Long holidays are heaven for all teenagers! Do you agree? The problem is, teenagers who are on school holidays tend to sleep late because they don't want to waste their vacation time. As a result, when school starts, they also find it difficult to sleep early and wake up in the morning. Even if you wake up, the body that lacks sleep will definitely feel tired. If the above situation is also your biggest problem right now, read this article to restore your sleep cycle in a positive way and not harm your health!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Go to bed early
Step 1. Adjust your sleep cycle gradually
If you're used to sleeping in the middle of the night, chances are you won't be able to suddenly fall asleep at 8 p.m. Instead of making changes that are too drastic, try advancing your bedtime to 11 o'clock first. The next day, advance your bedtime back to 10 pm, and so on. Generally, it can take a few days or a few weeks for your body to change its natural rhythm.
Give your body and brain time to adjust. Don't start restoring your sleep cycle two days before school starts! Believe me, you will not be able to suddenly turn into a person who can wake up early without feeling tired the next day within two days. Your body and brain need time to fix your natural sleep; So at the very least, start improving your sleep cycle a few weeks before school starts
Step 2. Determine how much sleep you need
Different age groups require different sleep times. For example, children aged 6-13 years should sleep at least 9-11 hours at night, while adolescents aged 14-17 should sleep at least 8-10 hours at night. Meanwhile, young adults aged 18-25 years should sleep 7-9 hours every night.
Step 3. Exercise every day
Regular exercise is a powerful way to keep your energy levels up and ensure a good night's sleep. In addition, you will also be helped to sleep faster, you know! Research also shows that people who exercise for at least 150 minutes a week feel more energized outside of bedtime.
Exercising too late can make your body energized instead of sleepy. Therefore, make sure you only exercise in the morning or evening; At night, fill your time by doing relaxing things like reading a book
Step 4. Avoid caffeine completely
Caffeine not only has the potential to make it difficult for you to sleep, but it can also make you sleep less sound and quality. By avoiding caffeine completely, your chances of getting deep, quality sleep will greatly increase. If you're having trouble doing this, at least don't drink caffeine six hours before bed.
Step 5. Keep electronics out of your bed
In other words, don't use your phone, tablet, television, etc. before sleeping. The light from the gadget screen has been scientifically proven to be effective in keeping your brain and body awake. Sunset is a signal for your body to rest; That's why you also have to keep other light sources like light away from your gadget screen to signal your brain to fall asleep.
Step 6. Buy a white noise machine
Do not worry; nowadays, almost all smart phones have white noise app. However, make sure your phone's screen is off while operating the app! Your brain needs to be constantly stimulated so it's hard to 'stop working' at night; The white noise machine keeps your brain stimulated in a gentle and soothing way so you can still sleep. In addition, white noise will also reduce noise from outside your room that has the potential to disrupt your sleep. Experiment with different types of white noise, such as the sound of thunder, the sound of graceful fire, the sound of the rainforest, etc.
Step 7. Lower your room temperature
Lying in a hot and humid room will make it difficult to sleep. By lowering the room temperature, your body temperature will also decrease. After that, your brain will signal to your body that it's time to sleep. Instead, make sure your room temperature is always in the range of 16-18°C. If your room temperature can't be controlled, at least place a fan near your bed; Fan noise (also known as white noise) can make you fall asleep faster.
Part 2 of 3: Wake Up Early
Step 1. Set an alarm earlier each day
Adjust your waking time gradually. For example, you can set an alarm one hour earlier than the wake-up alarm the previous day every morning.
No matter how much you want to hit the snooze button, don't do it! Trust me, getting used to hitting the snooze button will only make it harder for you to wake up the next time around
Step 2. Stare at a bright light as soon as you wake up
By doing so, your brain will receive a signal that it's time for you to wake up; In addition, bright light is also effective in eliminating your sleepiness. Therefore, open the curtains, turn on the room lights, or even get out of your room. The bright light will wake you up and elevate your mood in the morning.
Step 3. Make your bed as soon as you wake up
This activity is very easy to do, but some people choose to skip it. Making your bed can make you feel 'done on a task' in the morning; Besides, you can't even lie back on a tidy bed, can you? Get into the habit of doing this every morning.
Step 4. Drink a large glass of water
When you sleep at night, your body that does not receive fluid intake will become dehydrated. This situation makes you feel tired in the morning. To overcome this, make sure you immediately drink a large glass of water shortly after waking up. In addition to hydrating your body, water is also effective in providing an injection of energy and adrenaline to keep your body awake in the morning.
Step 5. Turn on some relaxing music
Being surrounded by silence will definitely make it easier (or at least tempted) to fall back asleep. No need to play the latest songs at a loud volume; just turn on fast tempo music with positive lyrics. Undoubtedly, your body that used to feel like an undead will again transform into a normal human. Compile a list of songs with the theme “Wake up in the morning” on your cellphone that you can always put on while on the move in the morning.
Part 3 of 3: Starting the Day Right
Step 1. Don't forget breakfast
If your blood sugar level is low, your energy level will be low. Therefore, eat a healthy and filling breakfast menu in the morning; Surely, your body will feel much more energized in the morning.
Try to always eat healthy and nutrient-dense foods so that your energy levels are always stable. You may be tempted to eat a more 'tasty' breakfast such as sugary cereals or sweet pastries. This type of snack will indeed make you energized in an instant; but after that, your body will be more easily tired and sleepy
Step 2. Stretch
Move your body at will in the morning. If you have time to exercise, do it! But if your time is limited, at least do light stretches. When you stretch, your heart pumps blood and oxygen to the brain; As a result, your body will release endorphins that make you feel better in the morning.
Step 3. Don't take a nap
It's natural for your body to feel tired and constantly sleepy while getting used to your new schedule. However, no matter how tired your body is, don't take a nap! Naps run the risk of making it harder for you to fall asleep or staying asleep at night. Don't waste your hard work all this time!
Tips
- If you're used to hitting the snooze button while still half asleep, try moving the alarm away from your bed. Force your body to get out of bed and turn off the alarm; For most people, getting out of bed is the hardest part.
- Prepare an easy, quick, and filling breakfast the night before. Never skip breakfast, even if your time in the morning is very limited. Remember, breakfast is your source of energy in the morning.
- Prepare your uniform and school supplies the night before. Getting things ready will release some of the stressors in the morning and save you time.
- Don't mess with your sleep cycle on the weekends. Staying up late on the weekends will disrupt the bedtime routine of the previous days that you have worked so hard to form.
- Take a shower before bed; Trust me, you'll sleep better after that.
- Keep all gadgets that are prone to disturbing your sleep.
- Start improving your sleep cycle one month before school starts.
- If you have trouble keeping your phone away at night, try not to charge it all day. Thus, at night your phone battery will run low. As a result, you have no other choice but to charge the battery (not use it) and sleep.
- Do not eat sweets or similar energy-boosting foods before bed.
