{"id":976,"date":"2026-10-18T20:10:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T01:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/?p=976"},"modified":"2026-10-18T20:10:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T01:10:17","slug":"the-beauty-of-bedtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/2026\/10\/18\/the-beauty-of-bedtime\/","title":{"rendered":"The Beauty of Bedtime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Rosalie Casavant, College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Well-Being Leader<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balance is hard to achieve at any stage of life, but especially in college. From classes and exams to clubs and jobs, relationships, and other activities, it can be hard to find time for yourself. But that doesn\u2019t mean you should push self-care aside. One of my favorite ways to practice self-care is winding down at the end of the day, specifically through a bedtime routine. There is always so much focus on curating the perfect morning routine that often we forget the work you do the night before makes it that much easier. I wanted to share some of my top bedtime tips that help me maintain balance as a college student!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Clean Up Your Space<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Your mindset often manifests in your space and presentation. A great way to reset is to take care of your space as you get ready to wind down for the night. Folding the pile of laundry in the corner, wiping down your desk, and making your bed are all tiny things you can do to your space that make a world of difference. Beyond your space, clean up yourself. One of my favorite ways to reset at night is by taking a shower. It helps signal to my body that it is time to settle in for the night and wash my worries from the day away. If showering at night isn\u2019t your thing, you can always take other simple steps to signal that it’s time to unwind, like brushing your teeth or washing your face. Now that you\u2019ve cleaned up, it\u2019s time to move to tip 2!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Put the Phone Down<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Scrolling endlessly on social media before bed is a fantastic way to ruin a good night of sleep. That being said, it is hard to do. And I will be the first to admit, I am not perfect at this. Research shows that when you put away your screens before bed, all of the factors that impact overall quality of sleep improve. You can start small and try putting the screens away 30 minutes before bed. From there, work your way up to an hour, and that is typically where you start to see a significant improvement in sleep quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Set Up Your \u201cZen Zone\u201d<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        I am an overhead light hater. When it comes time for me to get ready for bed, I need to get my room out of daytime mode, which means turning off my big light and turning on my ambient lighting. One of my favorite ways to make my space more relaxing is turning on some white noise or ambient music. This helps calm the buzz in my brain and get my eyes, ears, and mind ready for bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Thank Yourself Tomorrow<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          The most life-changing quote I have ever heard is \u201cDo something today that you will thank yourself for tomorrow\u201d.  This is something that I try to implement in my nightly routine. Usually this looks like packing my bag or lunch before going to bed, setting out my outfit for the next day, and putting my laptop on the charger. These things prepare me for success when leaving my house the next day, and they are all simple things I can do to make my morning simple and my evening stress-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          1. Unwind<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Finally, before going to bed, find an activity that you enjoy doing to unwind. Here I will list a few of my favorites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n