College insomnia should really have its own classification in the insomnia world. College students have a unique living situation in so many ways.

For most students, it’s their first time living away from home. That, combined with challenging college-level classes, can make for a lot of college student stress and sleepless nights.

Finally, there’s the simple fact that living in a dorm means sharing a close space (most likely with thin walls) with hundreds of other students who likely don’t share your sleeping schedule.

Here’s what you can do to maximize your sleep time:

1. Try earplugs.

Whether your neighbor is hosting the dorm party of the century or your roommate can’t stop talking to her boyfriend back home on the phone into the wee hours of the morning, ear plugs can help block out all types of noises that lead to college insomnia. They’re cheap and easy to use – just make sure you can still hear your alarm clock so you don’t sleep through class the next day!

2. Drown out noise with white noise.

If ear plugs aren’t enough to beat college insomnia, you may have to break out the big guns: try using white noise. You can either buy (or petition the parents to buy) a white noise machine, or just pop in your iPod headphones and listen to something soothing as you drop off to sleep. A recent study on the most popular music to fall asleep to ranks Coldplay as number one in sleepy-time music.

3. Create a sleepy space.

By making your bedroom clean and comfortable, you can make your sleeping space more attractive. Nobody wants to crawl into a bed of crumpled sheets and dirty laundry. Keep your sleeping space clean, invest in a plushy duvet and big pillows, and you’ll be happier to curl up in bed every night.

Putting effort into decorating your dorm room can help make your room more relaxing as well, which is a good step toward warding off college insomnia.

4. Exercise.

Besides the obvious fact that exercise is a good way to stay healthy in college, it can also help you beat college insomnia. It’s a great way to relieve stress and help tire out your body. That way, you’ll be more likely to fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, rather than tossing and turning while worrying about that paper you have due. Joining a sports team or playing intramural sports is also good for making new friends and socializing — another good way to beat stress.

5. Avoid energy drinks.

Energy drinks are a growing problem for college students who often use them unnecessarily. The occasional energy drink when you’re cramming for exams is okay, but you shouldn’t make a habit of using energy drinks regularly.

I know they’re tempting because they are so effective — but that’s just the problem! The energy rush lasts for quite awhile and can leave you feeling jittery and stressed. Drinking too many energy drinks is a surefire way to throw off your sleep schedule and contribute to college insomnia.

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