Though hibernating for 17 hours on Sunday may seem like an appealing way to catch up on sleep, there are more effective ways to stay well-rested throughout the week. Sleeping as little as high school students do is not only unhealthy but unsustainable. If you are part of the vast majority of OHS students that gets less than 8 hours of sleep per school night, it might be time to rethink your routine. Below are solutions to help with the most common problems that keep students up at night.

Problem: Procrastination

Every procrastinator knows that quitting procrastination is not as easy as it sounds. If the idea of giving up procrastinating on your homework intimidates you, don’t worry, you can still procrastinate! Instead of scrolling through Instagram for hours, however, try procrastinating from your homework by taking a nap instead. This way, you are still getting enough sleep. If the urge to watch Netflix still haunts you, try a different strategy: bring your homework to the library or to your local Starbucks. These motivating environments, filled with other people working hard, might motivate you to buckle down and get your homework over with quickly, so that you can go home and watch Netflix later and go to bed at a reasonable hour.

Problem: Homework Overload

When you take an overwhelming amount of AP classes, it can be difficult to get everything done before midnight. One way to cut down on the amount of homework you have to do at home is squeezing it into your free time at school. If you have a long bus ride in the morning or afternoon, take advantage of that time to get ahead on assignments. Making the most out of cougar time and time in the morning before the bell rings can also help significantly.

Problem: Too Many Extracurriculars

It’s hard to make time for sleep when you have a million places you have to be. When it comes to the problem of overscheduling, there are only two solutions. You can become really organized and schedule your life: use a planner, and plan your time wisely. If you don’t get home until 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, for example, do all of your homework on Tuesday and Thursday. It may seems like a small tip, but it helps alleviate a lot of stress. However, if your extracurriculars are extremely time consuming and consistently restricting your sleep to four hours a night, for example, it’s time to consider the second option: dropping a club or sport, or signing up for a less rigorous class next year. It’s important to know your limits and respect your health enough to get as much sleep as you need.

Problem: You Just Can’t Fall Asleep

Is stress keeping you up at night? While it’s not always possible to push your worries away long enough to doze off, there are plenty of ways to relax. Bubble baths and face masks are great relaxation techniques. It might be helpful to make yourself a warm mug of calming, non caffeinated tea, such as chamomile before bed. Experts recommend avoiding screen time before bed, so try to relax with a book or magazine with your tea instead of a TV show.

Good luck, and sleep well!