I am in my third year at the University of North Dakota, and there are many things besides course-related knowledge that I have gathered in those five semesters. I learned how to step out of my comfort zone, plan trips with my friends, and how to manage my own time. Another valuable skill that I learned was how to get quality sleep. During my sophomore year, I found myself staying awake too late into the night and sleeping into the afternoon. The quality of sleep that I was getting was not sufficient for my schoolwork or my personal health. I decided to make changes to how I approach sleeping, and here are some tips and tricks that I noticed that can help you get better sleep.  

The first step to getting better sleep is to find a schedule that works for you where you can still get the recommended 7-9 hours of shut eye a night for people our age. Now, this is not a suggestion to sleep from four in the morning until noon every day. As somebody who used to live this way, this is not a sleep schedule that will enhance your life. Finding a decent sleep schedule will not only enhance the quality of sleep that you receive but will help bring balance and stability to your everyday life.  

Life as a student can be extremely busy and stressful. To have a little bit of a detox from life at the end of the day, I enjoy scrolling through Twitter or looking at Instagram for a good laugh. This detox can turn into hours upon hours of mindless scrolling, which can damage our sleep quality and take precious sleep time away from us. Try to stay off phones or other screens for a little bit before you try to fall asleep.  

Another way to get better quality sleep is to focus on what you eat and drink around the time you are going to sleep. Going to bed either too hungry or too full can prevent you from falling asleep at your desired time. Things like caffeine should be avoided in the evening as well. Eating a balanced meal a few hours before bedtime is a great way to boost the quality of your sleep. 

Avoiding naps is a hard one for many college students, including myself. Going to class, completing schoolwork, being social with friends, working out, and everything else that goes into being a college student is a wonderful experience. This being said, these activities take a toll on your mind and body. It can be extremely easy to fall asleep for an hour or two either accidentally or on purpose. Around the time of the nap, it can be useful as well. A quick recharge of energy may seem tempting, but these naps can do more harm than good. Daytime naps will hurt your ability to get to sleep at a decent hour.  

Sleep is one of the many things that we need as college students to get through our everyday lives. It is our daily fuel and getting quality sleep improves our physical, mental, and social health. If you find yourself unsatisfied with your quality of sleep, try following these tips and see if they work for you! 

Garrett Webber is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at [email protected].