What do the majority of students have in common?

1. Lack of sleep.

College students have a habit of pulling all-nighters, waking up with five alarms and having caffeine throughout the day to keep them alert.

Sleep is a number one priority that every student should have.

According to a study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, students who lack sleep do worse than their peers academically. Here are a few tips to help you relax and sleep:

• Track the number of hours you need to sleep. If you plan on going to bed at 11 p.m. each night, set a timer and wake up naturally the next day. Stop the timer and see how many hours you slept. Repeat this for a few days and you will find out how much sleep you need.

• Set a regular sleep schedule. This does not have to be the same each day, but try to keep it consistent to get your body accustomed to the schedule.

• Avoid or limit caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and media especially before bedtime.

2. Eat three meals a day and snacks in between.

Fill your meals with nutritious foods, not empty calories. It’s fine to eat junk food, but you need to replenish your body with energy foods to keep you going throughout the day.

A healthy meal will not only increase your energy but also reduce stress, according to an NY study on nutrition.

Meals should contain protein, healthy fat, carbs, fruits and/or vegetables. Snack whenever you need to especially if eating a full meal is not feasible. The less processed food you eat, the better you will feel.

3. Study.

Keep up with your reading and homework from each class. It can be easy to put it off, but it will hurt you in the long run.

If you start early on homework and studying, you won’t need to panic when you forget an assignment or a test. You will only have to edit an assignment or review for a test. Your body and brain will thank you for it later.

4. Exercise.

This does not have to be rigorous. There are a plethora of benefits.

Take advantage of community classes or just take a walk around the block. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find ways to get your heartbeat up. This will help your heart and your overall health too.

5. Positive thoughts and words.

A study revealed how a person’s emotional state can affect another individual, both in person and online. It is important to keep faith and encourage yourself.

We all make mistakes and can learn from them. Surround yourself with people who support you. Saying positive words and ingraining your mind with positive thoughts actually does change your perspective.

These small steps can help you succeed if you put them into practice. Even if you start with one, it will have long term benefits. It’s never too late to improve your grades or life. You got this!