Ever stay up late on a school night or even on a weekend eating food, playing games with friends, or watching a show? Even staying up late and waking up whenever in the morning is unhealthy and very harmful.
Too much sleep can affect the whole day because oversleeping can start health problems. Getting at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night can improve cognitive performances like creativity and mental performances throughout the day.
“Usually I’ll get about 6-7 hours of sleep a night and It’s rare for me to doze off in class, but I do need an energy drink to stay up throughout the day at least,” Mina Shen (11) said.
The main way to improve sleep quality is getting enough exercise. This will lessen the chances of staying up late at night and can also benefit health giving more energy to the body for the day. It also causes core body temperature to increase which signals the body to wake up when it is ready.
Another beneficial way to enhance sleep is sticking to a daily morning routine and setting an alarm for a certain time every day during the week and weekend. Waking up and making the bed can also enhance energy throughout the day. Some people say that making the bed and coming back to it at night is a nice feeling, and in the morning having that feeling of accomplishment for doing such a simple task can boost mental health.
Cutting back on unnecessary caffeine is another major effect on sleep quality. Caffeine stays in the body for at least 10 to 12 hours. Drinking it in the morning to get a start on the day is not surely recommended but it’s okay. Having a cup of coffee at 3 or 4 PM is a huge mistake and can affect sleep at around 1-2 AM, making it difficult to stay asleep.
“I never drink coffee in the evening or afternoon because of what it can have on my sleep, but I do drink it in the morning. It doesn’t have that much of an effect on me anymore to be energized during the day because I have been drinking it for many years,” science teacher Matthew Ewald said.
More ways to improve sleep are napping during the day, screen time before bed, creating constant bedtime routines, eating healthier, and limiting liquids before bed to lessen the chance of waking up to use the restroom. All these helpful ways to improve sleep have a background behind them with routines and eating healthier by making smart decisions about what to eat during the day.
Taking the big steps is beneficial to have maximum energy during the day, so dozing off during school or work will be rare. Try out these methods to see if sleeping has improved everyday school, sports, or at-home activities.
