Now that we’re a couple of weeks into the semester, the groove of things is starting to settle back in. Though for some, whether they’re feeling it now or down the line, they will all be able to identify with Death Cab for Cutie’s “TV Trays”: “Overworked and now I’m all used up.”
Nobody has time to eat or sleep thanks to hectic schedules — maybe you woke up late and have decided to forgo teeth brushing. Well, there are ways to solve these dilemmas.
If you feel like you don’t have the couple minutes it takes to brush your teeth since you’re running late, just pack your tooth brush and your other supplies and bring them to your classes that day.
Once you arrive to your class and settle yourself in, excuse yourself and come back to class with minty fresh breath. Also, now you can stop lying to your dentist about brushing after every single meal since you have your toothbrush on you. There is no reason not to do that now.
On to bigger things: How do you solve your lack of sleep? Well, there are two ways to do this. A simple fix is to go to bed an hour earlier than you normally do. This is one of the suggestions many studies recommend on WebMD. The website states that if you’re not getting enough sleep, “you should shut down your computer, turn off the lights and go to bed an hour early tonight.”
Going to bed early also allows you to wake up earlier and have more time to do the things you need or want to do. After all, the saying “Early to bed, early to rise” exists for a reason. Another solution to lack of sleep is trying to take a 15-minute nap during the day. Though, if you have 30 minutes to spare, this is also a reasonable amount of time to nap.
Why 15-30 minutes? According to about-stress.com, “many experts advise to keep the nap between 15 and 30 minutes, as sleeping longer gets you into deeper stages of sleep, from which it’s more difficult to awaken.”
There is no shame in taking a quick nap in the library or a study lounge area. But what do you do when you don’t have enough time to have a proper meal? One easy solution is to prepare or buy a meal that you can store in a Tupperware container to have on your busy days. If you forget to plan ahead, is there anything that will tide you over that isn’t chips or another sugary snack?
If you can’t sit down, have a full meal and are looking for a healthy alternative to hold you over, you can’t go wrong with fruit — it’s just grab-and-go, and cheap. Also, trail mix, while not the most nutritious or filling, is a great light snack for a long day. While store-bought food may not be as good as what you can whip up, it’s a fine alternative to chips and candy bars.
Light snacks and naps aren’t the ideal solution, but it’s better than the alternative: Some food and some sleep is better than no sleep or food at all.
Email Luis Reyes at luis.reyes@cardinalpointsonline.com
