There’s no point going to class if you’re just going to fall asleep. However, staying awake is often easier said than done — particularly if you have a full schedule and always seem to arrive at class exhausted. The good news is there are several things you can do to stop falling asleep, all of which will also improve your concentration and help you avoid burnout.
1. Set a Bedtime
It may be tempting to stay up late almost every night, particularly if you have friends who want to hang out in the evenings or if you just want to catch up with social media or relax with some video games. Soon, though, all those late nights will catch up with you and you’ll find it more difficult to stay awake during the day and be productive.
To ensure you sleep enough, set a bedtime and make sure you stick to it. Bear in mind that it’s easier to push yourself to go to bed at the right time if you put away all your devices at least half an hour before. Since the light of screens wakes up your mind, this will also help you fall asleep faster.
2. Take Breaks Between Classes
Students often feel pressured to spend the entire day productively. This can lead to them trying to dedicate all the time between classes to studying. However, it’s impossible for your mind to stay focused for this long — you’ll only end up arriving to class too tired to focus and possibly falling asleep. A better approach is to be reasonable with how you use time between classes. For instance, as well as studying, fit in some exercise, healthy meals, and relaxation.
3. Put Your Phone Away
Some points in your class may be boring, especially if you don’t find the topic engaging or another student asks a question you already know the answer to. Whatever happens, though, you should never turn to your phone in class. In fact, keep it out of sight — then, you won’t feel tempted to look at it and you won’t start being lulled into sleep.
4. Block Websites on Your Laptop
It’s equally important to prevent distractions on your laptop. Install an extension on your browser to block websites that tend to distract you. As well as keeping this enabled for the duration of your class, you’ll also find it useful when studying in your own time.
5. Avoid Caffeine
A small amount of caffeine is useful for giving your body a quick boost of energy to stay alert. However, continuously drinking caffeine throughout the day to keep your energy levels up will backfire. At a certain point, no amount of caffeine will help. In fact, when the effects wear off, you’ll crash and feel much more tired.
Of all the above, getting enough sleep is the most crucial for staying awake in class, but this is only possible if you have a comfortable bedroom and no noisy roommate keeping you up all night. In other words, you need to move out of on-campus housing and search for apartments for rent. North Oshawa students can receive a private room with an ensuite bathroom at Foundry Simcoe. Sign a lease now before all the units are completely full.
