A College Student's Guide To Better Sleep and Performance

Have you ever wondered how your life would be if you slept no less than 7 hours a day? You would feel rejuvenated because you had a good, uninterrupted sleep. Sounds amazing. But you think that's almost impossible with the boatload of coursework you have waiting for you. Today's college system is not favorable to college students, as they are frustrated with the stress and burnout in their lives. As a result, they are predisposed to sacrifice hours of rest for these stress-inducing responsibilities. You can imagine what weighs more than the other between the time involved regarding work and sleep. About 60 percent of college students have been recorded as having poor-quality sleep and getting less than the recommended seven or more hours. What is more, stress levels are increasing for this demographic.  

These stats look grim, and some of us can see ourselves as one of these numbers. To lessen our load, we stay up just a little late so that our "future self" has less burden. But there's a plot twist! Our "future self" acquired declined cognitive functions like poor concentration, somnolence, and inadequate reaction time. We end up too tired to give quality performance for the new day's work, and stress builds up on succeeding days. This aftermath goes a long way to impact our mental and physical health in unpleasant ways. So, mission accomplished? This entropy system is more nuanced for everyone, and finding a way out of it is like trying to fit a sand of jigsaw puzzles. You can't fit all the puzzle pieces but can fit a few. How, then, can you fix your sleep in little ways to improve the quality of your life? Here are four ways you can improve your sleep to improve your quality of life:  

1. Turn That Screen Off 

Have you tracked the time gap between using your screened devices and going to sleep? The important thing is you should allow at least an hour between using your screen and sleeping. Staring at a blue light screen for long periods before bedtime reduces the body's melatonin production, which induces sleep. Consequently, the body remains active, rendering you tired the next day. Otherwise, you can get glasses that protect you from blue light. 

2. Drop the Stimulant Intake 

Stimulants are substances like caffeine and alcohol that tend to keep you mentally alert and awake. College students are the culprits in consuming these so that they can stay up to burn the midnight oil. Sleep is compromised, and one cannot function properly when it becomes a habit. It is so easy to succumb to the short-term merits of caffeine, but you should remember its long-term demerits, which are detrimental to your health. Is it a wise gamble when you throw everything away in the end due to the impacts on your overall health? 

3. Set a Fixed Sleep Schedule 

Maybe it is time to create a ritual where you go to bed and wake up at a particular time while still getting your recommended hours. This can help you regulate your biological clock, otherwise known as the circadian rhythm. Doing this helps your body know when to sleep. It provides structure and a necessity that should not be easily compromised.  

4. Perform Your Tasks This Way 

But, you look at your schedule and tasks to accomplish and realize you must stay up late or wake up a little earlier to finish things. Don't panic. List your priorities in order of importance or urgency. Allocate short lengths of time (10-30 minutes) to perform those tasks, or break the tasks into smaller tasks that require little time to do. This makes things easier to deal with. Even though a project is incomplete, its start takes the inertia away. Additionally, take short breaks in between tasks for rest or mental resets. This method gives you structure and helps alleviate work stress that usually impacts our sleep. But remember that you prioritize your rest at the end of the day. 

References: 

1. CDC. (2025, February 12). About sleep. Sleep. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html 

2. How sleep deprivation impacts mental health. (2022, March 14). Columbia University Department of Psychiatry. https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-mental-health 

3. Lund, H. G., Reider, B. D., Whiting, A. B., & Prichard, J. R. (2010). Sleep patterns and predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students. The Journal of adolescent health: official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 46(2), 124–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.06.016 

4. Managing excessive daytime sleepiness. (2018, October 13). Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/excessive-sleepiness 

5. Satterfield, D. (2023, March 6). Sleep awareness week. Vail Health Foundation. https://vailhealthfoundation.org/news/sweet-dreams-sleep-awareness-week-march-12-18/ 

6. Suni, E. (2020, November 4). Light and sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/light-and-sleep 

7. Transformingeducation.org. (2024, September 10). Student stress statistics [2024 update]. Transforming Education for People. https://transformingeducation.org/student-stress-statistics/ 

8. What is circadian rhythm? (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved February 18, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/circadian-rhythm