In college it can be difficult to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. With studying for tests, working late hours and extracurricular activities, some students can experience insomnia. I know I always have trouble going to sleep early, because I usually end up having to stay up late to do homework if I’m not working late. This past week I’ve had a really hard time falling asleep even when I’m completely exhausted. Here’s some tips for how to improve sleep pattern that I retrieved from Healthline.com:
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- Reduce light in the room
If you have a streetlight near your window it’s recommended to get some blackout curtains to block out the light. This is because the light disrupts your quality of sleep.
If you sleep with the TV on, try to at least turn on a timer on the TV for it to power down in 30 mins. If the TV is on all night you’re not only racking up your electricity bill, and you’re making it harder for you to sleep well.
- Don’t drink coffee, energy drinks or caffeinated sodas after 4 p.m.
I know I’m so guilty of this and I don’t know why, but I love drinking coffee in the afternoon, and sometimes I have to drink it at night to stay up studying.
- Natural Sleep Remedies
Natural sleep remedies are best for your body since they don’t disrupt your body’s natural melatonin. Valerian Root and Melatonin supplements can be used to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep. I’ve used Valerian Root and it honestly works so well for me.
- Try to go to sleep and wake up at consistent times
I try to wake up at the same time every day, no matter when I go to bed. Starting your day early can help you go to sleep at an earlier time.
- Taking a hot bath or shower
Taking a hot bath makes your body temperature naturally rise, once you get out of the bath your temperature will drop, making you naturally more relaxed and tired. So, if you like to shower at night try to do it right before bed.
Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/17-tips-to-sleep-better#section18