College is a time of all-nighters, and even more early mornings. In order to keep your mind and body alert, sleep is incredibly important. Here’s a few helpful tips to improve your sleep during these busy times!

Try to Schedule in Your Sleep.

Committing to going to bed at a certain time every night helps your daily time-management and energy levels.  It’s incredibly important to restore your mind and memory through sleep, and you won’t be productive if you don’t get enough of it. Give yourself a head start on your day by fitting in at least 8 hours of sleep every night.

Maintain a Relaxing Bedtime Routine.

Wind down before you go to bed, or there’s no chance you’ll fall asleep right away. Try dimming your lights and changing into comfy sleeping clothes an hour or so before you go to bed. This will calm you down and help make you sleepy.  Also avoid screens before bed. The blue light your phone screen gives off tends to wake you up more than helping you wind down. Instead, try something like reading.

Exercise Daily to Tire Out Your Body in a Healthy Way.

Being active daily is vital to the sleeping process. Whether it’s a light workout or vigorous exercise, you’re still moving your body. Any form of exercise is good exercise! This will burn off any excess energy (and stress) that would normally keep you awake at night. However, beware of exercising right before bed! Often, exercise gives you a burst of energy even after your workout is over, which can make sleeping very difficult.

Make Your Room the Perfect Sleep Environment.

By keeping your room a serene and safe environment, your sleep will come much easier and much faster. Try turning down the temperature to 60-67°. By having your room too cold or too hot, your sleep can be disturbed.. Try to eliminate sources of noise and light as well. Any sort of disturbances can make sleep more difficult. So, if you have a noise you can’t seem to get rid of (like a roommate snoring), try investing in a white noise machine to mask it.

Reduce Your Stress.

Stress is the easiest way to stay awake. By constantly thinking about the things that are bothering you, your mind can not calm down to a resting state. If something is bothering you, write it down! That way, you won’t have to worry about forgetting what’s been bothering you. Once it’s down, it’s out!

Lay Off the Heavy Meals, Alcohol, and Cigarettes.

Before bed, heavy meals can make you feel uncomfortable. Having a full stomach can cause indigestion, so try having a lighter dinner and a small snack at least 45 minutes before bed if you’re still hungry. Alcohol and cigarettes also disturb sleep because they are stimulants, like caffeine. Even if you fall asleep, you won’t experience as deep of a sleep had you omitted the substances from your bedtime routine.

Most Importantly, Make Yourself Comfortable.

Having a comfy warm place to sleep at night makes sleep more attractive. By spoiling yourself with a comfy mattress, fresh pillows, and plenty of blankets, you’re more likely to have a satisfying sleep. Make it your own spot, and keep it clean for fresh mornings.

Information in this post was taken from:

https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips