The Ultimate Guide To Developing A Healthy Sleeping Routine

Being a full-time college student with classes, extracurricular activities and other outside commitments can be extremely stressful and hard to balance. With so many things to do, it can be really easy to forget to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep. But, this is so harmful and can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. Sleep is essential for helping your body and mind repair, recharge and rejuvenate itself. If you’re struggling to get enough sleep, try to develop a healthy sleep schedule using these life-saving tips. 

First, it’s important to be realistic about your sleep schedule and to make gradual changes to your routine. If you’re used to sleeping at 3 or 4 AM every night, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll suddenly be able to sleep at 8 PM the next night. Change won’t happen overnight. Instead, try to go to sleep incrementally earlier. For example, during your first night, try to sleep 30 minutes to one hour earlier. After your body adjusts to that time, you can start pushing it back an hour earlier again, until you reach your target bedtime.

Similarly, staying consistent and building habits is key in building a healthy sleeping routine. Try to set a specific bedtime and wake-up time that you can stick to in your night and morning routine. While this can be hard initially, after a while, going to sleep and wake up at the predetermined time will be second nature to you. Also, while being consistent, try to be somewhat strict with yourself. Even if you have work or assignments to do, try to commit yourself to your bedtime by planning ahead. Specifically, I like to block out my calendar after my bedtime which forces me to either get all my work done before bedtime or reschedule my commitments to the next day. 

Another thing to accelerate your journey to a healthy sleep schedule is to practice relaxation activities routinely. Setting aside some time during your daily routine to relax may help reduce stress and improve the quality of your sleep. There are so many different ways to practice relaxation, and you need to find a method that works the best for you. For example, some common ways that I like to relax include meditation, yoga, light stretching and bullet-journaling. I also really enjoy drinking hot green tea, because it calms me down and helps me feel more relaxed during the mornings. 

On top of finding relaxation methods that work for you, getting regular exercise is key to improving sleep quality. Research has shown that exercise significantly improves melatonin production which helps you sleep better. While the idea of exercise, especially on a college student’s schedule, may seem daunting, this does not have to be a dreaded activity. Try to incorporate 30 minutes of light aerobic activity when you’re starting out. This can include yoga, stretching, pilates, walking or any other activity that you prefer. To make your workout as enjoyable as possible, try listening to an interesting podcast or your favorite workout playlist. 

Lastly, put those screens away! While it can be tempting to check your email or social media right before you sleep, the blue light from these screens could actually be very disruptive to your sleep quality. Try to turn off your phone, computer and other electronic devices at least an hour before you go to sleep to promote feelings of calmness and relaxation. Right before you go to sleep, switch to more calming activities such as reading a book or meditating to help you fall asleep faster while improving the quality of your sleep. 

Hopefully, some of these tips will bring you one step closer to achieving a healthy and consistent sleep routine. Always remember to take care of yourself and get enough sleep, as it’s so crucial for your mind and body wellness. 

• health
• mental health
• sleep
• sleep routine
• sleep schedule
• wellness