For almost my entire life, I’ve been called crazy by friends and family because of my relationship with sleep. Sleeping is one of the single most important attributes in my life. It is one of my passions, and I would even go as far as to call it a hobby. Over the years, I have curated a routine that has consistently proven to be most effective in getting high-quality sleep. In a society dominated by hustle culture and 9 a.m. call times, here’s my ultimate guide to achieving the best 10 to 12 hours at night.
- Getting Unready
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A common misconception with getting the best sleep possible is that it requires little to no preparation. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, getting great sleep starts long before settling down under the covers. First, you must unwind with a structured downtime routine. While getting unready, set the tone of your night by implementing ambient practices that you know help you relax. This may be lighting candles instead of turning on that dreaded overhead lamp, or playing music that soothes rather than hypes. For myself, this involves turning on my self-curated playlist literally titled “Decompress” so that when it plays, my mind and body know it’s time to unwind. It may be almost exclusively Kacey Musgraves and Fleetwood Mac, but it does the trick every time.
Once the mood is set, treat yourself to a soothing, hot shower. What you do in the shower is up to you, but make it meaningful. The most important thing to keep in mind while approaching your nighttime routine is to move slowly and with intention. Don’t just aimlessly scrub at your skin. Be gentle with yourself. While washing your body, imagine you are washing away the worries that have lingered throughout your day. It sounds over-the-top, but instilling affirmations like this automatically brings your nervous system into a calm, relaxed state. Once you’re out of the shower, follow with proper skin, body, and hair care.
- Pre-Sleep Essentials
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I get it. It’s so easy to throw on a pair of old sweatpants and that tee you’ve had since high school after a hard, long day. But what they won’t tell you is that putting on something comfortable yet still put together will not only enhance your mood, but elevate your nighttime routine to a whole new level. The truth is that what you wear matters. It doesn’t matter that no one else will be seeing you. Dress up for yourself. Swap your old high school band shirt for a cute matching set or comfy robe. Whatever it is that makes you feel like your best self, wear it.
Slumber Cloud I’m sure you’ve heard the notion of “no screens at least 30 minutes before bed.” Although this is solid advice, and one I wish I could stick to, for a generation born into screen time, this can be easier said than done. It’s a natural inclination to want to keep the mind engaged up until the very last second. As an alternative, I invite you to engage in at least one phone-free activity before bed. Journaling, coloring, doing a puzzle, or reading a slow-paced book are just a few examples of activities you can implement into your routine. It doesn’t have to be right before, but odds are you’ll get so comfortable that the time you spend on your phone after will be limited, if you decide to at all.
- Goodnight and Go
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Now that you’ve gotten un-eady and adequately prepared yourself for the night ahead, it’s time for the grand moment itself. You’re finally ready to get snuggled into bed, but not without checking a few items off your list first. To start with, your room must be practically pitch-black. I’ll make an exception for those with a maternal relationship to their emotional-support night light, but still try to keep your room as dark as possible. Also, checking that the thermostat is set below 70 degrees makes it even cozier when you tuck yourself in.
This next requirement is non-negotiable for me. You need to have something weighted either with you or on you when you sleep. This can be a blanket, eye mask, pillow — anything that feels equivalent to the X-ray vest they put on you at the dentist. I understand that for some people this can cause sensory issues, but if it’s something you think you can handle, I couldn’t recommend it enough. I personally cannot fall asleep without my pink weighted stuffed dinosaur, even at my grown age. Having something weighted while you sleep is the ultimate comfort that, after trying it, you can’t go back. On the topic of non-negotiables, turning on brown noise before bed will be another game-changer in your sleep routine. When the thoughts in your head feel overwhelming, playing brown noise is sure to sweep them away.
Now that your eyes are shut and your mind is calm from the practices you implemented, escape to your magical fantasy world. It’s easy to turn the period before falling asleep into prime time for contemplating your anxieties, but try to take this moment as time for yourself. Go to places you can’t go to during the day. Maybe that’s imagining you’re back home with your family or backpacking across Switzerland with your friends. Regardless of where your mind takes you, let it be somewhere that brings you joy, and enjoy a good night’s rest, because you deserve it.
In a world built around 9 a.m. lectures, internship shifts, and group projects that somehow always meet at night, sleepmaxxing doesn’t feel dramatic; it feels necessary. For college girls juggling classes, part-time jobs, social lives, and the constant pressure to “do it all,” sleep becomes the first thing sacrificed and the thing we miss the most. So if that means blackout curtains in a dorm room, skipping a late-night scroll, or romanticizing a 10:30 p.m. bedtime, so be it.