As college students, we all complain about how we’re “so tired” and contemplating whether or not to begin your day or go straight back to bed. Even in the summer time our sleep schedule may get a little off balance due to work, summer classes, or any other thing us college kids think we can juggle all at once before realizing it’s all a little too much. I have to admit, my own sleeping schedule is much better during the summer time as I have found a few ways that keep me energized throughout the day and ready for sleep at a reasonable hour at night. Here are a few things we can try to get a better nights sleep every night :
- Eliminate taking naps
I know, this is probably the last thing any college student wants to be told, but believe me when I say you will find yourself getting a reasonable nights sleep and
feeling much more energized throughout the day when you cut napping out of your schedule. Even starting to nap once a week during the day can create a habit that turns into a three hour nap almost every day which cuts into your sleeping time at night. We all love an occasional nap after a long day of classes or work, but there are other things you can do to occupy your time.
- Read a book before bed
I have noticed ever since I was younger that if I read before bed my eyes will eventually start to flutter, and they close before I even knew I was tired. Reading will tire your eyes out and eventually force you to fall asleep. If you aren’t a big reader, try writing down all of your thoughts or things you accomplished that day / week. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a journal, but writing things down can help relieve some stress of the things that happened that day by letting it all out before you rest.
3. Practice yoga
As I have mentioned in a previous blog post, yoga is a great stress reliever and the best way to set your mind at ease. Meditation is a huge part of yoga, which relaxes your mind and body, and is perfect to do before bed. Stress is a huge problem for college students, which can be a main factor as to why your sleep schedule is so off balance. Although yoga is great for one’s mentality, it’s also to enhance your physical abilities by forcing you to stretch out parts of your body you never knew really needed stretching. This relaxes your muscles and causes your body to be ready to rest, which is why practicing yoga is a great thing to do right before crawling into your bed.
- Download a sleep app
There are countless free apps you can download in the app store that offer meditation sessions and just simple sounds that will put you right to sleep. My personal favorite app is called Calm app, where there are a few different free sessions on the app where you can just simply listen to rain, a waterfall, or waves crashing. The app also offers a premium section where you can access more options like guided meditations specifically centered towards anxiety and stress. Listening to an app with calm and soothing sounds puts your mind to rest where you slowly drift off into a deep sleep.
5. Avoid bright lights 
Yes, this means avoiding your cellphones when trying to fall asleep at night. Staring at a bright phone screen while lying in bed only causes your brain to feel more awake and alert, when it should feel the exact opposite. Even watching TV when trying to rest can keep you up for longer than you would anticipate, whether it’s because you can’t stop binge watching a show or the bright lights from the television are just keeping you awake.
While there are copious amounts of natural ways to help you get a better night’s sleep, these are only a few that I have personally done and noticed a huge difference in my own sleep schedule. None of these may be things you are interested in trying, but it’s always good to step outside of your comfort zone and try things you normally wouldn’t feel comfortable doing!
