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You’re up late IMing. Then, when your alarm goes off at the butt-crack of dawn, you wonder why it’s hard to get up. The fact is, you need at least eight hours of shut-eye every night so your body can heal from the stresses of the day. See if you can relate to any of these CG!s’ sleep problems, then get your zzzz’s!
“I have a hard time falling asleep because my mind is racing.” —Jackie, 15, Clovis, CA
With thoughts of school drama dancing in your head, it can be tough to nod off. If, after 20 minutes of lying in bed, you’re still wide awake, go into a different dark room and sit there quietly for 20 more minutes . Don’t switch on the TV; any lights or distractions will signal to your brain that it’s still time to be awake. When the time is up, go back to bed and try to fall asleep again. The little break can reset your mind to be calm, as opposed to stressing about not being able to fall asleep. Repeat the cycle if necessary. Also, skip caffeine after 4 p.m., and don’t work out or eat close to bedtime - those can keep you up too!
“Even after a lot of sleep, I feel tired and doze off in my classes!” —Ashli, 18, Plainfield, IL
Your body is telling you that it’s sleep-deprived. Even if you got “a lot” of sleep in one night, you’re probably still paying for other nights when you didn’t get enough. You need to get on a good sleep routine. Start by going to bed at the same time and sleeping for eight hours nightly for two weeks. If you’re still tired, see your doctor. For now, when you’re sleepy in class, pop a peppermint to signal to your brain that you need to stay awake.
“In the morning, I keep hitting snooze and sleeping through my alarm!”—Natasha, 19, Houston, TX
The more deeply you’re sleeping, the louder the sound it takes to wake you up. So crank up your alarm (the beep, not the radio). Try moving it to a place where you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Also, keep your shades open so the sunlight can trigger your brain out of sleep mode.
DIDJA KNOW: People who get five hours of sleep or less on a regular basis are more likely to become obese—sleep loss messes with your hormones, so you eat more than you need.
Thanks to Ralph Downey III, Ph.D., director, Loma Linda University Medical Center Sleep Disorders Center in Loma Linda, California.
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