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You’re finally going to college, and your school is far away from home. The thought of living independently, away from your parents, excites you. But while it is indeed exciting, there are some challenges you’ll need to deal with along the way when embarking on your journey to college life.
There will be a new culture to adapt to, and a new bunch of people to meet. Accompanying this mix of excitement and worry is the inevitable pain of dorm living – learning to share space with strangers and give up your most precious privacy. And with your family far from you, you may feel homesick and lonely.
As a result, you may have sleepless nights that could have an adverse impact on your academic performance. In fact, various studies point to lack of sleep as one of the leading causes of a student’s faring poorly in school.
Without sufficient sleep, your learning ability, memory, and concentration drop to a low. Getting quality sleep should be a top priority for all students, especially those living in dorms. Here are eight must-haves to bring to your dorm that should help you sleep better.
Lightweight Bedding Sets
Cramped dorms are usually hot. Covering yourself in thick and heavy blankets is an awful idea to start your dorm life. You may also ditch the idea of using bed sheets, blankets, and pillow cases made of synthetic materials because they trap body heat and cause you discomfort when you are sleeping.
Ideal beds and bedding sets to have in your dorm room, which you can get from reputable sites such as Focus on Furniture, are lightweight and made of breathable materials such as cotton, linen, or wool because they don’t trap body heat and can give you a good night’s sleep easily.
Comfortable Pillows
When choosing pillows, you must choose those that can provide you with the ultimate comfort. Make sure your pillow can comfortably support your head, neck, and shoulders, so you will feel energized and ready when you go to school the next day.
For pillows, there are three different thicknesses to consider – plush, mid-plush, and firm. You can choose the thickness of your preference. There are also memory foam pillows that can provide ample support by molding to the shape of your head.
Cozy Mattress Toppers
Most dorms already have mattresses, so bringing one of your own in your temporary abode may not be a suitable idea. But if you find the mattress in your dorm room to be inferior or too stiff, you can add a layer of comfort by laying a mattress topper on top of it.
A mattress topper can add a significant layer of cushioning and support for your body that can contribute to a better sleep.
Mattress toppers nowadays come in a variety of materials, densities, and thicknesses for you to be able to find your ideal level of comfort and softness. For example, if you want extra support for your back and limbs, latex and memory foam mattress toppers are excellent options.
Electric Fan
According to studies, the suggested room temperature when sleeping is between 60 to 67 degrees. Our body temperature decreases when we try to snooze and these room temperatures can help facilitate sleep.
Although most dorms nowadays have a ceiling fan or air-conditioner in every room, bringing your desk fan or stand fan is still advisable for practical purposes. For one, using an electric fan keeps your room well-ventilated, and secondly, it will create white noise to muffle the sound of vehicles outside and any other unwelcome noises.
Blackout Curtains or Blinds
Harsh light can ruin your sleep by repressing the production of melatonin – the hormone responsible for preparing your body to sleep.
For an optimal sleep, drape your room with blackout curtains or blinds to prevent street lights from getting in through your windows.
Eye Mask
Wearing an eye mask to bed is a prudent option if you want to get better sleep, especially when you have a roommate who likes to keep the lights on late.
For optimum comfort, choose an eye mask that is lightweight, fits comfortably around your nose, is made of breathable cotton, and one that blocks light totally, so you will get your much-needed sleep.
Ear Plugs
Unnecessary sounds and loud noises can hinder us from having our desired sleep. Studies have shown that for a room to be an ideal environment for sleeping it should have less than the standard 30 decibels of sound.
If you go past that point, your mind gets disturbed, which will prevent you from sleeping. Hence, to fight unnecessary noises, consider wearing earplugs made of soft foam to shut out unwanted sounds from your roommate’s snore or loud music.
Air-Purifying Plants
It is certainly difficult to sleep when air pollutants such as mold, pollen, and bacteria pervade your room space. If you want a solution to this problem, consider bringing some air-cleaning houseplants to your room.
Air-purifying plants such as aloe vera and Chinese evergreen absorb air pollutants which cause coughing and sneezing. They are also easy to care for because they can grow in low light and don’t need a lot of watering.
Takeaway
It is important that you prepare yourself before going to college. Remember, your dorm will be a far different environment from the one you live in with your parents. It is essential that you learn these must-haves to bring to your dorm if you want to get a quality sleep!
This article was contributed by guest author Janis Walker.