How To Stop Falling Asleep In Class

How to stop sleeping in class 

Falling asleep in those boring classes is not an uncommon occurrence. Some classes are way too hard not to fall asleep. And usually, you are not the only one feeling asleep. Especially if it’s a particularly unengaging classroom, it is quite possible that your friends at the back are sleeping too.

However, it becomes a major problem when you are the only one falling asleep in class and it is happening every day. If you constantly find yourself falling asleep during lectures. Not able to keep up with the studies. Not able to concentrate on anything the professor is saying. Not able to take notes during class. And your teacher has built a particular hatred towards you because she thinks you are disrespecting her class by sleeping during lectures. It’s perhaps time that you take some serious measures.

First of all, you need to understand why you are falling asleep in class?

1.Lack Of Interest

The first and somewhat controversial reason is student’s lack of interest towards a particular subject. Most people will counter this by saying, it’s not the student’s duty to stay focused but the teacher’s duty to keep them focused in the class. 

And yes, it’s to some extent is true. It is the teacher’s duty to make the class more interesting and keep their students engaged. However, there are students, especially in high school and college who take certain subjects because there was nothing else to take. If it’s not the subject they want to learn then it’s more likely that they will be least interested to know what the teacher has to say. 

When you have to sit idle for a long time, in a silent room, the natural response of the body is to fall asleep.

2. Teacher’s Inactiveness

It is psychologically proven that human ‘mirror’ other humans especially someone you look up to. Students who have their full attention on the teacher will feel sleepy if the teacher is not active.

If the teacher teaches sitting down on the chair and looking like he is about to fall asleep, it’s most likely that his students will feel the same way. I had an English teacher once, who did nothing but dictate the text from the book while half of the class snored in peace. If you are a teacher, please don’t do that.

It is a teacher’s responsibility to keep the students alert by asking them random questions in between lectures. He should be energetic in the class. Teach standing up rather than slouching on the chair. Be loud and passionate about what you are teaching and the students will find it more fun to study.

3. Now Coming To The Main Reason Why Students Fall Asleep In Class

The very easy and obvious reason is lack of sleep. In today’s education system student are burdened with so many activities that they don’t get proper sleep at night. 

Small children and teens need more sleep than adults as their brains are still in a developmental stage. They need to sleep one or two hours more than an average adult for proper development of their body and brain. 

Unfortunately, most students which include ages from 5 to 17 have morning School, which starts as early as 7:30 a.m or 8 a.m. Most kids are forced to wake up early in the morning to get ready and go to school. 

In a study done by the University of Nevada-Reno and Open University in the UK concluded students who have early schools don’t get needed 7- 8 hours of sleep every day.

Most students nowadays not only have schools but have extracurricular activities as well. Such as dance, music, drama, gymnastics and many more that they attend after school. Managing school and social life at the same time can be a bit of a challenge for students and college-goers alike. 

This is the reason why kids act like zombies in the morning. They get ready while they are still half asleep. 

Also, the fact that no matter how much you try to make your kids go to bed early they usually sleep after 11 p.m. It does not change the wake-up time though which is usually between 6 and 7, no wonder they fall asleep in classes.

4. Lack Of Sleep Due To Too Many Assignments

The load of assignment that some schools give their students is alarming. They even have a time limit to submit the assignment within time. It can put extra pressure on students. It is another reason why studies are not able to sleep early and the stress of completing the assignment is another thing that negatively affects their brains.

5. Bad Effects Of Electronic Gadgets

The major problem that millennials suffer from is Internet addiction. Most kids spend hours playing video games, watching videos, spending hours after hours on their phones, laptops and computers which adversely affects the sleep cycle.

It cuts down on the amount of time they spend on sleeping. The brain regenerates the brain cells at night.  Lack of sleep and spending too much time on electronic gadgets adversely affects their brain development. Parents who do not monitor that time kids spent on electronic gadgets, shouldn’t blame their kids when the grades are low.

6. A Load Of Part-Time Jobs For College Students.

This can’t be helped, college students who are struggling financially often take a part-time job besides college. They usually come late at night and wake up early in the morning. The lack of sleep and the overworked mind make them sleepy in class.

One of the best things they can do is schedule their work, assignments, self-study and classes so they get at least 6 to 7 hours of sleep every single day for better health and better concentration in class. 

Try not to indulge in bad habits such as drinking or partying late at night. Although it may sound lucrative as you have newly acquired freedom but if you want to keep your health in check then you need to time everything. Find the perfect balance between college, work and social life.

So how do you not fall asleep in class? 

There is no magic formula to keep you alert in class or store everything your professor says in your photographic memory. But there are things you can change to increase concentration in class and not fall asleep. 

