Like it or not, routine is what your body needs to get a good night's sleep night after night. Yet, understandably, as your social life and academic pressures ramp up at college, bedtimes and wake-up times can go a little haywire.
I've always been aware of the link between sleep and learning. So sleep was something I prioritized (as best as I could) at college. After recently graduating, I can honestly say maintaining a consistent sleep schedule was the one habit that made sure I rested well and bagged good grades, all while juggling a social life too.
So, how can you make sure you're keeping it on track as best as you can? With a reliable sleep tracker. Of course, there are plenty of products you can shop in back to school sleep sales, from the best cheap dorm mattresses to cosy bedding.
But if you're looking for a gadget to hold yourself accountable around going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, a sleep tracker should be on your shopping list.
Yes, top of the range sleep trackers can be pricey gadgets. But I've shopped around to find you the best budget options available right now.
How does a consistent sleep schedule help your grades?
Science shows a link between sleep regularity (i.e. going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day), improved brain function and better wellbeing among college students.
Research by associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, Dr. Shelley Hershner, specifically found students with greater sleep consistency have better academic performance.
Meanwhile, a 2019 study published in the Sleep Research Society journal agrees that stabilizing sleep schedules can help improve well-being among students.
This is because a consistent sleep schedule helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, so your body gets used to releasing sleepy hormones like melatonin at the right times of day.
In turn, it's easier to fall asleep fast at night, bag quality sleep and wake up with energy for class in the morning.
How can a sleep tracker help?
So, you know going to sleep on time will help your studies and overall health. But without your mom there to tell you it's time for lights out, strict bedtimes can easily become a thing of the past. This is where a sleep tracker can come in handy at college.
I tracked my sleep with my Garmin watch through college and have recently experimented with a wider range of trackers including Oura, Whoop and Eight Sleep in my role as a sleep tech tester.
While they all vary in the detail they go in to, even the most basic sleep tracker will deliver two key metrics — the time you fall asleep and the time you wake up.
These alone can help you cement the healthy sleep habit of going to bed and waking on time. Trust me, notifications from your friendly sleep tracker telling you it's time to sleep somehow guilt trip you into halting the doom scroll and hitting the hay on time.
5 sleep tracking devices with student-friendly prices
With a student budget in mind, these are the top 5 sleep trackers I recommend shopping before the semester starts...
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