In the spirit of the new year, most people take the time to create resolutions or goals they want to achieve. Some may include going to the gym more often, achieving higher grades, and even being more social with friends. But what’s probably the most common resolution, especially for us busy high school students, is to start better sleep habits!

   There are many reasons why many people struggle with having a better sleep schedule, like schoolwork stress, unhealthy relationships, and phone/social media dependency. Here is some stuff you can change and add to your daily life to get better sleep!

• Create and follow a consistent sleep schedule

   One of the biggest factors to why people get into a bad sleep schedule is because they don’t have one at all. Most of the time one will just simply go to bed at any time they like and end up waking up at random; no plan means no sleep schedule. Whether it’s because of a late-night study session or late-night phone scrolls, sleep is constantly put last. Creating a schedule and to consistently put it to use will greatly affect your sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for healthy teenagers and adults is at least eight hours every day. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, even on the weekends may be hard, but being consistent helps reinforce your body’s “sleep-wake cycle”. If you can’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes of going to bed, leave your bed and do something that helps you relax. You can read or listen to music, and then go back to bed once you’re tired.

• Watch what you put in your stomach before bed

   Another reason why someone may not get enough sleep is because of their unhealthy eating patterns or just the unhealthy food that they may consume. Going to bed hungry or stuffed can lead to a major disruption in one’s sleep patterns. To change that, try to avoid heavy and large meals within a couple of hours before sleep. This is because when you go to bed after eating  high-protein food or a big meal, you will feel full, which leads to uncomfortable sleep. Caffeine is another discouraged item that can negatively affect sleep. 

• Sleep in cozy, comfy surroundings

   Finding a comfortable and restful environment helps increase your chances of feeling rested throughout the day. Try to keep your room cool, dark, and quiet, and implement other routines or include certain products that can help you fall asleep quickly and improve the quality. Sophomore Dylan Capiro can vouch for this: “When I try to go to bed I like to keep my room dark but not too dark so that I can still see a little bit. Also if my room isn’t cold, then I can’t go to bed. When it’s cold I get to use my blankets and it’s more comfortable than a warm/hot room,” he explains. Of course, the term ‘comfortable’ means different things for everyone, so just make sure your room fits your needs and wants!

• Keep screen time to a minimum in bed

   Researchers have stated that when people go on their phones or any technology that emits blue light, they struggle to go to bed. Blue light emitted by cell phones restrains the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. This makes it more difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next day. Sophomore Mia Fu knows this from firsthand experience: “I used to go on my phone when I went to bed almost every day, but then my parents told me that I won’t be able to wake up the next day so they took it. After, I realized that I slept better without it,” she says.

   Why should we try to get long hours of sleep? Getting better sleep can also help you reach your other New Year’s resolutions as well! According to The U.S. Department of Health and Human resources, getting better sleep is important and can help with plenty of stuff, like improving your immune system, the quality of your work, and maintaining a healthy weight. If you’re thinking about losing weight or improving school work, then try to get better sleep. Getting enough sleep may help prevent increases in calorie intake and cravings that can happen when you’re sleep deprived. Students should also get the proper amount of sleep to help them stay focused, improve concentration, and improve academic performance. Students who don’t get enough sleep tend to have poor mental health.

   Sleep is important for everybody — it helps people be better, feel better, and do better.