. Also, limit your nap time. I try to set an alarm to wake up after 40 minutes so that I feel refreshed and not too groggy. Don’t go to your room and pass out for 3 hours--that definitely will prevent you from falling asleep quickly at night.  

3. Food. Food’s effect on sleep is slightly debatable... Generally, you should avoid heavy meals for at least 3 hours before you go to bed, but some people say that snacks before bed help them fall asleep. Since we Rice kids usually stay up past 11 or 12 and have dinner at 6, we have a long period of time from when we eat dinner until we hit the sack . It is recommended to have snacks between meals to keep our metabolism up and running and manage our blood sugar levels, so snack time should definitely occur at about 9 o’clock. Are you a big fan of late night food runs to TC, Whataburger, or Katz’s? Me too! Just be sure to keep your snack light to prevent indigestion and insomnia.

4. Caffeine. Caffeine affects people very differently, but as a general rule of thumb, you should avoid caffeine for at least 4 hours before bedtime (if you plan on going to sleep at a certain time). However, this rule doesn’t necessarily apply to those who plan on staying up late, cranking out group projects or problem sets (definitely been there...). So go ahead and become best friends with Coffeehouse, just be aware of how your body handles caffeine at night.

5. Exercise. There has been a lot of research stating that aerobic exercise is associated with a number of mood elevators that ultimately improve sleep quality and reduce grogginess throughout the day. You should aim to exercise about four times per week, and be sure to alternate between cardio and weight training. On the other hand, exercising too soon before bedtime can leave your body feeling energetic and fueling with activity, which makes it harder to fall asleep. So even though the Rec Center is open pretty late, you should take into consideration that your workout should end 3-4 hours before you plan on going to bed. 

6. Alcohol. Oh alcohol. Though alcohol is a depressant and will help you to doze off to sleep, chances are that when the alcohol wears off, you could wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time falling back asleep. So if you have a big test on Friday morning, it’s probably best to avoid the Thirsty Thursday events at Pub (your body will thank you later). 

7. Try to go to sleep and/or wake up at around the same time everyday (yes, even on the weekends). It’s so tempting to sleep in past noon on Saturdays and Sundays after a full week of waking up early for classes, but you should really try not to. This upsets your internal biological clock and will cause additional tossing and turning the next time you try to go to sleep at your normal hours...

8. If you aren’t falling asleep within 20 minutes of getting into bed, don’t just lie there! We’ve definitely all been in this situation: tossing and turning, staring at the clock and having a mini panic attack about the amount of sleep you’re going to get, etc. If this happens to you, get out of bed and do something else (such as reading) until you feel sleepy again. Don’t turn on the TV or check your Facebook--the light from the screen stimulates the brain and will make it even harder for you to fall asleep.

9. Avoid all-nighters to study. I totally understand that this is inevitable for Rice students, but you should really try to limit the number of all-nighters. This throws off your sleep schedule for at least 2 or 3 days and can have detrimental effects to your mood, performance, and health.

--Cristina, Wellness Intern