Get Some Sleep
Resting the Mind, Body and Soul
Getting enough good sleep can be one of the largest factors in helping you succeed and thrive during your time in college. Here are some tips and tools to help you prioritize rest!
Biola Offices and Services
- Talk to Someone — Many times what keeps us from sleeping is anxious or racing thoughts. Check out our Talk to Someone tool to begin to combat those thoughts and anxieties!
- Health Center — Meet with a medical professional to discuss your sleep struggles as you may have an underlying physical condition. Appointments are free for all students!
Online Biola Resources
- The Beauty of Sleep Workshop by Dr. Susan Lim
- The Stages of Sleep and Impact of Sleep Deprivation lecture by Dr. Chris Grace
- How Sleep Can Bring Glory to God article by Dr. Jason McMartin
- You might be Sleeping All Wrong blog by student Alex Bell
- NCAA Focus on Sleep for Student Athletes
Apps
- Calm App — White noise, stories and music to play to help you fall asleep faster!
- Headspace App — To help manage an anxious, racing mind before bed. (Consider starting with Meditation for Sleep from Headspace!)
- For iPhone users — Use your Clock app ‘Sleep’ setting to help utilize alarms and set reminders for 15 minutes before bed to put down your phone!
Practical Sleep Hacks
- Put blackout curtains on your windows.
- Diffuse calming essential oils an hour before you go to bed. Some good combos are Lavender and Eucalyptus!
- Put your phone down 15 minutes before bed.
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule on weekdays and weekends.
- Exercise earlier in the day.
- Shower before bed.
- Put it on your calendar! Make a schedule and prioritize getting eight hours of sleep each night.
Prioritizing Sleep
When a student comes to college, getting the least amount of sleep often becomes a bragging point or a badge of honor. However, not prioritizing sleep can cause many negative effects — both physically and mentally. Prioritizing and practicing rest has been shown to aid in concentration and performance, allowing you to succeed in your academic endeavors (Ahrberg, Dresler, Niedermaier, Steiger, 2012; Hartman and Prichard, 2018). Sleep also supports mental and emotional wellbeing. When you are sleep deprived, you are more prone to anxiety, procrastination, and irritability (Kelly, Kelly and Clanton, 2012; Eller et al., 2006). But when you are well-rested, your mood, productivity and clarity of mind all increase. Well rested students also are able to prioritize relationships, allowing you to pursue friendships and a deeper relationship with God.
This tool will equip you with information and resources that will allow you to begin to prioritize and learn the importance of getting a healthy amount of sleep!