The College Student's Guide to Better Sleep

When you’re trying to juggle school, work, a social life and a healthy lifestyle, a good night’s sleep can be few and far between. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of simple strategies to improve your sleep quality — so simple that even the busiest college student can use them.

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Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to improve your health and your sleep. Exercising during the day allows you to expend more of your energy so, when bedtime rolls around, your body is ready to rest. When working exercise into your schedule, make sure you avoid planning it too late in the evening. Exercise stimulates the mind and body, so working out too close to bedtime can actually make falling asleep a bit more difficult. 

Plan

This can be really difficult as a busy college student, but creating a somewhat consistent sleep schedule can really improve the way you sleep every night. When planning your daily schedule, avoid long or irregular naps during the day. A quick 20-minute power nap can give you the helpful little energy boost you need.

Unwind

After a long day (or any day really), relaxing is the best way to slow your mind down enough to fall asleep. One good way to unwind is to take a calming shower or bath. Studies have shown that this helps improve your sleep quality immensely. Even soaking your feet in hot water for a few minutes can help you relax both mentally and physically, allowing for a deeper sleep.

Set

Believe it or not, your environment can have a huge impact on the quality of your sleep. Try to control things like temperature, noise levels and light coming into your room. And that blue light your phone and laptop emit? It can wake your brain up and make it harder to fall asleep. Limiting the use of these devices before bed can make sleeping easier and better. Setting up your bedroom environment better can be the difference between a night of tossing and turning and a restful night’s sleep. 

Read

Or journal. Or doodle. Or listen to some chill music. Whatever your method, clearing your mind has been proven to shorten the time it takes you to fall asleep once your head hits the pillow. If you’re not sure how to relax, try out some different methods to find what works best for you. 

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Life as a college student can be overwhelming and stressful at times, but these tips can make your day a little better and getting to sleep a little easier. 

Be well, Auburn.

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Photography by Grace H.