Healthy Sleep Habits for Students

When student life gets busy, sleep is often one of the first things to be sacrificed. Yet, getting enough quality sleep can improve your mood, energy, concentration, academic performance, and overall wellbeing.

Are you...?

Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?
Waking up too early?
Pulling all-nighters?
Feeling more irritable, stressed, or emotional than usual?
Sleeping much longer than usual?
Tired during the day?
Having trouble focusing?
Forgetting what you learned in class?

If you answered “yes” to several of these questions, your sleep habits may be impacting your health, wellbeing, and/or academic success. The good news is that small changes can make a big difference!

Why is Sleep Important?

Sleep plays a critical role in your wellbeing and success as a student. Healthy sleep habits, sometimes called sleep hygiene, can help you fall asleep more easily, stay asleep throughout the night, and feel more rested during the day.

Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend that adults aged 18-64 get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

People who regularly get enough sleep may experience:

Improved mood and reduced stress;
Better concentration and productivity;
Improved learning and memory;
Stronger immune function;
Increased energy throughout the day;
Better physical recovery and performance;

Despite the importance of sleep, sleep challenges are common among post-secondary students. In the 2024 KPU Student Satisfaction Survey, 68% of domestic students and 56% of international students reported fair or poor sleep quality.

Tweak your sleep environment:

Right temperature
Right bedding
Reduce noise and distracting lights
Reduce screen use
Place devices out of reach or on “Do not Disturb” mode overnight
Reserve your bed for sleep whenever possible

Balance school stress:

Set yourself a “cut-off” time at night for studying and completing school work so you can get a good night’s rest
Create a study schedule and plan for exam season early– connect with Peer Tutors if you need support.

Be consistent:

Aim to wake up and go to bed at roughly the same time each day, including weekends when possible

The body-mind connection:

Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed
Avoid exercising at least 2 hours before bedtime
Practice relaxation or mindfulness techniques like yoga or deep breathing
Come up with a pre-sleep ritual, such as reading, stretching, journaling, or enjoying a caffeine-free herbal tea.

Everyone’s sleep needs are different. What works for one person may not work for another, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different strategies to find a routine that works best for you!

Resources and Support

SleepWell has a variety of tools to start enhancing your sleep using CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) such as:

There are many other great Canadian resources you can explore: