Welcome Week and syllabus week has come and gone and that leaves us with… entering the beginning of the real world. Between late nights and early mornings, our sleep schedules are the first to be compromised! Why does this happen? Well, the circadian rhythm regulates the sleep-wake cycle and may alter based on one’s environment and stressors. In other words between balancing a social life, school work, and work shifts the first thing that is compromised is one’s sleep schedule. Furthermore, regulating the sleep-wake cycle may be frustrating for those who are prone to sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, or even in a committed long-term relationship with caffeine.
Although adjusting to new schedules and demands can be difficult, the good thing is that falling asleep and staying asleep doesn’t have to be! With that being said, here are some scientifically proven and not-so scientifically proven ways to help regulate your sleep patterns so that you can get your beauty sleep (Lilienfeld et al, 2011).
1) Associate the Bed with Sleep
Studying on a bed is associating the bed with wakefulness and working. To reduce this, perhaps select another location to study and then go to bed when the tasks for the day are completed.
2) Do Something Else
Have you had a restless night in bed and keep tossing and turning? If you can’t fall asleep after 20-30 minutes, get up and do something else. Watch a movie in the TV room or simply just leave the bedroom for a bit become trying to fall asleep again. -I like to take a little walk within my house. This should be a little more helpful!
3) Avoid Alarm Clocks
Staring at the clock and watching the time pass often results in more worrying about not actually being asleep; a sleepless night can lead to counting down the hours until it’s time to get up. Turning the alarm clock out of sight is a helpful way in shifting one’s focus from worrying about falling asleep to actually falling asleep.
4) Limit Electronic Use
Sometimes, cell phone and laptop usage before bed keeps the mind in overdrive as opposed to creating a relaxed state of mind. This can be due to the light that is emitted from electronics, time spent online reading, or time spent engaging in stimulating conversations with friends. Putting the cell phone down, laptop away, and not replying to that DM may be a good start to relaxing and clearing the mind.
5) Reduce Caffeine Intake
Caffeine is known to be a stimulant. Stimulants speed up heart rates, which may result in increased alertness. To reduce this effect, try to avoid having coffee a few hours before bed. Sorry! That means you may have to turn off your Keurig Machine a little earlier.
6) Guided Imagery
A few audio sources that may be helpful are guide imagery, muscle relaxation, and calming music clips. Many links can be found by searching on Youtube. Headspace is a handy mobile app for quick access to 10-minute meditations. A combination of breathing and muscle relaxation can counteract any tension in the body because preparing for sleep is as much of a physical thing as it is a mental thing.
7) Chamomile Tea
Although tea has caffeine in it, Chamomile Nights is said to be a useful sleep-aid tea. It may be a sort of expectancy effect, but chamomile is known for its calming properties.
8) Hot Shower
Just as a cold shower is revitalizing and refreshing, a hot shower creates steam which mimics a sauna and can help relax the body and prompt the body for sleep.
9) Steady Schedule
Start by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. A consistent bedtime and wakeup time is a great way to get into a routine that your body is used to. Sadly, this also means that sleeping in on weekends isn’t an option; however, it will be beneficial in the long run!
10) Brief Psychotherapy
It has been reported that a more effective way to help insomnia is brief psychotherapy as opposed to sleeping aids. To find resources for psychotherapy check out what your university has to offer or speak to your family doctor for a referral to a clinician.
In order to rule the day a good night’s rest is very much needed, so try out some of these tips when you find that you can’t sleep. Remember to keep calm and get your beauty sleep! Thanks for reading!
Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namly, L. L., & Woolf, N. J. (2011). Psychology: From inquiry to understanding (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.