Saturday 25 May 2013

Studying Tips: Why Sleep Can Make Or Break You

By Lachlan Haynes


Are you getting enough sleep? Do you even pay any attention to the amount of sleep you're getting? How much do you know about sleep and how it impacts on your level of performance? The reality is that the amount of sleep you get each night dramatically impacts how productive you are and how much energy you have each day.

If you get very little sleep (let's say 5-6 hours a night or less) then you are going to feel sluggish, lazy, moody, impatient, intolerant, and generally very unproductive. In fact, you could say that not getting enough sleep actually changes you. It makes you a lesser version of yourself.

What about when you get plenty of sleep (let's say 7-9 hours)? You're basically a completely different person aren't you? Energetic, happy, passionate, creative, productive - you name it! When you get plenty of sleep you're a brand new person. You're the best version of yourself that you can be.

If you're getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night then well done! You're doing well and you're giving yourself the best chance to succeed and be super productive each day. If you're not, then you can start taking action today by changing your sleeping habits using these tips.

Tip number one. Whatever time you're currently going to bed, start going to bed thirty minutes earlier. Most people get up the time they have to get up (generally because they have to be somewhere like school!) But most people don't go to bed at the time they should go to bed. Why? Well, this is your free time and people want to maximize the amount of free time they have. Make sense doesn't it.

Tip number two. Stop stimulating your brain just before bed. If you watch TV or listen to loud music or go on the net, you're stimulating your brain when it needs to be shutting down. Instead, just sit quietly for 10 or 15 minutes and relax. It's a very simple thing to do and 10 minutes of quite time won't make a big difference - but watching hours of TV when you should be sleeping will!

Tip number three. If your mind won't shut off and it keeps thinking about random things then take out your cell phone and open up the notepad app or memo writer and start taking notes. Your mind will quieten down when you've written everything down. Don't believe me? Give it a try.

Tip number four. Have a power nap. If you're super tired during the day don't deprive yourself of sleep. If you're in Maths class and you're bored then just doze off. Just kidding! Don't do that. But if you can have a 10-15 minute kip at some point (preferably not during class) it will really boost your energy levels.

Tip number five. Pick one day of the week to hit the sack early. If you go day after day getting to bed late and not getting enough sleep you will eventually crack. It could even be a major meltdown! No one can be at their best when they don't catch up on sleep. So plan to catch it up. Pick a day each week that you will hit the sack early and just stick to it like glue. It will make a world of difference.

Whatever you do, just make sure you're finding a way to get the sleep you need. You don't want to be a grumpy weirdo do you? You want to be lively, productive and energized! So do whatever works for you, but focus on the magical mark of 7-8 hours of sleep a day and you'll be giving yourself every chance of being at your best each and every day.




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