Going to university for the first time is certainly daunting. But, if you’re fully prepared with all your home comforts then you’ll be an unstoppable force in your academics, societies, and social situations.
Amidst all the new information to digest, it’s possible you may have spent a couple of late nights catching up with your newfound workload. If your sleep schedule has suffered in student halls, read on to find out more about our top student accommodation tips for getting the best night’s sleep.
For those who are off to stay in halls (of residence) or other student housing, you will want to make your generic room more of a piece of you. Besides the obvious past signs of blue tack marks all over the walls, you don’t know how many people have stayed in your room prior to you. That’s why we would advise that you take a mattress protector, as you probably don’t want a single sheet separating you from the mattress that has been used by several strangers before you.
Take the ‘Protect a Bed Essential Mattress Protector’ (pictured) for example. It’s easy to wash, breathable, and above all, comfortable.
The quality of mattresses in halls infamously leaves much to be desired. How are you going to jump out of bed ready for lectures (or even go to sleep after a night out) if you can feel the scratchy springs through the material?
Take your sleeping comfort to the next level with a mattress topper. Slightly thicker than protectors, mattress toppers are great for smoothing out the lumpy surfaces of sub-par mattresses like those in student accommodation.
When it comes to pillows and duvets, there is the temptation to take the ones that you already have in your bedroom at home (if your parents will let you!). However, that means you would have to lug everything home and back for Christmas, Easter, Summer and the like. So it’s probably a good idea to invest in a new duvet and a couple of pillows so they can stay put while you’re there.
To liven up your room, you can get some fresh new bedding for university. It’s important to have a crisp and comfortable bed set up when moving to a completely new city, so invest in bed sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases to really personalise your space. You’ll certainly appreciate a comfy bed when getting up fresh for lectures, hanging out with new friends, and most importantly, getting in from a night out.
We understand that this isn’t always practical, but if you exclusively use your bedroom for sleeping and not for socialising, you’ll only link it with sleep. It’s easy to get into a habit of doing everything in your bedroom in uni halls. Instead, try hanging out in the kitchen with a brew or going out to see friends if your hall has a community room with TVs. This will not only improve your university experience, but it may also help you sleep better.
If you’re unable to leave your room to study, then it’s worth making the effort to ensure your desk is dedicated for your studies, leaving your bed for sleep and relaxation.
While exciting, the university experience can make it easy for us to lose track of a structured sleeping routine. Not only does a routine keep our days and nights organised, it can also significantly improve our overall sleeping quality. If you’re finding your sleep has suffered, it could be time to re-introduce a bedtime routine while at university.
Most bedtime routines include bathing and brushing teeth, as well as calm, pleasurable activities like reading a book or listening to a podcast. The goal is to maintain a peaceful and cheerful atmosphere.
The best sleep time for students is from 7-9 hours. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. So, try to make sure you’re getting these crucial hours in.
For more information read our article on ‘Why is REM sleep important’.
We all know how loud those flat parties can get in university. If you’re not feeling in the party mood, then there are some ways that you can try to block out the noise.
invest in some earplugs or a white noise machine. You can also often access white noise, or other variations of it, on your mobile phone. This will help to drown out any party music and loud voices.
Do everything you can to establish a sleep-friendly environment. This means it should be pleasant, cool, dark, and silent, with no TV or radio playing in the background.
Browse Mattressman’s wide range of mattress protectors, mattress toppers, pillows and duvets to help you get those all-important 8 hours. Our products will offer you many peaceful nights of sleep preparing you for those vital university exams.