Protip: Get noisy sheep out of your room.
With finals coming up, sleep is becoming an incredibly important and disturbingly sparse commodity. It’s almost worth as much as printer ink at this point. That being said, even when you do get a chance to sleep, it can be hard with all those metaphors and algebra running through your brains. If you follow some of these simple suggestions, sleeping can be much easier.
- Turn off all electronics: I know it can be tempting to take one last look at Facebook to see if there are any new Kenyon Confessions, but keeping the laptop on will only keep you awake longer. Netflix isn’t going to help you fall asleep–not even that super soothing nature documentary.
- Make your bed: I’ll be the first to admit that I almost never make my bed, but on the rare occasion I do, the sleep is excellent. I’m not sure what it is about tight covers, but getting comfortable in them is much easier than in a bundle of unmade blankets.
- Only take short naps: Sure, your bed looks super comfortable at 1:30 p.m., but if you wake up three hours later, you won’t be able to sleep later at night. I’ve found that twenty-minute naps can be just as refreshing as a multi-hour one, and they don’t completely throw off your sleep schedule.
- Visualization: If your mind tends to get hyperactive at night when you’re trying to sleep, try to focus that mental energy. Create a pleasant environment to be in, whether that be a Happy Gilmore-esque happy place or some serene dream world. After a few minutes you’ll feel much more relaxed, and sleep should come soon after.
- Medicine: If all else fails, you can always take some over the counter medication. Melatonin is a naturally occurring chemical in the body that can be bought almost anywhere, and I’ve also found Diphenhydramine (Benadryl or Rest Simply) to be useful. Be warned, though. Some sleep aids can make you drowsy, and waking up for an alarm can be difficult. No one wants to be late for class (apparently when you wake up late, you turn into a comic book character from the 90s).
The Kenyon Thrill 
These are actually great tips! Melatonin is a life saver.
Even though I have prescription sleep aids, I’ve been using Benadryl because the sleep is so fantastic. And there’s that new Zzzquil or whatever it’s called. The NyQuil without cold medicine that’s just for sleep. Everyone knows NyQuil sleep is the best sleep!
just wanna add: alcohol may help you get to sleep faster, but your sleep will be worse because it interferes with your sleep process!