When I’m busy with classes, work, and just life in general, sleep is the first thing that seems to escape me. Below are some of the tips and tricks that help best when trying to get a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep!
1) Stick to your schedule
When I’m super busy, I can guarantee you that Netflix isn’t the first thing I sacrifice- it’s without a doubt sleep. Sleep seems like the easiest thing to give up on, especially when you’re on a college schedule. Some days you just end up being swamped with work and knocking an hour off your nightly rest is the best option to get it all done. If you sacrifice your sleep, though, you’ll wake up with less energy, need more coffee, and have a lot of trouble focusing on your daily activities. Even the smallest amount of sleep taken away from your usual night can have a BIG affect on your brain power the next day. This doesn’t mean that everyone needs 8 (or more) hours a night, but when you find the amount of sleep that works for you, try not to be flexible with that time. Also, try to wake up around the same time every day, as it develops continuity with your mind and body.
2) Be careful what you eat before bed
As a general rule of thumb, you should try to avoid eating for about two hours before you go to sleep. It takes longer for your body to digest food when you’re sedentary and laying down in bed than it does when you’re moving around. Believe it or not, digestion can actually wake you up in the middle of the night and interrupt your sleep schedule, and no one wants to go to bed with an upset stomach. A cup of coffee or something equally caffeinated before you go to bed isn’t a great idea because it can take hours to actually wear off and you might be stuck lying awake when you could be catching up on some precious Z’s.
3) Increase your activity during the day
Nothing preps you better for a night of sound sleep than working out during the day. Even just taking the long way back after your classes while walking through campus can improve the quality and duration of your sleep. Make sure that you don’t exercise too closely to your bedtime though, as it can boost your energy and heart rate and make it a little bit more difficult to fall asleep. You may be surprised at just how good your bed feels before your head hits the pillow when you’ve spent a little more time at the gym.
4) Createa good sleeping environment
This means laptop off, smartphone off, and lights out! Eliminate anything that usually distracts you from sleep and focus instead on your breathing techniques and relaxation. Try to mentally de-stress yourself before you go to sleep and leave your worries from the day behind for the night. Some people like to drink a cup of hot (decaffeinated) tea before bed to relax! Meditation and deep breathing are also good ways to prep the mind and body for sleep, and if you’re still having trouble maybe all you need is a new, comfy pillow!