Like many college students and most adults, I've spent this summer working and doing not much else. Spending 8+ hour days at a desk or out working in the hot sun can be completely exhausting, but sometimes, even when we're exhausted, we can't sleep, right? So how to fill the time?

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Memorize poems

Pictured above is Edna St. Vincent Millay, a famous turn-of-the-century poet, a personal favorite, especially when it comes to memorization. I would highly suggest her poetry to start.

2. Meditative breathing

Meditative breathing is a great way to calm down, focus on a single thing, and keep your mind off anything you don't want to think about.

3. Do Yoga (or other light stretching)

Yoga (and stretching) is a good way to relax your body and wring out the stresses of the day.

4. Take a hot bath

Really, what's more relaxing than a nice hot bath?

5. Put on some soft music

If your mind is busy, music is one of the most common ways to soothe the beast. Lull yourself to sleep with a relaxed playlist--- there are plenty of premade ones on Spotify.

6. Use a relaxing-scented lotion or a bed spray

Bath and Bodyworks stress relief lotion is a solid go-to. The mint scent is soothing and when you rub it into your sore muscles, it's a huge relief.

7. Color!

You can find print-out-able coloring pages online or coloring books in local dollar stores or art stories.

8. Knit or sew

Knitting is a great way to focus on something relatively easy and mindless, so pick up your needles and forget about what some jerk client said at work.

9. Read

What a better way to get your mind off of how tired you are than to dive into a different life entirely? Plus- the mental work of reading can help you on your way to sleep.

10. Watch YouTube videos

It's easy to get sucked into binge-viewing videos on Youtube. It keeps you occupied and entertained-- and you might even learn a thing or two!

11. Count Sheep

Or goats, or cows, or dolphins, whatever makes you happy. Sometimes the best thing to do, honestly, is to say to hell with it and go to bed.