How To Get More Sleep

1. Have a bedtime. Like you did when you were five years old.
2. Kick the caffeine habit. Or don’t get into the habit in the first place. Is it too late for that?
3. Work smarter, not harder. There’s usually a faster or more efficient way to do something. Unless that thing is creating. Then there is no fast way.
4. Get stuff done earlier. Basically, don’t procrastinate.
5. Don’t use electronics right before going to bed. The world isn’t going to end if you aren’t plugged in. And you’re probably not missing out on much.  
6. Establish a relaxing routine. Take a bath, listen to music, read a book.
7. Turn lights and screens off. It’s for your own good.
8. Don’t give in to peer pressure. Say no to everyone. But yourself.

Pros And Cons To Starting School Earlier

This upcoming school year, my classes start 10 minutes earlier than they normally do from 8:30 in the morning to 8:20 a.m. Now this doesn’t make much of a difference to me (I secretly like this change since I am a morning person), but it prompted me to think about how my less early-rising peers will have to adjust to accommodate such a change. You can read more about how to cope with earlier school start times.

Do the pros of starting school earlier outweigh the cons? The debate about ideal school start times continue to wage on especially, as the school year is right around the corner. Here are some pros and cons to starting class early.

Pros

• There is more time for extracurricular activities and homework thus, improving morale levels and grades.
• Transportation such as busing, sport teams, and daycare facilities won’t be affected and costs won’t go up.
• Kids might have to go to bed at a reasonable time, which would make parents happier.   

Cons

• Students are less alert and awake because they are forced to wake up early therefore, attendance and performance may decrease.
• Bus times will have to change, teams may have to play later or even in the dark, and older teens cannot pick up younger siblings.
• Many teenagers despise the idea of waking up early so this can make them despise going to school even more.

Weirdly enough, this earlier start was implemented to avoid “so many lates” at our school. In turn, it may have the opposite effect. There could be even more lates. Time will tell.