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Study Skills : Sleep
Sleep (Module 7 of 9)
Sleep is one of our basic human needs, and yet many of us struggle with it. Whether you’re hoping to get more sleep or better sleep, this module will help you to finally get some rest!
Tips
- Give yourself enough time to sleep (7-9 hours). You need 7-9 hours of sleep each night, so make time for it, just like you make time for eating, exercising, and socializing.
- Track your sleep to see if you’re getting enough.Keep a sleep diary, or use an app like Sleep Cycle - opens in a new window, to get a sense of how much sleep you’re actually getting.
- Keep your bedroom cool. The best temperature for sleep is somewhere between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, so turn down the temperature until you’re comfortably cool.
- Don’t use your bed for work or eating. Though it’s tempting, don’t use your bed when you’re watching TV, eating, or doing work. Your brain should associate your bed with sleep.
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule, even on the weekend. Improve your sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day...even on weekends! If you have trouble remembering to go to bed, set an alarm on your phone to tell you when it’s time to sleep.
- Take power naps if needed, but don’t sleep too long. Restrict your naps to 10-30 minutes in length. Anything longer can leave you feeling groggy, and may disrupt your regular sleep schedule.
- Exercise regularly to get a good night’s sleep. Just 10-20 minutes of regular, daily aerobic exercise can improve the quality and quantity of your sleep.
- Use sleep strategies.Try sleep strategies like progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and the cognitive shuffle when you can’t sleep.
- If you can’t fall asleep, do something relaxing and try again later. Don’t force sleep. The stress of not sleeping can keep you awake. If you’re still awake after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing.
Sleep: 3 sub-modules
Introduction to Sleep
Watch this video for an introduction to this module.