Some good habits for students to practice before going to sleep?
Some good habits for students to practice before going to sleep
The biggest benefits to creating good habits before going to sleep are:
- You get your body and mind used to a routine so you know exactly what you need to do
- You create more decompression time to separate your busy day from the rest you need at night
- You ensure that you get plenty or rest instead of staying up late, which may be tempting especially when you’r studying for exams
These 10 small habits are easy to practice before you go to sleep:
- Set a bedtime alarm on your phone each evening to go off 30 minutes before you need to sleep. The benefit? It will be a signal to you that you need to finish up any activities you're working on: reading, writing notes, doing exercises, working on a class project. Don’t just create this habit for every working day; extend it to weekends so that it has a better chance to stick.
- Reconsider when and what you eat for dinner. If you have a habit of waiting until late at night to have the biggest meal of the day, you can easily have disrupted sleep. Not only will you have to deal with a busy mind, but you may also feel sluggish due to eating heavier foods or eating a lot more than your body needs at this time of day. Avoid fried food and caffeine (often hidden in desserts and sugary drinks), and instead go with a lighter dinner with a big salad and some protein such as grilled fish or chicken. Schedule your dinner at least a few hours before your bedtime.
- Take a short walk after dinner. It can be just 20-30 minutes. Why?Being outside is good for your digestion, you inhale fresh air, and you give your busy mind some time to pause from all the studying you've completed during your day. A walk also sends signals to the body that it’s time to unwind and relax.
- Get away from electronics in the hour before bedtime. This applies to your computer and TV. Looking at a screen keeps you alert and can’t really help you relax. What can you do instead? You can listen to a podcast on a topic you find interesting, or queue up some relaxing music and listen with your eyes closed as you’re sitting on the couch, or read a book to stimulate your imagination. Having a conversation with a roommate or family member can also help if you’re both relaxed and getting ready to sleep.
- Write in your productivity planner before going to bed. Write a list of items that are top priority for the next day (which chapters will you cover? will you need to go to the library to do research?), mark them in the order of importance, and note down how long you think you'll work on each activity. The benefit? This technique is useful because you train your mind to focus a few steps ahead so you don’t worry about forgetting something important, which in turn might keep you awake at night.
- Have a cup of herbal tea (without caffeine), some warm milk with honey, or amagnesium supplement (either tablet or powder form) around the time your alarm goes off. Why? These warm drinks can help you feel more sleepy.
- Make your room sleep-friendly. Sleep in a well ventilated room, keep your window open at least a little, raise the blinds or move the curtains aside to let daylight in, and don't place anything on your eyes so that your body can react to the natural morning light when it’s time to wake up. To prevent any noise from waking you up, invest in a good pair of soft silicone ear plugs like these so you can sleep through the night.
- Take a deep breath of lavender. Try lavender oil! What’s the benefit? It is often used to calm the senses and can help us relax before going to sleep. Keep a bottle on your night stand, and before you close your eyes, put 3–5 drops into the palm of your hand, then rub your palms together to release the essence of the oil. Inhale deeply a few times, then run your fingers over your temples, forehead, around your nose, and smooth them over your pillow for an additional soothing effect.
- Fall asleep to the soothing sounds of nature. Listen to a podcast called Atmosphonic. It’s a collection of hour-long audio recordings of different sounds of nature (from ocean waves to rainfall) to help you relax and fall asleep with more ease.
- End the day on a positive note. Before you turn out the lights and close your eyes, ask yourself, “What went well today?” Maybe you finished a big chapter in your textbook, or spent an hour with a good friend, or made it to school on time, or you had a pleasant exchange with someone on the street. Focus on the positive moments and give yourself a minute to feel grateful for experiencing one thing, no matter how small, that made today a good day.
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