University life. Yes, it’s about partying and socialising but it’s also about studying for a degree that will open up a world of employment opportunities too. With that said, it’s important that students are getting plenty of sleep each night – and not just so they make their lectures on time…
How much sleep we get can dramatically impact on our moods. For example, a lack of sleep can make us irritable and sap our energy levels or worsen feelings of depression. Whereas if we have a wonderful night’s sleep, the chances are we will be in a much better mood – despite not being a morning person!
Sleep is also crucial to the physical health and effective functioning of the immune system. Getting a solid night’s kip strengthens our body’s defences and can even help our brains to work better, allowing us to stay sharp.
But perhaps more importantly, sleep improves mental health. Let’s face it, these are very unprecedented times that we are faced with and the coronavirus has affected us all in at least some way.
So, whether you’ve always struggled to sleep or it’s since the pandemic, there are a number of steps you can take to promote better sleeping. Here we look at just a few of them:
1. Set yourself a sleep schedule
Establishing a routine is a no brainer.
Start by setting your alarm for the same time every day and get out of the habit of hitting snooze. Make sure you give yourself plenty of ‘wind-down’ time before you hit the pillow – put your pyjamas on and your phone down, pick up a book and do some light reading or have a quick stretch. You might think bedtimes are for children but going to bed at near enough the same time each night will help massively.
2. Reserve your bed for sleeping
Due to the pandemic, most students are studying from home or their student accommodation. Are you the same? If so, avoid bringing your laptop into bed as we’ll bet you didn’t do your work lying down at university, did you?
Most rooms have a large bed – granted. But they are also fully furnished and come with high-speed fibre Wi-Fi and a desk which is perfect for studying in an upright position. At least McComb Students’ student accommodation in Ormskirk does!
3. Spend time outdoors
Believe it or not, natural light can have a positive impact on your circadian rhythm (the process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle).
So, whether it be cracking open a window to allow a gentle breeze, pulling up the blinds to let light flood into the room, or stepping outside for a brain break in between lengthy tasks, these are sure-fire ways to regulate sleep in a healthy way, allowing you to stay awake when it’s daylight and to sleep when it’s dark.
4. Be careful with naps
After spending so much time staring at the same four walls at your student accommodation, you may be tempted to take a nap. Although this is perfectly fine, and napping can help with memory formation and emotional regulation, try and come up with a consistent nap schedule.
Ideally, naps should be limited to no more than 10-20 minutes, otherwise, you run the risk of feeling groggy and not being able to sleep at night.
5. Keep active
Finding the motivation to get up out of bed in a morning and to go for a brisk walk or jog, or to roll out the exercise mat and do a home workout, is tricky in the cold winter months. However, regular exercise can have a number of benefits for your health and improve your sleep pattern too.
Ok, so we’re not saying you should do any excessive activity right before bedtime in a bid to tire yourself out, as this will have an adverse effect on your sleep. Instead, try to get some steps in during the day – between lectures and independent study periods – and make sure you maintain a healthy diet.
Whilst these are just a few examples of how to improve your sleep whilst studying at university, the best thing you can do to assure a great night’s sleep is to choose your student accommodation wisely. McComb Students provide some of the best student accommodation Ormskirk has to offer. All their rooms come with the basic amenities and are available for an affordable price. Why not book a room today and sleep easy knowing that you have everything you need at arm’s length?