Ask Sam - Sleep Tips for Students

Our quality of sleep is affected by so many factors. Let's start with the physical considerations. (warm music) I'm Sam Snowden, and this is Ask a Teacher. I'm a university student, and I'm struggling with the pressures of being young, looking after myself and my family and school. With all this, my mind seems to race at night. Any tips for switching off before bed? Rimsha, thank you so much for this question. Our quality of sleep is affected by so many factors. Here are some of my favorite tips that address the physical, the mental, and the emotional dimensions of your experience so that you can get the deep sleep that you need. Let's start with the physical considerations. So it's important to get enough movement for so many reasons, including getting good sleep. So find some movement that you really enjoy so that you actually look forward to it every day. It's also helpful to spend some time outdoors, getting sunlight when you can, and taking short breaks to listen to the sounds of nature all around you. Taking baths before bed is another great way to help your body prepare for sleep. The warm water relaxes your muscles and the drop in temperature, when you exit the bath, stimulates melatonin production which is a hormone crucial to falling asleep. There are also daily meditation and reflection exercises that can encourage restfulness and ease before bed. Daily mindfulness meditation gives your mind time to digest the activity of the day which allows you to acknowledge any lingering thoughts and feelings from the day with a gentle acceptance. Focusing on moments of connection before you go to sleep increases oxytocin and that's the brain's bonding hormone. It helps your nervous system transition into rest and digest mode, even remembering small moments of connection, like a shared smile in the checkout line helps your body to relax. Try keeping a gratitude journal as well. You can write down three things that you're grateful for in general and then three things that you're grateful to yourself for. And when you acknowledge and appreciate your own efforts, it helps you to realize just how much you're progressing every day, moment by moment. You can also start to get in touch with what you're feeling and needing and then bring to mind how you wanna feel when you go out and meet new people and have new experiences. Thank you so much for watching today. It was so great to connect with you through your questions. I hope you have a healthy and happy day and I'll see you here again soon. (upbeat music)...