A guide to navigating insomnia and finally getting the rest you deserve
For as long as I can remember, I’ve never had a good relationship with sleep. My experiences with insomnia root back to my early childhood, when I would toss and turn for hours before finally falling asleep. I’ve always found it so difficult to turn my brain off, since my mind is always racing from one thing to the next. There have been periods in my life where I’ve felt constantly sleep-deprived. I remember once my fourth-grade teacher pulled me out of class to ask if I was getting enough iron because I seemed so lethargic. I remember feeling embarrassed to tell him the truth. It just felt like sleep was such an easy thing for everyone else, and I didn’t understand why I was the way I was.
As my sleep issues have persisted into high school and freshman year of college, I’ve realized that my brain is more sensitive to stimulation at night, and it takes more effort for me to wind down compared to most people. In this article, I will share some of my best tips for a good night’s sleep.
1. CUT THE CAFFEINE
As a busy college student, I often depend on caffeine to get me through the day. In the morning, the thought of drinking caffeine is what gets me out of bed. There are many times when I need caffeine to study, especially when I’m feeling extra tired or unmotivated. During finals or before big exams, I find myself drinking caffeine way past my bedtime, sometimes even after dinner. When I have caffeine that late, I know I am sacrificing my sleep, but when I’m stressed for an exam, it’s my instinct to stay up and study.
Over time, I’ve learned that this strategy always backfires the next day, and the test feels way harder than it would have been if I had gotten a good night’s sleep. It’s important to limit your caffeine intake in the mornings and early afternoon because it has a half-life of four to six hours. I try to cut it off at around 3 p.m..
2. TAKE A HOT SHOWER
A part of my nightly ritual is taking a hot shower before bed. Even if I showered earlier in the day, rinsing off in a hot shower for a few minutes before slipping into bed helps me fall asleep much faster. According to the National Library of Medicine, taking a hot shower one or two hours before bed encourages a better night’s sleep. This is because your body temperature rises in the shower, and as your core temperature drops, melatonin production increases. I also just love feeling all warm and cozy before getting under the covers. It’s the best.
3. MEDITATION
Meditation is non-negotiable in my daily routine. For me, it doesn’t matter if I meditate right at bedtime or earlier in the day. It is a practice that helps me control my overactive mind, which becomes useful when I’m trying to sleep. I practice transcendental meditation, which involves picking a mantra and repeating it over and over in my head. Sometimes I use different sounds, like frequencies and wavelengths, as my mantra. When I feel my thoughts drifting, I just gently redirect my attention to the mantra.
After practicing transcendental meditation for a while, I’ve noticed it’s been much easier to control where my mind goes, especially at bedtime. Meditation has taught me that I have agency over my thoughts, rather than being a victim of them.
4. DITCH THE SCREENS
This last tip is one that I still struggle with, but it is honestly so effective. I try to cut screens at least 30 minutes before bed, but that isn’t always realistic for me. I love to watch a good comfort show or YouTube video before bed, so I don’t always follow this rule perfectly. However, I always try to put my phone somewhere where I can’t reach to make sure I don’t doomscroll on social media before bed. Philadelphia Integrative Psychiatry says scrolling on social media floods your dopamine receptors, stimulating you and delaying sleep onset. I would suggest thinking twice about going on Instagram or TikTok before bedtime.
Ultimately, when it comes to sleep, everyone is different. It’s possible that not all of these things will work for you, but maybe one thing will, or it will get you thinking about how to break your own sleepless pattern. I know how isolating insomnia can feel, but remember that you are not alone in this. Also, don’t be afraid to lean on your peers or campus resources for help.