With a day’s work extending far past normal waking hours due to the ability to take home your work with technology, getting a good night’s sleep is usually condensed into a smaller period of time. Even then, the quality of such sleep can be harmed by stress and other stressors that can make you wake up frequently or just make you feel equally as drained in the morning. Here are some tips to hopefully help you catch a few more rejuvenating hours of sleep as finals season looms before us.
1. Turn your tech off of blue light
Although Netflix-in-bed after a long day may seem like the perfect calming segway into sleep, staring at your bright computer screen may be disrupting your sleep. The blue light that radiates from the screen creates problems with your circadian rhythm, thus messing with your calming hormones and ultimately leading you to stay up much later than you had wanted. Try changing the settings within your tech or looking up various blue light prevention apps so you can enjoy more warm, calming colors that will help lull you to a quicker sleep.
2. Take a warm bath or shower
There is not enough value put into the thought of a warm pre-sleep shower or bath. Whether you have just a quick rinse or a long bubble bath, having this warm soaking time before bed can help you feel clean and rested to slip into your sheets and fall right to sleep. Warm water with steam is great for your skin and to clear up your sinuses. It can also help to relax your muscles after a long day. Thus, a simple cleansing before bed can prep your body to finally relax and ease into comfort.
3. Invest in bedwear
Sometimes it feels as though you are so tired that you could fall asleep just about anywhere; however, on a day-to-day basis it can be a lot harder than that. Buy an extra comfy pillow, or even a weighted blanket because it can help comfort you more as they allow your body to fully relax in your bed. Also, try buying new pajamas as a fun sleepwear incentive to look forward to! Any of these objects can help you prioritize your sleeping patterns more, making it a much more restful experience.
4. Purchase a noise machine
When your days are long and seemed full of a million different tasks, it can be hard to turn off the “grinding gears” of your brain when the lights are out. To help lull those thoughts to bed as well, sound machines of either white noise or sounds of nature (rain, waves hitting the beach, etc.) are helpful with transporting your mind into a serene landscape free of errands to run.
With the implementation of these tips, you can strive towards more restful nights of sleep so your day-to-day life doesn’t seem so draining.