E-Magazine: How to Sleep: A Guide for Gen-Z
How to Sleep: A Guide for Gen-Z
Now that most of our members are starting school again, I thought it’d be beneficial to share some tips that will hopefully ease the transition to being back in person. I don’t know about you, but the biggest change I’ve noticed not just from this summer, but also from last school year, is the start of my day. A lot of you probably wake up around 5 am, rushing to school to beat the morning traffic, or you might be lucky enough to witness the sunrise before you get out of bed. Either way, there are a couple of things you can do both before you go to sleep and once you wake up to ensure you wake up on the “right side of the bed.” The great thing about this concise list of healthy habits is that you can use them throughout your entire life, not just while you’re in school.
The night before:
Start by getting your life together, literally. This will look different for everyone, but, in essence, the goal is to feel relaxed once you’re in bed, not like there are still things left for you to do. Getting ready for the upcoming day can include going over your to-do list/bullet journal, figuring out what you’ll wear the next day (check the weather first!), and packing your essentials, so you’re not in a rush in the morning.
Next, I’d advise you to leave your shades open, especially if you wake up after the sun rises. For all my science folks, which I’m guessing is a majority of you all, the reason for this is that sunlight exposure inhibits the secretion of melatonin, so you’ll feel less sleepy if you wake up with the sun shining into your room.
This one, I don’t have high expectations for, but I might as well try. Going along with the previous tip, you must refrain from using your phone at least 30 minutes before bed because the blue light from electronic devices prevents melatonin from being produced, affecting your entire sleep cycle.
Lastly, stop snoozing your alarm! We’ve all been there, and we’re only kidding ourselves by snoozing for an “extra” 5 minutes of sleep. The best way I can think of preventing this is by placing your alarm out of reach, so you’re forced to get out of bed. Trust me, if you follow the previous tips, you’ll feel 100% awake by the time you even reach your alarm.
Rise and shine!
Begin by making your bed. If nothing else goes right during your day, at least you can say you made your bed. But, in all seriousness, studies have shown that making your bed can initiate a chain of good decisions throughout the day and may even contribute to better sleep at night. Now, whether this is just causation or correlation, I’ll leave it for you to decide.
Now, do whatever prepares you for the day. Maybe take a shower, practice your skincare routine, or stretch. You can do just about anything now that your body is well-rested. Even if you think you don’t have enough time, I promise that taking 5 minutes out of your morning can make a huge difference.
Don’t leave just yet! Make sure to eat breakfast every day. After all, your body just spent (hopefully) around 8 hours with nothing to gain energy from (hence the word break-fast).
Off you go! I hope that these steps will help you be a healthier version of yourself. I know how overwhelming school can often be, but I’ve realized that making the most of the things under your control is the most you can ask of yourself. And this seems like an easy way to start, so don’t be afraid to switch things up!
https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/time-management/morning-routine-for-school
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4334454/
https://www.sclhealth.org/blog/2019/09/why-it-is-time-to-ditch-the-phone-before-bed/
-Fabricio Pena Damoni