That's The Sleepytime Tea, Sis
By Rachel Haynes, Contributing Writer
We all know how important it is to get those eight hours every night, yet at the same time, college students know how difficult that can actually be. Classes, extracurriculars, working out, studying for exams and hanging out with friends make it easy for a sporadic sleep schedule to take over.
That being said, sleep is still important in maintaining good health—it reduces your stress levels, stabilizes your weight, allows you to think more clearly and keeps your immune system functioning properly. Below are our tips for a good night’s sleep:
Regular Sleep Schedule
One of the most valuable lessons you can learn in college is time management. When you learn how to effectively manage your time daily, it can make implementing a regular sleep schedule into your routine much easier.
Setting a consistent time of when you are going to bed and waking up can help set your body’s internal clock. Many professionals recommend winding down 20 to 30 minutes before you want to go to bed each night if your schedule allows for it. On the opposite end of that—trying to wake up every morning at around the same time, even on weekends, helps your body naturally wind down at the same time each night.
Limit Screen Time
As much as we all love to scroll through Instagram or text our friends right before bed, the blue light from our phone screens is not good for our brain. Blue wavelengths are disruptive to sleep because they have effects on attention, mood and reaction time.
Exposure to blue light, while beneficial during the day, can keep your brain awake and keep you from clearing your mind to fall asleep. Research suggests disconnecting from technology during your 20-minute wind-down to allow your brain and eyes a break.
Mediate or Journal
In order to fully relax into a good night’s sleep, it’s important to empty your mind and destress before bed. Meditating for five to ten minutes through deep breathing or listening to a guided meditation on YouTube is a perfect way to rid yourself of any lingering bad thoughts.
Journaling is another great way to clear the mind—sometimes it helps to just get everything out and on paper. Take five minutes to journal about your day, maybe by reflecting on all the positive things happening in your life or writing down some positive affirmations. If it’s more negative, leave it on the paper.
Calming Tea
If you really can’t get yourself to relax before bed, one of my favorite tricks is to drink a calming tea. The warmth of tea helps to relax your body and muscles. Herbal tea with no caffeine is your best bet—try mint or chamomile. I, personally, am a huge fan Trader Joe’s Well Rested tea, as it combines both mint and chamomile teas and makes me feel sleepy and relaxed.
Don’t Snooze That Alarm
Lastly, don’t be tempted to sleep in those extra 15 minutes, as it will throw off your REM cycle. A 15-minute mini-sleep in the morning can only make you late for your eight a.m. class, skip breakfast and start your day off in an unproductive manner. Instead of snoozing your alarm, count 10 buzzes or rings and then sit up, turn it off and get yourself going.
Even just one of these tips can make a huge improvement in your sleep routine—making these simple adjustments are sure to lead you to a well-rested semester.