Do you find yourself staring at the ceiling, trying to fall asleep? Do you struggle to find comfort in your bed? Is your mind racing as you try to sleep? 

Our foundational need for sleep increases during times of stress and anxiety, and our ability to maintain a healthy sleep schedule often feels impossible. As a result, sleep problems among students are prevalent and can feel frustrating. Sleep difficulties may include not falling asleep, staying asleep, and even waking up multiple times during the night.  

Many folks have been experiencing disrupted sleep patterns since the start of the pandemic. This is a normal reaction to a very abnormal situation. Our bodies are on high alert because we have experienced many transitional periods over the last 19 months. We need to be focusing on caring for ourselves a little more attentively, in knowing that our needs will look different than they did pre-pandemic.  

As a result of sleepless nights, we can trace the connection between rest and our mental health. For example, we may feel tired throughout the day, have trouble concentrating, and notice changes in our motor skills. Emotionally, we may feel higher levels of sensitivity, anger, or sadness. Establishing a sleep routine when we are experiencing stress can help create a sleep pattern that rejuvenates us.  

Here are some helpful tips:  

Set a regular sleep schedule:  

Try to maintain a consistent sleep pattern for the whole week. Giving yourself a wake-up time and consistent bedtime across the week helps make getting up every day a little easier.  

Create time to relax before bed away from blue lights: 

Doing relaxation practices before bed, outside of technology, helps to make us feel grounded. Relaxation practices could be reading, meditation, stretching, doing yoga, and having a shower. Blue lights from technology stimulate our brain and can impact our ability to fall asleep and gain access to restful sleep.   

Boundaries with your bed  

Set boundaries concerning how much time you spend in bed. Avoid studying in bed, watching TV, or any activities that might stimulate the brain to produce cortisol (the stress hormone), making it harder for us to sleep because our brain may associate our bed with stress. 

Try to move during the day. 

Moving based on your body’s ability helps with stress management and can help us fall asleep. Take a study break, go for a walk, or schedule yourself time to move your body throughout the day. Dancing, running, and walking are all forms of movement that help better our mental health and help us navigate healthy sleep patterns. 

Small routine changes 

Looking at your daily rituals and assessing how they impact your sleep patterns helps determine guidelines you can set for yourself. Minimizing your caffeine intake (as hard as it is) often helps folks manage their anxiety and stress levels, which translates into achieving the sleep they need. Avoid using caffeine and nicotine right before bed, and avoid eating large meals right before bedtime. We can experience the physiological implications of these activities, which can hinder our ability to sleep.

Trouble sleeping is often our body’s way of telling us that we need to pay extra attention to our needs. Therefore, we must be mindful and gentle with ourselves when we are experiencing shifts in our schedules or figuring out how to navigate a Covid-19 world.