I go to bed at 10:30pm every night
A senior citizen in a (rested) college student’s body
Where it all started…
Once Christmas break rolled around following my first semester of college, I was completely and utterly exhausted. I despised the classes I had just completed and I now had an entire month to reboot and get ready for the rest of my freshman year.
During my first few days home for Christmas break, I strictly spent my time sleeping. Every night I would get up to 10 or 12 hours of sleep, wake up still drained of energy and motivation, and have no ambition to do anything but watch Netflix.
Enough is enough
I slowly saw my month long vacation slipping away as Christmas and New Years Eve rolled around. So far during break I hadn’t done anything very productive other than watch endless amounts of TV and spend most of my evenings at work. My bedtime usually fell around 3 AM, my ‘mornings’ began some time after lunch, and Netflix lasted from the time I woke up until I had to go to work or bed.
Finally, tired of my abnormal sleep patterns, I resulted to the best known place for ideas: Pinterest.
After sifting through the enormous slew of articles I found from searching for ‘Tips for better sleep,’ I came across a Pin called Useful Tips. The article covered the benefits of getting up early and how to lead a more productive life. I started small once I determined to switch up my bad habits, but it didn’t take much to make a difference in my everyday life.
One day at a time
The first night after my Pinterest investigation, I went to bed at 11:30 PM. It was so hard to keep my hands off my phone once climbing into bed, and I found it even more difficult just to fall asleep. I wasn’t used to going to bed so early, so I forced myself to count sheep until I finally drifted off and tallied over 100 sheep.
I promised myself that I would get at least eight hours of sleep, so naturally I woke up at what felt like the butt crack of dawn, 9 a.m. From there on out, I continued to go to bed earlier and earlier. Although I took my second semester class schedule into consideration, 10:30 PM seemed to be the best time for me to call it a day.
I wanted second semester to be the total opposite of first, so my new found appreciation for productivity didn’t stop with my sleep schedule.
Early to bed early to rise; the benefits
Science has proven that going to bed and getting up early can be highly beneficial for ones overall well- being. For instance, getting your recommended eight to nine hours of sleep every night can lead to improved memory, ability to learn, and general health.
If we don’t allow ourselves to get the full nights sleep our bodies need, the brain isn’t able to complete the stages of sleep essential for many basic functions.
A continuing lack of sleep can do so much harm to our bodies, that over time it can affect almost everything we do. As college students, it’s clear why we need a good nights rest.
The nightly routine
Directly after my classes are over for the day, I religiously retreat to my dorm to have dinner and begin preparing for the evening in. I usually do homework until 9:45 before I shower. Once I’m all ready for bed my friend Claire braids my hair for the next day.
If for some reason I can’t get to bed exactly at 10:30, I allow myself to stay up no longer than midnight in order to finish whatever I’m working on. Having my hair done prior to the next day makes getting ready so much easier while allowing myself to sleep in after a late night.
I must admit though, sticking to a schedule is difficult as a college student, but if you’re committed to improving your lifestyle then it’s well worth the effort.
A world of improvement
Since beginning my new evening regiment, I’ve noticed a world of difference in my attitude, school performance, ambition, and productivity. After break, I came back ready to defeat spring 2016. With that, I became more involved on campus, and even switched my major to something I’m truly passionate about.
For some, it might seem impossible to get to bed as early as I usually do, but after seeing what a few extra hours of sleep can accomplish, I don’t plan on changing my bedtime any time soon.