The best sleep tips for college students are simple: aim for at least 7 hours, keep your wake-up time steady even on weekends, protect your sleep before exams instead of pulling all-nighters, and make your dorm darker and quieter. Use caffeine and naps with care, and get help early if sleep problems last.
The CDC recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults aged 18 to 60, and 8 to 10 hours for teens aged 13 to 17. If you start college at 17, you're still in the teen range. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) suggests setting a bedtime early enough to get at least 7 to 8 hours.
Example: your first class is at 9 a.m. and you need 45 minutes to get up and walk there. You're up at 8:15 a.m. Count back 8 hours and you want to be asleep by about 12:15 a.m., which means heading to bed a little before that.
An all-nighter feels like extra study time. But the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) explains what you trade for it:
Learning. Studies show a good night's sleep improves learning and problem-solving. While you sleep, your brain forms new pathways that help you learn and remember information.
Speed and accuracy. People who are short on sleep take longer to finish tasks, react more slowly and make more mistakes.
Microsleep. Lack of sleep can cause brief moments of sleep while you're awake, and you might not notice. NHLBI gives the example of missing part of a lecture without realizing you dozed through it.
Driving. NHLBI says studies show sleep deficiency harms driving ability as much as, or more than, being drunk. Never drive home after a night without sleep.
So the extra hours at the desk can cost you the focus and recall you need in the exam room. Spreading the work out is the better deal.
Example exam-week plan (adjust to your own schedule):
Start reviewing five days before the exam, not the night before.
Study in two or three focused blocks a day, with real breaks.
Stop studying 30 to 60 minutes before bed and do something calm.
Keep your usual wake-up time all week.
The night before, do a light review, then go to bed on time.
Block the noise. The CDC recommends keeping your bedroom quiet and relaxing. In a dorm, that usually means earplugs, or a fan or steady sound at low volume. Our guide to white noise for sleep covers safe volume.
Block the light. An eye mask helps when your roommate is still up. AASM suggests limiting bright light in the evening.
Power down. Both CDC and AASM suggest turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
Keep it cool. CDC suggests a cool bedroom. A small fan can help in a warm dorm.
Study at a desk, not in bed. AASM suggests using your bed only for sleep and sex. In a small room that's hard, but the library or a desk chair is a good start.
Talk to your roommate early. It's easier to agree on rules in the first week than after a month of resentment. Here's an example roommate sleep agreement to adapt:
Main light off by midnight on weeknights. Desk lamps or headphones after that.
Guests leave by 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday.
Alarms get one snooze at most.
A text heads-up if you'll be coming in after 1 a.m.
If you can't reach a deal, your resident advisor can help.
Caffeine. CDC and AASM both suggest avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening. That includes coffee, tea and caffeinated sodas and drinks. Read more in our guide to caffeine and sleep.
Naps. The Sleep Foundation says the best nap length for adults is about 20 minutes and no longer than 30, and that napping too late in the day may contribute to nighttime sleep problems. Our guide on how long a nap should be has more detail.
Food and alcohol. CDC suggests avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime. If you're hungry late, AASM suggests a light, healthy snack.
Your class times change every day, but your body clock likes routine. CDC and AASM both recommend going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, and AASM adds that this includes weekends. Pick a wake-up time that works for your earliest class most days and keep it close on other days. A short nap is a better fix for a late Friday than sleeping until noon on Saturday.
If you've tried these tips and still can't sleep, or you're sleepy all day even after enough hours in bed, your campus health center is a good first stop. CDC advises talking to a healthcare provider if you regularly have problems sleeping, and says providers can run tests, including sleep studies, to check for sleep disorders. AASM also says to talk to your medical provider if a sleep problem persists.
If stress or worry keeps you awake, your campus counseling service can help. If your feelings ever become overwhelming, please reach out. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is free, confidential and available 24/7.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
For most, no. CDC recommends 7 or more hours for adults 18 to 60, and 8 to 10 hours for teens 13 to 17.
Sleep. NHLBI says a good night's sleep improves learning and problem-solving, while sleep loss slows reactions and leads to more mistakes. Review earlier in the week so you can go to bed.
Use earplugs or a steady background sound at low volume, an eye mask for light, and agree on quiet hours with your roommate. Ask your resident advisor for help if noise keeps going.
A short nap of about 20 minutes, taken earlier in the day, can help. The Sleep Foundation warns that napping too late may make it harder to sleep at night.
Sleepward: Bedtime Routine is an iPhone app for winding down at night. It has a private Brain Dump for notes and lets you pick up to three things for tomorrow, which can help when deadlines are on your mind. It also has white, pink and brown noise with a sleep timer, and a Minimal Mode with one action, one timer and one Finish button. It is free with optional Pro purchases, has no accounts or ads, and does not score or grade your sleep.
Get Sleepward free on the App Store
Healthy Sleep Habits (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Education)
Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency: How Sleep Affects Your Health (NHLBI, NIH)