1. Start The Day With A Proper Morning Routine

If your main goal in the morning to reach school on time, it is quite possible that you are brushing your teeth and doing your morning business when you are still in a sleepy haze. 

Most students don’t wake up full of energy, all excited for the day ahead, they probably want to go back to sleep in their comfy beds. Taking your time and focusing on morning routine can help you to wake up properly.

You can make the mundane process of brushing your teeth interesting. Try to focus on what you are doing. Reach the furthest corners of your mouth and chant that you want to brush each and every part of your mouth and keep your teeth healthy. This is just one example, you can do so with choosing your outfit, combing your hair etc. 

2. Take A Morning Shower

Showers can make you feel alert in the morning. Take lukewarm shower not a hot one. Spay yourself with the last splash if cold water before you come out. This wakes you up instantly and you feel refreshed.

Do not rush on the breakfast table, take your time chewing your food, talking to your parents and planning your day ahead. 

3. Drink Plenty Of Water In The Morning And Throughout The Day 

One of the most important things to do immediately after you wake up is to drink half a litre of water. Our body is the least hydrated in the morning. Since we do not drink any water throughout the night which is roughly 7 to 8 hours at a stretch. 

Watery hydrates you, flushes out toxins from your body and makes your brain more alert. It effectively helps to wake you up in the morning. 

Some studies show minor dehydration that is about 1 to 3% of fluid loss can make you feel sleepy. Students often forget to drink water when they are attending classes one after the other.

When they are taking classes after classes, especially during the summer they can lose a lot of water in the form of perspiration. Whether you know it or not, your feeling sleepy in class and tired the whole day could be one of the signs of dehydration. Keep drinking water throughout the day even when you are in attending class. It can help you to fight sleepiness and fatigue.

 4. Be Mindful Of What You Eat For Breakfast

Kids love sugary treats. Those colorful cereals that your kids love so much usually contain high sugar. Pancakes and maple syrup may seem like good and easy breakfast but believe me, it’s not. It does nothing to help your kid with staying alert throughout the day.

Sugar is good for instant energy but in the long, it cannot provide as much energy. Few hours after eating sugar food your child will start to run low on energy. Sugar also inhibits a hormone in the brain called orexin which helps us to stay alert. 

Try to incorporate protein for breakfast as it takes a long time to metabolize and gives out energy more slowly as compared to sugar and carbohydrates. It also promotes hormone orexin. 

Replace the sugary cereal with oatmeal, incorporate eggs which are rich in protein, whole grain bread helps to make a child feel full. It does not let them get hungry a few hours after breakfast. Incorporate vegetables raw and cooked, fruits, juice or smoothie

 5. Go To Bed Early

For young people who attend school or colleges, falling asleep immediately after you lay in bed is not quite possible. Most people take half to an hour to fall asleep. The best way to get enough sleep at night is to go to bed early and not fidget with electronic devices such as phones, laptops, iPods or tablets. 

While you are in bed, have some quiet time for yourself before you go to sleep. Once your brain up to gets accustomed to the darkness it starts to produce melatonin, an enzyme that helps us to fall asleep. Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day helps you to stay alert in class and makes you feel healthy and helps you to concentrate better. It would be easier for you to focus on the lecture, take notes and study. 

 6. Have Proper Ventilation In The Class

A poorly ventilated room causes you to feel sleepy. You will run low on energy as your brain is not getting proper Oxygen. 

You will feel tired, sleepy and you won’t be able to concentrate in the class. 

If the room is warm your body starts to perspire and lower down your body temperature. This sudden fall in body temperature makes you sleepy. One of the things you can do to wake up is to open the windows and let the air in. It will regulate the temperature of the room and properly ventilate the classroom as well.

 7. A Quick Trick

A quick way to wake up is to take a stroll in the hallway and splash some water on your face. It increases your heartbeat and helps you to wake up.

8. Take Small Meals Throughout The Day

Students feel sleepy especially on classes immediately after lunch. If you are eating a heavy meal during your lunch hour while not eating anything the whole day. It will make you feel sleepy during classes after the lunch hour. Your body needs a lot of energy to digest the food, Also, a large amount of food increases melatonin production in the brain, as a result, you feel sleepy. 

Try to take meals in small portions and eat throughout the days. It does not put too much pressure on your body to digest a large amount of food and you also get small bursts of energy the whole day. Some of the healthy snacks options are dry fruits, nuts, Apple yoghurt, Kale chips and dark chocolate.


To stop sleeping in class, you need to get enough sleep at night. Go to bed early. Drink plenty of water, ventilate your classroom, eat food in small portions. Build a morning routine, eat a healthy low sugar and high protein breakfast. Do not eat a heavy meal at lunch. If you find yourself falling asleep in class, open the blinds, take a walk outside, splash some water on your face, drink some water and you will become alert.