Expert reveals how students can get the perfect night's sleep

With university courses starting across the UK this Autumn, it can be a daunting time ahead. Many students might struggle with relaxation during this period, so it's vital to understand the importance of self-care. More importantly, going hand in hand with that is to make sure to get the right amount of sleep; these are both essentials for acing studies. 

Seasonal shifts also can cause sleeping patterns to fly off the rails, which can cause a lack of energy, reduced concentration and many other inconveniences. Luckily, there are many ways you can get this essential function back on track.

Experts at Leafwell have revealed a list of top tips on how to get the perfect night's sleep during the transitional months.

How does the temperature and summertime effect lack of sleep?

There are a few reasons why temperature affects how we sleep and how many hours we get of it at night.

Comfort is the main issue when it comes causes of irregular sleeping patterns due to the inability to find comfortable positions, and ensuring your body temperature is right inevitably affects how relaxed you drift off.

Another essential component of comfort when sleeping is room temperature which shares a strong relationship with body temperature; this is why many struggle to find the perfect match for the perfect level.

The second issue when it comes to sleeping in the summertime is delayed melatonin release, which is when melatonin secretion ends for our bodies to prepare for the next day. In the summer, our bodies are exposed to extra sunlight in comparison to what it does in the winter months, meaning that a more extended period of light ends up suppressing the melatonin production in our bodies; this is the hormone that signals our brain and body that it is ready to sleep.

Top tips on how to make sure you get a great night sleep:

Reduce the use of blue light exposure in the evenings

Dimly lit environments are ideal when settling down for the evening, and without this lower light, melatonin will struggle to release, causing us difficulty when it comes to sleeping.

It is suggested to avoid soaking up the sun and staying clear from using artificial lighting and electronic devices (blue light) for a few hours before you go to sleep - but if putting the phone down seems almost impossible, it could be beneficial to invest in blue light glasses which filters out blue and green wavelengths which keep the brain active.  

Try using CBD

Struggling to relax and fall asleep is nothing new and is an extremely common experience. Lack of sleep and disturbance to a regular pattern can cause stress and anxiety, so with many struggling with this nightly problem, it is comforting to know there are ways in which you can reduce these anxious feelings.  

Not only could CBD support healthy wake and sleep cycles, but introducing CBD into your daily routines could help reduce stress and anxiety considerably due to the substance activating serotonin receptors in the brain, alleviating anxiety and initiating relaxation.

Studies like the Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series showed that adults taking part saw a significant decrease in anxiety and sleep within the first month of use (72.2%), proving just how beneficial the natural substance can be.

A spokesperson for Leafwell commented:

‘Alongside eating well and exercising, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do to keep healthy. Medical cannabis – and cannabinoids and terpenes like THC, CBN, and myrcene in particular – is well-noted for its sedative properties and can aid a person’s sleep.’

While there are many reasons why medical cannabis could aid in a healthy sleep cycle, one of the most important benefits of medical cannabis is that it is also a great alternative to sleeping sedatives that are highly addictive.”

Relax and clear your mind in the evening

The stresses of day-to-day life tend to stick with us even through to bedtime, making it harder to stop our minds from racing and shaking the everlasting feeling of worry. That is why unwinding before bed can have many benefits, like preventing anxiety and depression as well as lowering the risk of heart attacks.

Therefore, it is essential to figure out the right way in which your body responds to relaxation by trying out a few methods:

• Take a hot bath/shower – Along with being a fantastic way to ease muscle tension, by taking a hot bath or shower the hot water will stimulate blood flow in our hands and feet, causing heat to leave the body easily, therefore, allowing the body to cool down and be the perfect temperature for sleeping.
• Unwind without a screen – Taking around an hour before bedtime to reduce any activity is a great way to make sure you can drift off with no distractions by the time you are ready to sleep. By turning off your phone, laptop or TV during this time, you are also eliminating artificial light.