College Sleep

A lot of people talk about college as if it’s one non-stop all-nighter. But pulling all-nighters can be… problematic.

Here’s why you should try to get as much sleep as you can, even if others aren’t doing the same.

Why Do College Students Need Sleep?

Sleep makes you feel good, which helps you do good, which makes good things happen. 

But there are some great health reasons to get enough sleep too.

Sleep helps you think clearly. It helps your focus better. Sleep can even give your immune system a boost, which means it lowers your chances of getting sick. That means you’re missing fewer classes, you’re on your A-game in class, and you can study more efficiently.

How Much Sleep Should College Students Get?

We’ve written about how much sleep is enough before, but the answer is essentially, “It depends.” Most teens who are 18 or younger need 8 or more hours of sleep while most people over 18 can get away with less. So if you’re a freshman, you should probably try to get more sleep.

That’s just a good idea, anyway. You should be getting used to the college workload, not binging the latest season of Stranger Things in one evening.

But everybody is different and every body is different too. Some people just don’t need that much sleep for some reason while other people need a lot more. It’d be best to get the minimum amount of sleep for your age group and experiment from there to see how you feel.

Tips For Getting More Sleep In College

Everyone has a late night or two in college. Most people have way more than that. Since you’ll most likely be pulling all-nighters at one point or another, we thought we’d share some tips for making those late nights a little more bearable.

Here are some tips to consider.

Schedule your late nights around tomorrow’s plans - It’s fine to stay up late once in a while. It’s not fine to stay up late, wake up early the next day, and have a non-stop schedule like that for the rest of the semester. If you have to schedule a late night, try your best to clear your schedule for the next day, so you can take it easy.

Use caffeine to wake you up instead of keeping you up - Caffeine helps block the chemicals that tell your body it’s sleepy. But if you’re drinking coffee late at night to study, it’s just going to be that much harder to fall asleep when you decide you’re done. It’d be better to drink water while studying, then throw back a cup or two of coffee in the morning when you wake up.

Exceptions, not routines - This tip is straightforward. It’s fine to stay up once in a while, but it’s not fine to make it a regular thing. That’s when you start seeing health problems.

Food, hygiene, and hydration - Sleep is important, but so is eating well, taking care of your body, and drinking water. Healthy food and plenty of water can help give you the energy you need. Not to mention practicing good hygiene in college will help keep you from getting sick.

No distractions - Whether you’re staying up doing homework or studying for a test, you’ll probably get distracted from time to time because of Twitter, YouTube, or something along those lines. But try not to. Those distractions keep you up longer than you need to be. Instead of reading everyone’s hot takes between study sessions, take a lap around the library or something instead.

Although it may be impossible to avoid late nights in college, there are still some steps that you can take to make them less stressful for you.

Simmons Can Help Fix The College Sleep Problem

Ace that exam, thanks to a solid study session combined with a good night’s sleep. Having a comfortable mattress will help you fall to sleep faster and sleep better. If you’re looking to upgrade your mattress, Simmons can help. Our mattresses come in different sizes and levels of firmness so you can get the best sleep for you personally.