7 tips to top sleep, 3 tips for staying awake

Sleep is important. We all know that. But sometimes we wish it wasn’t such a bother. Out clubbing until 2am and back up at 7am for lectures isn’t helpful, but it happens. Regularly.

While I can’t help with sleeping problems regarding copious amounts of alcohol (you’re either well awake or knocked out…live with it), here’s seven snippets of advice for most other ‘student vs. sleep’ situations:

Yawn

 

1. Get up! – Seriously. After 20 minutes of tossing and turning, just get back out of bed and do something calm – like reading – without lots of mental and physical strain. Try to keep the light low by using a bedside or desk light, rather than the main room light. After a little while, you will hopefully feel yourself getting a bit more tired and drowsy. When you feel like you can’t achieve much more, get back to the comfy bed and take yourself on a well-deserved journey to the dreamworld.

2. Let go of your worries – The act of switching off is all part of getting to sleep. If you have a major concern on your mind, see the picture of that concern in your head and try to push it away in your head, so it becomes only a very small picture, far away from the front of your thoughts. Let it move away as far as it will go, until it’s just a speck. Does that feel a bit better? I hope so.

3. Bright ideas in the darkness – It might be time to switch off, but what if you’re in bed and you remember it’s your mate’s birthday tomorrow and you need to get a card in the morning? What if you have a brilliant idea for an essay that you must retain for later? Rather than keep thinking about it and let it swirl around your head for ages, keep some post-its or similar next to the bed so you can write down anything you like. When it’s written down, you can go back to the switching off.

4. Breathe easy – Basic relaxation techniques are a good way to speed up the processes involved in nodding off. Lay as comfortably as possible, move any objects or excess bedding that might be disturbing you, close your eyes and focus on as little as you possibly can. If you’re still focusing on stuff, use the tip above and write it down.
Now, take a deep breath and hold it for a moment before letting it out slowly again. Take another deep breath, holding it once again briefly and then breathing back out. Keep breathing in and out slowly and deeply. Focus on a deep calm around you that keeps you positive and free to relax. Laying there, concentrating on your calm and happy breathing, you should be able to wind down in preparation for a refreshing night’s sleep.

5. Don’t keep studying/writing/working until the last minute before bed – The more mental gymnastics you do before bed, the less likely you’re going to drop off to sleep quickly. Give yourself a few moments peace just before shutdown. Some people like to do nothing, while others like to read an easy-going book (no disturbing or exciting novels that get the pulse racing, and no complex academic texts either…they count as studying). Spend 10-20 minutes on whatever helps calm you down toward a more fulfilling sleep. It doesn’t matter what it is, just find your calming influence and do it. Strangely, when I needed to calm down at night, I’d listen to a bit of drum and bass before nodding off. It worked wonders.

6. Dispel the lights, the noise and the time (three tips in one!) – a. You turn the light off in your room, but make sure that there aren’t standby lights and LEDs lighting it up too. They will all make a difference to your attempts to sleep, even if you don’t think you notice them.
b. If you’re not the last to bed and there’s still lots of noise, try investing in some earplugs. They’re pretty cheap, so it’s well worth it. Also, some electrical equipment can make a high-pitched sound when plugged in at the mains. If possible, unplug them. Fortunately, not everyone can hear that noise…so if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re lucky!
c. Most of us have a clock next to the bed, or within arms reach. That’s fine in itself, but don’t keep looking at the time every couple of minutes, wondering how long it will take for you to fall asleep. If you keep doing that, your mind won’t let you switch off and you’ll become more anxious and awake with each look. Forget the clock. It’s your enemy at night.

7. Listen to your body – Some people need 8 hours sleep. Others need just 5 (one of the most famous people to claim this being Margaret Thatcher). However, there’s a lot more to this sleeping business than working out a number of hours.
Your body is a great communicator if you’re willing to listen to it. Try to tune in to what your body wants you to do. If you begin to feel tired, take steps to wind your body down and get ready for bed. If you’re wide awake and full of energy, it’s no use going to bed just because you think it’s the right time.
I know some of you won’t like that tip, because I’ve seen tens, if not hundreds, of students fighting their body’s urge to sleep, just in case they miss out on something great happening when everyone else is still up and about. But you’re probably better off just going to bed, because your body won’t let you enjoy yourself half as much anyway. If you’re desperate, check the first tip below…

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Now three ways to make the most of being awake:

1. Powernap – Still very much underrated and unknown, if you’re tired, you can benefit from a short spell of about 15 minutes in bed. Just time yourself for 15 minutes and relax. It doesn’t matter if you start to go under or not, the short rest really helps to take away tiredness and lets you get on with whatever it was you were doing. Just remember to get up again…It should be easy enough to do, but if it feels too much of a struggle, you might want to start listening to your body a bit better!

2. Get some light in (or get a light on) as soon as you can after sleeping – The light is a natural sign for your body to wake itself up and get going.

3. Establish a ‘getting up’ routine – If the mornings are difficult times for you, don’t leave it to chance. Learn to do things without thinking about it. If you have your wallet/purse, watch, phone, and so on in a particular place every night before bed, you can set up a routine and not forget anything. You can have your clothes ready for the next day so you don’t have to consider what to wear when you’re still half asleep (I’m sure many a fashion disaster would be stopped this way).
In short, do anything you need in order to establish a habit of getting up. It gives you bonus waking up time and less stress. Can’t say fairer than that.

