REAGAN FITZKE

As high school students, many of us find it difficult to balance our work, social lives, and extra-curriculars. Due to everything we are pressured to get done, we find ourselves working late at night to finish an essay, or texting our friends until dawn. We’re all exhausted by the time 7:30 a. m. rolls around, but there are a few ways to prevent falling asleep in class.

1. Don’t procrastinate. Yes, this can be difficult, especially if you have no self-control whatsoever, but waiting until 10 at night isn’t exactly the best move when a four page essay is due the next morning. It would be ideal to get home and start on your homework right away before allowing yourself to be sidetracked by any possible distractions.

2. Avoid caffeine later in the day. Of course everyone in Highlands Ranch wants their kick of Starbucks after a long day of school, but it wouldn’t be the best idea. Caffeine is a stimulant and consuming it later in the afternoon can cause sleep deprivation. Your frappuccino can wait until the next morning.

3. Keep your sleeping schedule relatively the same every day. It’s tempting to stay up late and sleep in for 16 hours on the weekends. Unfortunately, it isn’t healthy for your internal clock. Your body will get used to this routine quickly, and by the time Sunday night rolls around, you won’t be able to fall asleep. Monday morning will be a true nightmare for you.

4. Get plenty of exercise during the day. Not using all of the energy you have during the day by keeping active will tell your body that you don’t need rest. Physical activity can also reduce stress and help with relaxation, but it can be unhelpful if done too close to bedtime. Try exercising at least a few hours before you go to sleep.

5. Stay away from electronics before bed. I’m being a bit hypocritical here, considering that I pretty much live on my phone and laptop, but the lights and sounds can stimulate brain activity, making sleeping much more difficult. Keep off of Twitter or whatever else you may do for at least an hour before you try to catch some sleep.