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Sleep is often disrupted in times of stress. Getting too little sleep or having fragmented or unsatisfying sleep can impact your mood, health, wellness, and learning. We invite you to regard sleep as essential and to set aside time to practice these healthy sleep habits shared by Instructor Vyga Kaufmann and the Crown Institute:

• Sleep is your superpower. Remind yourself why sleep is important with a memo on your phone or a post-it in your room.
• Create a sleep ritual. Design a sleep ritual that prepares your mind for sleep. Your ritual should be easy, brief, and one that can make sleep something you look forward to rather than something you feel obligated to do for yourself (ex: put your “home to bed” by dimming lights and closing drapes/blinds on windows, power off your devices, and spend 10-15 minutes reading, journaling, or listening to music, etc.). 
• Use your bed for sleep only. The more you use your bed for sleep only, the more your body will learn that it is a place for slumber rather than for other activities like studying, watching movies, scrolling through social media, etc.
• Have a morning routine that includes exposure to morning light soon after waking up. One way to achieve this goal each morning is by opening your windows, taking a moment to appreciate the view, and eating breakfast in the glow of the morning light.
• Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule (i.e., use the same sleep and wake times each day versus trying to “catch up” on the weekend). Waking up around the same time each day really helps keep your sleep and circadian rhythm healthy.
• Minimize things that can be disruptive to your sleep (e.g., exposure to bright light, alcohol, caffeine, exercise close to bedtime).
• Your body thrives on consistency. The more of these tips you can incorporate for yourself the better. Adopting even 1-2 of these ideas can really enhance your overall sleep quality!

TO LEARN MORE:

Sleep Benefits: Thinking Healing Feeling

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