Trouble waking up? How college students deal with feeling tired in the morning

College students are no stranger to rough mornings. One of the reasons that they, along with most of the population, wake up feeling groggy and grumpy is due to a lack of sleep. It is possible to have yourself a better morning if you know how to improve your schedule.

Oswego student Marc Ford has a morning schedule that works for him.

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The most obvious solution to improving your mood and being more alert in the morning is to get enough sleep. Marc gets 7-8 hours of sleep a night with little problems. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that adults, especially busy college students, get between 7 and 10 hours of sleep each night. Of course, the amount of sleep depends on the individual.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]”I believe [coffee] wakes me up and gets me through the grogginess of the morning.”[/su_pullquote]

Marc emphasizes the importance of coffee in his morning routine. While this may not seem to be the smart choice, it does have its benefits. “The Nutrition Journal” found that  caffeine consumption can improve test scores and heightens alertness. However, as with most things, it needs to be taken in moderation.

According to a PBS study, most college students have begun sleeping next to their phone, to use as an alarm clock. With this trend, mobile applications have come out that improve on the default app. One mobile app, named “Sleep Cycle,” monitors your activity while you sleep, like your movements and breathing patterns, and rates your quality of sleep. The app will also wake you in a certain window of time that you’re closest to being awake.

There are many ways that your morning can be improved. With a little work, it isn’t hard to make sure that you start your day right.

We’d love to hear from you! Click here to let us know how you typically feel in the morning.