Thinking of college means stress — no sleeping and freshman fifteen. However, that doesn’t have to be entirely true with this basic healthy tip.
Your body is a temple, as cliché as that may sound. And no temple can stand if it isn’t built on a strong foundation. The start of that foundation is sleep.
“Sleeping at for at least seven hours a night and keeping consistent with those seven hours will keep your body healthy and happy,” said Stacey Angela, wellness and fitness coach for Herbalife, a leading nutrition and weight management company. “Let’s say you sleep seven hours one night but then five the next. Those two extra hours of missed sleep will weigh you down like one brick on each shoulder. As well as oversleeping. Oversleeping an extra two hours may feel good, but ultimately messes up your daily routine and makes your body feel groggy.”
According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleeping consistent hours will help improve energy, memory and keep your weight balanced.
Your body needs at least seven and a half to nine hours of sleep per night, and if you are unable to do that, your body will obtain “sleep debt,” according to helpguide.org. A way to pay off your debt is to add an hour of sleep every night until you reach seven and then keeping it consistent.
When we hear the demonic sound of the alarm clock ringing, no one wants to get out of bed, and some mornings are harder than others. A way to make mornings less miserable are setting your alarm clock in multiples of 90 minutes, according to helpguide.org
Ninety minutes are a the length of an average sleep cycle, and during the sleep cycle, your brain is going through deep sleep stages and more alert stages. At the end of the 90 minutes your brain is typically more alert, a perfect time to wake up and feel refreshed.
To help lead you into a good night sleep, stay away from caffeinated beverages past 2 PM. College and caffeine go hand in hand; however, caffeine tends to last about five to six hours and you want enough time to wind down and let your body relax to sleep easier.
Last but not least, if you have the night-time munchies before bed, the best snack that aids in peaceful sleep is a snack full of protein and carbohydrates, building tryptophan, which causes sleepiness. An example of a good snack would be cereal (Cheerios, LIFE, Puffins) and milk.
College gives us little time to do anything, but making time to sleep will help you accomplish everything you need too.
References:
www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/how-much-sleep-do-you-need.htm
sleepfoundation.org
