I'm gonna rock and roll all night.

Most of us who live fabulous lives (and if you are reading this blog, you are most likely committed to being fabulous) are under a lot of pressure. Between work, classes, personal pursuits, friendships, and partying, we end up cramming our days with enough twists and turns as to make Houdini turn in his card and quit. This can (and does) manifest itself oftentimes in troubled sleeping, which is quite a shame. At night, when we should be able to finally take a break, our poor little systems are so overwrought that we end up wide-eyed at four am… and unfortunately for us, instead of developing a charismatic cult leader alter ego that runs wild in all this spare time and develops a lucrative side business of soapmaking, we’re just tired and cranky. Luckily, I’ve come up with a few methods of circumventing this whole nasty business- and no, no need to sit here and read through a list of ridiculous, impractical tips like “Go to bed at the same time each night,” or “Meditate for two hours a day”. Personally, I have a life that doesn’t leave a whole mess of spare time that’s just begging to be spent on keeping dream journals or whatever. Try some of these workable tips, and see if they make a difference for you.
-Take a bath- I don’t mean an all-day soak, just ten to fifteen minutes in a tub full of hot water can work wonders on your muscles and stress levels. Especially if it’s in the evening. This alone has amped up the quality of my sleep. If you don’t have a bathtub, or you’re devoting every spare minute of your day to a project or paper, you can try a hot foot soak for the same amount of time. It works especially well if you add some sprigs of lavender to the hot water.
-Drink noncaffenated tea close to bedtime: This one is particularly easy, as it can be done while you’re doing other things in the evening. I don’t know why it works, but it just does. Herbal tea is supposed to be pretty healthy anyway, so choose any that you like. (I’m a fan of Trader Joe’s Bedtime Tea with a ton of lemon juice.)
-Don’t do work on your bed: You want to train yourself to associate your bed with sleeping, which is impossible if it’s covered with pens, pencils, and PB+J crumbs. Beds are awesome, and it’s fun to hang out in them, but really. Do your work on your desk, and leave your bed for snoozies.
-Exercise during the day: Or at least stretch out a little and take some deep breaths a few minute prior to bedtime. Exercise has been shown to deepen sleep, and stretching a little bit before bed helps clear the mind and wind you down.