This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Montclair chapter.
Sleep is SO IMPORTANT, but sometimes it can be so hard. Whether or not your mind won’t stop moving or you just don’t feel tired until three in the morning, here are some helpful tips to stay on a healthy sleep schedule!
- DO NOT NAP. Napping will throw off your entire sleep schedule.
- Wake up at the same time every morning and go to bed at the same time every night. Your body needs to follow a certain routine, so once it’s time to go to bed, you’ll be able to fall and stay asleep.
- Do NOT go on your phone before bed. Put away your phone and all electronics at least thirty minutes before you want to fall asleep. It is horrible to look at screens in such dark light and the chances are, you will keep scrolling for hours on end instead of sleeping.
- Stretch after you wake up and before you go to bed. This way, your body will know it’s time to relax and start/end your day. It’s also good to loosen up your body before/after laying down for a long time.
- Drink Tea! Drinking water keeps you hydrated and feeling refreshed, but drinking too much water will leave you getting up to go to the bathroom several times during the night. Having a nice, hot cup of tea allows you to sit down and enjoy yourself while drinking an appropriate amount of water.
- READ A BOOK! Reading is the perfect way to get your mind to slow down and get tired. After reading a couple of pages, chances are you will knock out like a light.
- ONLY be in your bed when it is time to sleep. During the day, try to stay out of bed as much as possible in order to spend more time on your feet and because chances are once you get in bed, you won’t get out.
- Find a comfortable position! I can lay in bed for ten minutes, but I know that I won’t’ fall asleep until I go into the same position I do every night, the position where I feel most comfortable and relaxed.
- Listen to music/relaxation/meditation podcasts. I find it hard to unwind after a long day, and often have to rely on others to help me. I put in my headphones and put away my phone, and put my sleep playlist on shuffle.
- Finally, Try Melatonin. If you’re having trouble after all of these steps, it is smart to consider taking melatonin. Melatonin is produced by the brain in order to sleep, and sometimes adding more melatonin can make us fall asleep easier and faster. I personally take melatonin gummies every night!