Readjusting my sleeping time has been one of the biggest challenges for me during medical school. My usual bedtime is around 11-12 at night, and it's been hard to change gears and start sleeping at 9pm. On top of that, I have low thyroid function, which means that my body really freaks out if I get less than 7-8 hours of sleep. So, having a good night's sleep is pretty important for me. It hasn't been easy forcing myself to sleep when my mind is still awake. With practice, I have gotten better at it, although I still struggle from time to time. Here are some of the best tips I've found for getting a more restful night of sleep.
1. Find what sleep-aid works for you
For me, watching some Netflix while I'm in bed helps me relax and puts me in sleep mode. I have sooo much stress and catecholamines rushing through my body during the workday, which I often bring home. So it's nice to watch a little bit of The Office or New Girl to help me relax and calm my mind, which then allows me to drift off to sleep. Now, this strategy doesn't work for everyone. In fact, most research shows that watching TV or looking a computer screen before bed actually makes for a harder time falling asleep since the light emanating from the screen acts as a 'daylight' signal to your brain and shuts off melatonin production, a hormone that helps you fall asleep. Therefore, watching Netflix before bed isn't a reasonable idea for everyone.
Other things that help people drift off into dream world include sipping hot (herbal) tea, listening to music, doing breathing exercises, reading a book, finishing up their to-do list for the day, taking a hot shower, or even exercising. Find what works for you and stick with it.
2. Avoid caffeine at night
No matter who you are, it's a terrible idea to drink any sort of caffeinated beverage after 6pm (even earlier if you're more sensitive to caffeine!). Obviously coffee and tea are big sources, but even soft drinks or energy drinks can contain hidden stimulants. I used to drink coffee up to 8pm at night to help me study, but that caused me to have a very poor night of sleep once I got done studying. Therefore, I swear off all caffeine beverages after 6pm and if I do get a caffeine craving or if I want a jolt of energy, I opt for decaf coffee. It still has a tiny bit of caffeine, which gets me through a slump if I need to get some last-minute errands done, but still allows me to fall asleep at night.
3. Avoid sleeping pills
Yes, I will admit I have used Benadryl and even benzodiazepines when I've been feeling extra anxious and needed major help falling asleep. And yes, it does numb your mind and help you fall asleep faster. However, I absolutely do not recommend sleeping medications unless you really need them because it makes you extremely fatigued the next morning, and can even cause you to sleep in and miss that important morning meeting. Every single time I have used pharmacological sleep agents, I've felt terrible the next morning and needed multiple cups of coffee to get me through the day. On top of that, some sleeping agents can be very addicting, and you can soon find yourself not being able to sleep without those medicines.
Now of course there are some people who need medications for sleeping. If you have a medical problem that prevents you from falling asleep or if you have serious depression or anxiety that affects your sleeping habits, then I think it's a great idea to seek medical advice.
4. Wake up at the same time each morning
Weekends can often ruin sleep hygiene. Many people, including myself, tend to stay up later on Friday and Saturday nights and then find themselves being wide awake Sunday night, unable to fall asleep. While it's very hard to do so, try to wake up at the same time each morning, including Saturday and Sunday, no matter what time you fell asleep the night before. Yes you're going to be groggy and need to reach for the coffee pot, but you will be able to ease yourself to sleep much much easier that night and won't have to readjust your circadian rhythms come Monday.
5. Coffee is not the enemy
Many people have this thing against coffee. I hate when people come up to me and are like "damn you drink coffee every day" or "damn you always get Starbucks in the morning". I'm a busy medical student who has a jam packed day and the way I treat myself in the morning is coffee even though I get a good amount of sleep each night. I absolutely love coffee, especially Starbucks, and for me, coffee sets the tone for a good day. It's just one of my daily rituals that makes me happy and plus, I love the taste of coffee.
There is nothing wrong with drinking coffee on a regular basis. It's not a poison and it's not going to kill you. Now if you're chugging down four cups of coffee a day or if coffee makes your heart pound and gives you palpitations, that can be an issue. But 1-2 cups a day if you can tolerate it is not bad. And yes, that includes Starbucks. Just don't drink it too late in the day, and don't let yourself consume massive amounts and you'll be fine. Don't listen to the haters.
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