Recently, my dad and I have been comparing our fitness statistics as recorded by our Fitbits. Sadly, my dad usually gets more steps than me (because I have to study all the time!), but amazingly, as a college student I am getting more sleep than my dad. My Fitbit tells me that my sleep score average is around 85, which means I typically get over eight hours of sleep per night. This seems unreal for the typical college student, so I wanted to share some changes I’ve made since coming to college that have helped me always be well-rested for the many activities I have going on.
Stop drinking coffee at crazy hours!
When I was in high school (and at the beginning of college), I used to drink large iced coffees after dinner. Looking back, I think I was insane to ever do this, because it kept me up later even if I thought I was immune to caffeine. I still have my morning cup of coffee, but I have changed my habit of chugging caffeine to get homework done. If I don’t know the material by 11p.m. the night before the test, there’s no point in pulling an all-nighter anyways. My grades have improved since I’ve prioritized sleep over cramming; I usually end up doing better on an exam than a classmate who stayed up until 3a.m. studying.
Exercise
It doesn’t have to be a long, rigorous workout and it doesn’t have to be seven days a week. However, once I started making it part of my routine to work out, I noticed that being active helped me sleep better. It also improved my mental health and anxiety, which in turn kept me from tossing and turning at night.
Weighted blanket
I honestly don’t know if this is real or due to the placebo effect, but my weighted blanket makes me feel so calm and relaxed. I swear I can fall asleep within minutes when I wrap myself in it. Mine is fifteen pounds and from YNM.
Aromatherapy
Again, maybe it’s due to the placebo effect. All I know is that I’m in a much better mood when my room smells amazing, especially when I use lavender or vanilla oils in my diffuser. These scents tend to help me relieve stress and relax. Plus, there’s a considerable amount of evidence on the sleep-promoting qualities of lavender herb, according to NCBI.
Have an established sleep schedule
Our bodies like routine for a reason, so it’s important to be consistent. For example, if you normally wake up around 8 or 9a.m., you are going to throw off your circadian rhythm if you sleep until noon. There are plenty of cool apps to remind you when it’s bedtime, such as Sleep Cycle and Pillow.
Take time to unwind before bed — consider meditation
I find that I sleep much better when I spend at least 30 minutes doing something mindless before bed. I won’t be able to fall asleep as fast when I go straight from studying at the library to laying in bed; in fact, I’ll probably stay up longer with my mind racing. Some things I like to include in my nighttime routine are watching Netflix, journaling and meditating. My favorite app for meditation is Sanvello.
Don’t nap too long!
Anything over a 30-minute nap is proven to make you feel more tired. I tend to feel awful after a two-hour nap, and sometimes I think it’s better if I just lay down and watch a show for a little while to take a break from being so active.
Consider CBD oil
I have never taken melatonin, and never will. However, having done my research on CBD oil, I think it is an excellent and natural way to aid anxiety and sleep better. My favorite brand is Lazarus Naturals.
Now that I have learned how much better I function when I sleep well, I rarely have trouble sleeping. I have noticed improvements in many areas of my life due to this, and hopefully you will, too.