Sleep can be hard to get, especially if you're a college student. But it doesn't have to be. During my first year of college, I was staying up late regularly to study, finish any homework, or to work on a paper. I was in a mode where I was telling myself that this is what college students do. If I don't stay up, I won't get the grade that I'm "supposed to get." However, after I completed my first year I was exhausted and mentally drained.
My body went into a state where no matter the amount of sleep I got for a few weeks, I remained tired. I told myself that during my second year, I wouldn't do that to myself again. I decided to do some research and use the skills that my therapist showed me before. So far, I'm waking up with a lot more energy and I'm able to function a lot better. Here are four ways I get sleep as a college student.
1. I Created a Routine
I'm a Taurus and we're known for routines, but somehow adequate sleep was left out of it for a period of time. Having a routine has allowed me to stay on track and make sure that I'm completing all of my assignments, getting in adequate study time, and enough sleep (at least 7-9 hours). Once you've created a routine, it can be hard to stick to it at first, but keep going. Soon enough, you'll be sticking to it and hopefully seeing change.
2. I Practice Yoga
Yoga has a plethora of benefits such as improved energy, circulatory health, decreasing of stress, relieve anxiety, and most importantly (in the context of this article) sleep. It may be kind of hard to do yoga in your dorm room but there are exercises that you can do sitting on your bed right before you go to sleep. Yoga calms the mind and body, which allows you to actually rest while sleeping as well as get as much of the benefits as possible.
3. I Sprinkle Lavender Essential Oil on My Pillow Before Bed
Lavender is incredibly calming. In addition to sprinkling the lavender oil on my pillow, I put a few drops on my temples, front and back of my neck, wrists, and behind the ears. This also aids in relaxation and being able to get rest. However, If you're sensitive to the smell of essential oils I wouldn't recommend this.
4. I Meditate
Along with yoga, meditation is an important part of my routine. Meditation relieves stress and improves your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Personally, meditation has allowed me to gain clarity and awareness with myself and my body. It's a great way to get into a sleep that is peaceful and relaxed.
I hope that my ways of getting sleep as a college student can be beneficial to you in some way. Sleep is important and although being a college student takes a lot of time and effort, it doesn't have to damage our health completely.
