Exercising at least three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes will improve your physical condition which will improve you sleep. Regular exercise will help your body enter a deep sleep and reduce the chance of waking in the middle of the night. Exercise five to seven hours before bed to allow your body time to cool down. Do not exercise immediately before bed as this will keep you awake.
Coffee is deeply ingrained in college culture. Students use it to wake up in the morning, stay awake in class, as a means of socializing with friends and as a soothing drink on hot and cold days. While coffee can help you make it through the day, it will not help you get to sleep. Accordingly, don't consume caffeine within four hours of going to bed as it contributes to insomnia and sleep disruption. Additionally, avoid drinking alcohol before bed. The common belief that alcohol will help you fall asleep is often a misconception. It does not work for everyone and it does not guarantee quality sleep when it does.
It is important to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each day including weekends. This allows your body to get into the habit of falling asleep and waking at the same time. This can be difficult for college students as the demands of college life often require late night study sessions. In addition, social gatherings can continue late into the night. However, effective time management can reduce the need for late night study sessions. Additionally, if you must lose sleep in order to finish an assignment, it is preferable to wake up early in the morning to finish, rather than stay up late at night.
Many college students make their bed a multipurpose area. Students eat, study and watch television while lying in bed. However, your bed should be reserved solely for sleeping so that your body becomes accustomed to sleeping the moment you get into bed. Use your desk or dorm common areas for activities outside of sleeping. Additionally, make your bed and dorm room as comfortable as possible. Make sure the room is not too brightly lit, hot or cold or noisy. Use the last hour before your bed time to wind down by listening to music, reading or doing something else that you find relaxing.