Sleep Smarter: Tips for a Restful Night

By: Sydney Shea, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-Being Leader

In today’s fast-paced world, sleep can often feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. Between classes, homework, jobs, and social life, college students do not usually have many hours in the day left for themselves. However, the key to achieving success and improving your mental health may lie in something as simple as getting enough rest.

When you sleep, your brain gets a chance to process emotions and recharge for the next day. Without enough of it, you may be setting yourself up to feel more anxious and overwhelmed. On the flip side, good sleep can work wonders for your mind. When you’re well-rested, you’re better at handling challenges, thinking clearly, and keeping your emotions in check. Sleep even helps to boost those feel-good brain chemicals, like serotonin, that uplift your mood.

Simple Tips for a Better Nights Sleep

  1. Create a Sleep Sanctuary: Make your bedroom a calm, cool, and comfortable space. Consider adding oil diffusers with calming scents like lavender or chamomile to promote relaxation. 
  2. Unwind Mindfully: Incorporate relaxing activities and calming pre-sleep rituals such as reading a book, journaling your thoughts, or practicing meditation to ease your mind before bed. 
  3. Avoid Screen Time: It’s best to reduce exposure to blue light from screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime. If avoiding screens isn’t possible, consider using blue light-blocking glasses or enabling night mode on your devices. Instead of scrolling through social media or watching TV, replace screen time with calming activities like stretching, reading, or listening to soothing music. 
  4. Avoid Certain Foods before Bed: Consuming beverages like caffeine and alcohol right before sleeping can affect your sleep cycles throughout the night. Even eating a big meal right before bed can disrupt bedtime and keep you awake. If you’re in the mood for a snack before bed, try something small and light. Decaf tea, crackers, or fruits are some of my personal favorites. 
  5. Create a Sleep Schedule: This one has been one of the hardest challenges for me. Everyone wants to sleep in on the weekends, but having a sleep schedule where I go to bed and wake up around the same time each day has made a huge difference in my sleep. Of course, there are some mornings when the snooze button feels impossible to resist—life happens, and that’s okay! Being consist overall is a small change that can have a big impact on your overall well-being.

Good sleep is the ultimate life hack for staying sharp, keeping your emotions in check, and showing up as the best version of yourself. So, go ahead—treat your sleep like the priority it deserves to be. 🌙