One thing anyone, without a doubt, can agree on is that sleep is important. Especially more so for students. Not getting enough sleep at night can affect your entire day and having a bad sleep schedule can be a big problem. To prevent this, a healthy sleep schedule is necessary.
Now, you may be wondering, how do I make a healthy sleep schedule?
Well, when doing so you have to keep some things in mind.
First of all, you need to figure out how many hours of sleep you need every night. For ages, 6-12 anywhere from 8 – 10 hours is a good average, where for teens about 7-9 hours is appropriate.
Things that you do during the day will impact your sleep schedule, so you should learn what‘s right for YOU. If you take any medications or eat any specific foods, you need to find out how you can still have a full night’s rest even with those variables. Your sleep schedule should fit your own needs!
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommended a couple of things you can do to improve your sleep, such as keeping a consistent sleep schedule, and making sure that you go to bed and wake up in the morning around the same time every day (even if it’s the weekend!). You should also make sure to have a bedtime routine including something calming or relaxing, that you can do before you go to bed. Make your bedroom quiet and comfortable, and make sure there isn’t anything making your sleep uncomfortable, and making you restless during the night.
An article from Healthline also listed some things that you can do to fix your sleep schedule.
Plan your exposure to light, and try to have as little noise as possible. Especially unnecessary loud sudden noises, as they can be very distracting. Make sure not to be around too much light during the night. Light tells your brain to stop producing melatonin which is the hormone that causes you to feel sleepy. Make sure to turn off your eletronics 30 minutes prior to bed!
Try not to take naps for too long and make sure that if you do, take a nap it is before 3 pm and it’s less than 30 minutes long so your sleep schedule isn’t mixed up and you don’t have trouble sleeping at night. And Eat dinner earlier than later, if you’re hungry later in the night, eat a light snack. Make sure not to drink anything with caffeine in it at least multiple hours before you go to bed.
Make sure to have a comfortable area for sleep. That includes switching out mattresses and pillows that aren’t comfortable enough and also includes blankets that may be too heavy, too warm, or too cold! Everyone’s own preference for sleeping conditions is different though so that is up to you to decide what’s comfortable for you.
Grace Jung, Grade 7
Odyssey Middle School
