Sleep is one of the most undervalued commodities at university. Our generation consistently deprives ourselves of enough good quality sleep, whether intentionally or not, through irregular sleep and eating schedules, blue light exposure and alcohol and substance use. On top of this, the issues that most commonly torture students – stress, anxiety, depression and burnout – are all issues that can be greatly affected, for better and worse, by sleep. All of this is just to say that sleep is not only an essential aspect of a healthy life but is also invaluable in aiding many common problems that plague our generation.
However, while most people already understand, or at least appreciate, the fact that sleep is crucial and beneficial, many struggle with actually falling and/or staying asleep. If this is something you are familiar with, here are six easy and practical steps you can take to help improve your sleep:
1. Keep it Cool
Though it might sound strange, sleeping in a colder room can actually make you fall asleep faster. This happens because your body temperature needs to drop for you to actually fall asleep and by keeping your bedroom cool you help reinforce this natural instinct. Keeping the room cool also has the added benefit of improving the quality of sleep as well as making it less likely for you to wake in the middle of the night.
2. The Darker the Better
Another way you can change your bedroom to improve your sleep is by making sure it is as dark as possible. This is needed as the absence of light helps to stimulate the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.
3. Limit Screen Time
Try not to look at a screen at least 30 mins before bed as the blue light emitted from devices such as phones or tablets restricts the production of melatonin. Most devices nowadays have a setting where you can switch to ‘night mode’ which reduces the blue light. However, even with this setting on, just scrolling mindlessly can activate your brain, possibly inducing stress or anxiety, and making it harder for you to drift off.
4. Go Decaf
I will admit a hot cup of coffee in the afternoon as a little pick me up sounds just as lovely to me as to the next person, the problem with caffeine is that it can disrupt your sleep up to six hours after consuming it. So, if you want to start winding down at 10 pm, that latte at 4 pm isn’t doing you any favours. My recommendation is that you don’t have to skip the hot drink (especially as the weather gets colder), just replace it with a decaf alternative – perhaps a warm cup of peppermint tea!
5. Exercise Regularly
Now, this tip is just part of living a generally healthy lifestyle, but it also has added benefits of improving sleep by promoting tiredness. One thing to keep in mind, though, is making sure you don’t exercise too soon before going to bed as this will raise adrenaline levels as well as your core body temperature, delaying the onset of tiredness.
6. Have a Hot Shower Before Bed
This tip is, again, related to regulating your body temperature. Though it may sound paradoxical, showering or bathing in warm water helps. This is because when you come out of the shower, the drop in temperature lowers your core body temperature, signalling that it is time for sleep.
These tips aren’t meant to be taken as a simple and seemingly magical one-time solution to all your sleeping problems. Rather, they are intended as little pointers that can help you build a better relationship with sleep moving forward. Hopefully, you will consider applying at least one of these tips to your routine, as you will likely see positive change – not only in your sleep but also in a variety of enjoyable results that come from healthier rest patterns.