Sleep is super important to your overall health, both mentally and physically. Settling back into a routine that balances school, homework, after school activities, and sports can be overwhelming. So, as the school year ramps up and we begin to navigate post-pandemic life, how do you get enough sleep?
Here are a few things to try:
- Make a sleep schedule. It may seem simple, but our bodies love routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help your body feel more tired when it’s time to sleep. This means it’s easier to fall asleep (and may be easier to wake up too).
- Keep caffeinated beverages to the morning hours (or try to avoid caffeine). Reducing your caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening can really help you fall and stay asleep!
- Make your own bedtime routine. A routine can help your body prepare for sleep; think of it like stretching before exercising. This can include things like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, reading a book, and listening to music or a podcast. You can even try meditating before bed. Remember whatever your bedtime routine, it should be relaxing.
- Avoid electronics before bed. We know this may be easier said than done. Try stopping use of all electronics, including a cellphone, computer, tablet, or TV, for 1-2 hours before bed.
- Make your room relaxing. While we cannot control everything in our environment, making sure your room is dark and quiet can be really helpful. It also helps to only use your bed for sleep, not as a place to watch TV or do homework.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.