In the middle of spring semester my freshman year, I developed awful insomnia. I was getting about three hours of sleep on a good night, which made me pretty miserable. I was a grouch; if anyone talked to me, looked at me or breathed in my general direction, it was likely that I’d break into a fit of tears. I had low motivation, even lower productivity and even lower bags under my eyes. Basically, my overall state reflected that of a 3-year-old who didn’t take her nap… for two months. The happy news, though, is that after many failed attempts at getting a good night’s sleep, I finally figured out some methods that got my sleep schedule (and the rest of my life) back on track. Sleep’s a hot commodity in college, so if you’re struggling with insomnia, check out what worked for me:
Melatonin supplements
I’m starting with this one because melatonin’s the hero in my sleep success story. As a damsel in distress, melatonin swept in and saved me from my sleepless nights. Melatonin’s a hormone in the brain that helps to regulate your internal clock and control your sleep and wake cycles, according to WebMD. After talking to a physician’s assistant, I decided to start taking melatonin to see if it would help me. It took a few nights for my body to get used to it, but the first night that I fell asleep quickly and slept soundly, I woke up feeling like I had been given a miracle. You can get a bottle of 3mg melatonin tablets at Target for about $7. Talk to your doctor before trying it out, though; it may interfere with other medications you might be taking.
Unplug before bed
Your Instagram feed will still be anxiously awaiting your double-taps in the morning. The habit of mindlessly searching through your phone before bed can severely impact your sleep levels; the light from your phone, laptop or e-reader will suppress your melatonin levels and make it difficult to fall asleep, according to a Huffington Post article.
Bedtime tea
I often drink Yogi Bedtime Tea before bed. Though there isn’t really any hard-hitting, definitive proof that bedtime teas improve sleep, I think it’s more about the calmed mood they put you in. A little chill me-time, tea-time never hurt anybody. The Yogi tea contains passionflower and valerian root, which a 2011 study said provide short-term sleep benefits.
Get on a sleep schedule and stick to it
College is unpredictable, and with three exams, an essay and assignments to complete in an unrealistic amount of time, sometimes sleep is your last priority. I’m just going to put it out there and say something to all of you who claim, “I can function on like, two hours of sleep, I’m fine”: You’re not fine. You need to sleep. The best way to get a good night’s sleep, every night, is to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day. It’s the same idea as getting yourself on an eating schedule; you eat at around the same time every day, so your body understands when you should be hungry. If you have a sleep schedule, your body will want to fall asleep at the right time.
Get exercise
Getting more exercise each day has double the perks for me. I like to work out early in the morning before I start my day, so I wake up and get energized quickly. Exercising at some point during the day also makes me sleep better; WebMD reported that a study revealed people who get between 20-40 minutes of exercise a day slept on average 1.25 hours more than those who don’t.
Separate your day from your night
You’ve been studying for six hours straight, your brain hurts, you’re stressed and ridden with anxiety. You finally get into your beloved bed, but your head’s congested with thoughts of your long day and the challenges you’ll face tomorrow. All of these worries make it nearly impossible to sleep. Separating my day from my night is essential in getting a good night’s sleep; I like to read (something for fun) for 15 minutes, journal or talk to my roommates for a bit. This helps me to forget about school and calms my brain down before I lay down. We all want to sleep, and the rough reality of college is that it sometimes can’t happen even when all you want is to quit everything and go to bed. But on that rare, mythical, magical occasion that you do get to go to sleep at an appropriate time, you should be able to sleep soundly. I hope my tips for battling insomnia work for you, as well. Sweet dreams, Gophers!