Down here, we all float

EduLinks – Random Links of Note

New York Times – Do We Really Know What Makes Us Healthy? [A few days after linking to an article in The Guardian debunking lots of health myths, here’s a lengthy piece questioning even what is currently regarded as true.]

Study Hacks – Three Ways Smart Students Reduce Study Time [Couldn’t have explained this better myself. It’s good advice and true. Get to it!]

Mashable! – The Social Networking Blog [For MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, and just about everything else. This site has the news, app details, designs, all sorts. For instance, recent Facebook articles include “LonelyPlanet, Music Wall & radiusIM Facebook Apps“, “360Gadget: A Mini Netvibes for Facebook“, and “20 Great Music Applications for Facebook“]

Uncyclopedia – The Content Free Encyclopedia [For when you’re fed up with studying and want a few relaxing minutes to find out complete rubbish.]

Dealing with careers and employment…What, Already!?

Examination

Two news stories I noted on the BBC News website that have caught my eye. Firstly:

EARNING ‘HARMS STUDENTS’ FUTURES’

It’s a basic fact that some of us need the money to afford the essentials, let alone anything else. I was one of those people.

But I was determined not to find part-time employment and forego quality university time. I’d find an unconventional way through instead. And you may be able to do the same thing.

So what did I do? I became a Senior Student in my final year. It transported me back on to campus halls, with all the first year students, where there was always something going on and always loads of fun to be had. And whilst getting that fantastic opportunity, I had my rent paid for me. Even better, because it was campus accommodation, I didn’t have utility bills to pay either. As Alan Partridge would say, “Back of the net!”

As a Senior Student, I was required to go out on a nightly warden duty with the main warden, but this was usually less than once a fortnight and never lasted more than a few hours. To be honest, it was great fun to see loads of your mates when on duty and laugh at the numerous drunken antics of some peeps. If I couldn’t be one of them on those nights, why not enjoy the show and then remind them the following morning (or whenever they eventually resurface…)?

Of course, I had to be responsible for the students too. I had a direct watch on 28 students, but it rarely posed a problem. The subsidised living costs and the fun far outweighed any of the work that was required of me. And when my assistance was needed, I was always more than happy to help, because I was getting so much out of the situation.

Your university probably has a similar scheme with similar benefits, so it’s worth finding out. Your Student Services should be able to point you in the right direction (Senior Students at the University of Winchester, where I studied, are mentioned in this interview with the uni’s Security and Safety Officer). Of course, there are the usual jobs like working in the SU bars and shops, so that’s sometimes a good halfway house, as you’re still on campus and dealing with the student populace (i.e. your mates). Either way, I’d definitely recommend the university route if you need the money to get you through. Best of luck!

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The second article on the BBC News website is:

CAREERS ADVICE TOO ‘CONFUSING’

I wonder if this situation will ever be sorted out. Careers advice is very difficult for a lot of people, even for those who have just finished their degrees.

Matthew Parris was basically “advised to be a spy” when he was at uni. Exactly the same thing happened to another person I know while they studied for their degree. So things haven’t changed much apparently. And just like Matthew Parris, my friend went to all the MI6 tests and got through without a hitch, but realised at the last minute that it was completely the wrong career for him.

After university, I didn’t have a clear view of career, although I imagined myself returning to the world of higher education at some point (that return is bubbling up now, a little quicker than I thought would have been the case. But hey, a passion is a passion, so I’m not knocking it in the slightest).

Such an emphasis is put on students to work out their future career plans that it’s no wonder so many people panic about it, or think that they are the only person without a solid plan set out. The truth is, loads of us are like that.

I’m not surprised that careers advice is confusing for so many people. As the BBC article states, there is still a place for careers advice, but it needs to focus more on the individual and their profile. Unless someone already has a clear idea of what they want for their working life, I can’t see any benefit in trying to focus a person too specifically. But if the help can be more specific to a person, yet give them a good selection of possibilities, it will allow the individual to get out there and learn more off their own back when they really want to settle.

Finally, it’s good to see students “resorting to their own initiative to develop their careers and contacts online”. That’s how things are progressing. We’re known as Gen-Y for reasons such as this and a lot of people are finding success as a result. My one piece of advice regarding this would be:

– Don’t forget to complement online work and research with more traditional methods, such as research from books, advice services, friends and family, etc. It’s best to use ALL things to your advantage. Look down every path for the greatest scope and your chances of finding what you want will be increased greatly.

Feedback Form Excellent

EduLinks – Random Links of Note

Today, lots of new posts from various blogs. To be honest, I would recommend you check them all out in their own right. Very helpful on the studying front:

Scholastici.us – The full system: Note taking, scheduling and studying [Another great link helping out with notes. For some people, they’re a breeze, while others get bogged down. When me and my mates started uni, we would have loved to have seen these tips in such abundance.]

HackCollege – Online Literature Summaries, Essays and Analyses [Some better known literature sites and others that I’d never heard of before. I good resource, especially if you’re studying for English or similar.]

Academic Productivity – The definitive hack for your music collection [Let the background music fit in and keep you happy. You won’t even need to remember it’s there for you.]

The Student Help Forum – The 10 best Facebook apps for students and 3 to avoid [You know you’re going to want to check out the 3 to avoid aswell. Resistance is futile.]

Pick the Brain – 7 ways to make your own luck [With a little bit of fine tuning, you can help yourself to go from strength to strength.]

Scott H Young – 50 tricks to study better, faster and with less stress [Does exactly what it says on the link. Try to work out which methods suit you best and then really try hard to perfect them as best as possible. You’ll be surprised just how much you might be able to achieve with the right mind tools.]