We all know how crucial sleep is for personal growth and well-being. But as a resident social media user, I also understand how difficult it can be to put your phone down and stop scrolling at a reasonable time before bed. According to the Stanford CAPS Workshop for Better Sleep, establishing an electronic curfew of 60 minutes before bed is a good practice for sleep hygiene. Here are some things I do before bed that don't involve my phone to help me get a good night's rest.
Tips to Catch Those Zzzzzs
Depending on the day and how stressed or busy I am, putting down the phone before bed can be tricky; sometimes our only downtime to relax and take a breather is right before bed, which is often online. But I’ve compiled a list of a few things I’ve done before bed that don’t involve my phone.
Journal
Self-reflection or any ideas you wish to remember can be commemorated through writing. You can journal about anything, whether it’s new things learned from the day, how you’re currently feeling right before bed, etc.
Read
Read for fun (not for class!). Assigned readings can be stressful and feel like work; reading things out of your own personal enjoyment can help you settle into a comfortable mood before bed (this is how I finished the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy).
Stretch
Gently preparing your body to wind down can help you feel at ease before bed. I might have to pull this one out again so I can regain my ability to do the splits (a skill unlocked during the peaks of the COVID-19 pandemic, but which I have since lost; I will get back into it).
Additional Self-care
Drinking water, face masks, skincare products, etc., can do wonders for the soul and help you feel much more relaxed before bed. I am writing this segment of The Flourish with a face mask on right now!
These are all things I have done, but we can acknowledge that not everything works for everyone, and no one is perfect. I often get in my own head when I don’t follow through on my own proposed rules. Do I follow these steps every single night before I go to bed? No. Do I doom scroll every once in a while, and/or does it depend on the stressors of the week? Yes! And that is ok. There’s no need to be harsh on yourself! Just remembering how important sleep is can help me put down my phone when I need to. Be gentle with yourself, and when you’re feeling tired around bedtime, listen to your body.
Written by: Sam Dizon, Class of 2026
Resources
Stanford Resources
- Better Sleep- Sleep Hygiene Tips. Video by Ariana Davidson, LCSW, CAPS therapist.
- Sleep Corner: Mental Health and Sleep- How They're Connected. The Flourish, May 2023.
- Doom-Your-Sleep Scrolling. The Flourish, March 2022.