Why students sleep during lectures in class?
Sleeping during lectures is very common in most tertiary institutions. Do you ever feel sleepy or tired during lectures? If yes then, read this article as there’s every possibility that the solution to your problem might be found here.
Normally, lectures are boring times, especially if they are given by lecturers who don't engage their audience. Some students might also fall asleep during lectures because they lack proper sleep habits. And this greatly affects their level of participation during lectures. This causes us to become less focused and attentive, which leads to poor grades, low productivity, and even health problems. The good news is that these issues can be addressed with simple lifestyle changes. Read on to discover ways to stay you can solve this problem.
5 Reasons Why Students Sleep During Lectures in Class
Students often complain about sleeping during lectures. They say that they don't understand anything because they were too tired to pay attention.
So, why do students sleep during lectures? Why do they fall asleep? Well, here are 5 reasons why students sleep during classes.
1. Stress and fatigue
Tiredness is one of the major causes of falling asleep during lectures. Students usually feel tired because they lack sleep. It has been proven that our brains need sleep. We need to sleep for 8 hours to recharge our brains.
However, students rarely get 8 hours of sleep each night. Most of them only get 6 to 7 hours of sleep. This is why they fall asleep. Their bodies tell them that they need rest. But they ignore it.
2. Students Fall Asleep During Lectures Because They Aren't Prepared
Most professors give homework assignments to prepare students for exams. However, students fail to complete these assignments. Because they aren't prepared, they fall asleep during lectures to avoid feeling stressed. They are a lot of students that are guilty of this. All they want is to relax during classes and have their sleep.
3. Uncomfortable studying environment
A student feels may tend to sleep during class when he or she is uncomfortable during lectures. This is another reason that contributes to why students sleep in class. When they are uncomfortable, nothing interests them again, therefore they tend to relax and make themselves happy by sleeping.
4. Lack of Concentration
Sometimes, students find it difficult to concentrate during lectures. They may fall asleep because they cannot focus on the lecture. Most times this is the fault of the lecturers who do not know the right way to communicate with their students. They don’t know how best to drive the attention of their students, thereby resulting in them losing concentration. This is common, especially when introducing a difficult topic to the class.
5. Lack of night sleep
Many students attend college to learn and study. However, they don't really care about learning. They only care about partying and drinking alcohol. They don't think about studying or attending class. Instead, they spend their days doing things they shouldn't be doing. For example, they play video games instead of studying.
They party every night and watch movies after school. If they get bored, they go out shopping or visit restaurants. After doing all these, the only place remaining to cool off their head remains the lecture halls. They end up sleeping from one lecture hour to another.
10 solutions to sleeping in class during lectures
Do you ever find yourself falling asleep in class? If you do, you aren't alone. Many students struggle with sleep issues. As much as this is very common, there are still measures on can implore to regulate or stop sleeping in lecture halls totally. There are several solutions to sleeping during lectures in college/universities, the best is to find the most effective way and stick to it. Here are 10 tips to help you fall asleep during classes.
1. Take a Nap Before Class
Taking a nap before class may sound crazy, but it really works. Studies suggest that taking a short nap before class helps you focus and pay attention better. So, grab a blanket and head off to bed right before it's time for your class. This is suitable for those going to classes in the afternoon and evening. It will help you as a student to have a focused mind while you receive fresh lectures.
2. Avoid many contacts before classes
Students who often want to talk to every single person in the class have been identified as an “easy to be distracted” set of people. Too much playing just before a class begins can greatly affect the performance of the students involved. Once the lecture starts, they will probably feel like sleeping because all through their free time they have been playing around.
3. Drink Tea
Drinking tea before going to bed can help you fall asleep faster. Research shows that drinking warm milk mixed with honey can help induce sleep. Once you understand that sleeping early enough in the night can you stay long during lecture hours, continue with it.
4. Exercise
Exercise is one of the most effective methods to fall asleep fast. Not just exercise, but a regular one. Try walking or running for 20 minutes before bedtime or try doing any simple exercise that you can. Walking is easier than running, but either activity should help you relax and wind down. When practiced regularly will have a significant impact on the performance of the affected student.
5. Eat Right
This is one area that is hard for a student to find perfection in. A lot of people when leaving for lectures in the morning don’t even eat at all. Others who manage to eat, do not eat rightly. Eating a balanced diet can help you fall asleep quickly. Avoid eating late at night. Eating food rich in carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, and sweets can disrupt your sleep cycle.
Eat foods rich in protein and fiber such as fish, nuts, beans, eggs, chicken, turkey, and lean meats. These foods will give you energy without disrupting your sleep cycle.
Eating cereal-based food before lectures still remains the best for students and even lecturers.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential to stay focused and alert during class. Make sure you get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep every night. Know when to take naps and when not to. On days that you are not going to have morning lectures, you can study in the night prior to that day, so that you will have time to make up with a short nap just before your class starts during the day.
7. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Practicing relaxation techniques can help you fall asleep easily. Meditation is one of the easiest relaxation techniques. Meditation involves focusing on breathing deeply and slowly. You can practice meditation anywhere, anytime.
8. Reduce Stress Levels
Stress can disrupt your sleep cycle and prevent you from falling asleep. Learn stress management techniques to reduce stress levels. This can include exercising regularly, practicing yoga, meditating, reading books, listening to music, spending time with loved ones, and relaxing.
9. Create a Bedroom Environment That Promotes Restful Sleep
Create a bedroom environment that promotes restful sleep. Remove distractions such as TVs, computers, phones, and tablets. Keep the room dark and quiet. Turn off the lights and remove clocks from the wall. Use soothing scents and soft lighting to promote restful sleep.
10. Don't Skip Breakfast
Many students skip breakfast and eat nothing until lunchtime. Skipping breakfast can leave you feeling tired and hungry later in the day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and proteins in your morning meals. These foods provide nutrients that fuel your body and help you feel full longer.
Conclusion
Sleeping during lectures is something that is curable. Following the above tips, just anyone you can follow amongst them will help you as a student in the university or secondary school not to sleep during lectures. Hope you found this article helpful.