I really love sleep, but with all the stressors and commitments that come along with college, sometimes it’s difficult to get a good night’s rest. As I started taking more challenging classes and making leadership commitments this year, I also noticed that I was getting less sleep and less restful sleep. I knew that I needed to prioritize my sleep and switch up my sleep routine in order to be my best when I’m awake.
Who could help me solve this sleep problem? I turned to the advice of the sleep queen herself, Arianna Huffington. Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post, Arianna has written multiple books and articles about the importance of sleep as a part of a regular self-care routine. Arianna’s “Sleep Revolution” aims to promote good sleep health and the increased productivity that comes along with it.
For those of us who could use some sleep self-care, Arianna has 12 pieces of advice:
1. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool (between 60 and 67 degrees).
2. No electronic devices starting 30 minutes before bedtime.
3. Don’t charge your phone next to your bed. Even better: gently escort all devices completely out of your bedroom.
4. No caffeine after 2 p.m.
5. Remember, your bed is for sleep and sex only—no work!
6. Sorry, Mr. Snuffles: No pets on the bed.
7. Take a hot bath with Epsom salts before bed to help calm your mind and body.
8. Pajamas, nightdresses, and even special T-shirts send a sleep-friendly message to your body. If you wore it to the gym, don’t wear it to bed.
9. Do some light stretching, deep breathing, yoga, or meditation to help your body and your mind transition to sleep.
10. When reading in bed, make it a real book or an e-reader that does not emit blue light. And make sure it is not work-related: novels, poetry, philosophy, anything but work.
11. Ease yourself into sleep mode by drinking some chamomile or lavender tea.
12. Before bed, write a list of what you are grateful for. It’s a great way to make sure your blessings get the closing scene of the night.
I anticipated that a few of these pieces of advice wouldn’t be super realistic for me (sorry Arianna, I’m addicted to my phone), but the last one really caught my eye. Would writing down things that I’m grateful for actually help me get better sleep? I decided to pick out one of my journals and start writing down three things that I was grateful for every night before bed.
I wrote down a variety of things ranging from my friends and family, to the color of my notebook, to my cup of tea, to a meaningful conversation that I had that day. While I’m not sure that this was a fool-proof method to getting better sleep, it absolutely helped me end my day on a positive note and reflect on big and small things that I’m thankful to have in my life.
So here’s what I learned from Arianna Huffington. First, sleep is SUPER important, and our culture does not emphasize its benefits enough. Second, if you are disciplined enough to stick to a good sleep routine, you can really improve how productive you are when you’re awake. Lastly, self-reflection and gratefulness end’s your day on a positive note and can put all the not-so-good-stuff into perspective. So pick out a cute notebook, set it on your nightstand, and try out some of Arianna’s advice for better and more restful sleep!