What You Need to Get a Good Night’s Sleep in College
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College students often face unique sleep challenges, usually due to living in a dorm or another type of shared housing. Sleeping on anuncomfortable mattressor next to noisy neighbors isn’t exactly conducive to getting your best eight hours. Some common college sleep issues will require a bit of conflict resolution with a roommate or specific lifestyle or routine changes. But others can easily be solved with the right gear. So I’ve rounded up all my best recommendations for students struggling to sleep well on campus.
If you and your roommate have different sleep schedules …
If you’ve got an 8 a.m. seminar when they’ve got a free morning to sleep in, the best thing to do, of course, is communicate and try to respect each other’s quiet time. But it’s not always easy, and not all roommates are amenable to change. No matter the situation, asleep maskcan prevent disturbances and frustrations caused by lights coming on while you’re still in bed.
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This mask provides a complete blackout and has divots to keep your eyes from feeling squished.
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Nikki Glaser told us she swears by this mask for sleeping on flights.
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This mask is easily adjusted to be as loose or tight as you want.
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It’s pricey, but this mask is extremely comfortable and blocks out all light.
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A weighted eye mask puts subtle pressure on your face for a calming effect.
A not-too-bright nightlight can also help anyone coming home late avoid turning on overheads or phone flashlights.
If you need to wake up early and don’t want to disturb your roommate, consider a vibration alarm. If you already own a smartwatch, it may have a vibrate-alarm feature built in. If not, there are specialized products designed for exactly that.
Sleep earbudsoften include an in-ear alarm setting so that you can have a personal alarm that won’t wake others up. I’ve tried the three pairs below, which all allow you to choose the sound and volume for your alarm. They’re also beneficial for blocking sound if you have a noisy roommate or neighbor (more on that below).
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Susan Orlean and Lena Dunham both told us they swear by these sleep headphones.
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These sleep earbuds offer unique features for day- and nighttime use.
If you have noisy neighbors …
Noise — whether it’s from loud neighbors in your dorm hall or party-throwing roommates in an off-campus house — can be one of the toughest aspects of getting good sleep in college. Whether you’re dealing with a roommate who lets the door slam, a neighbor who yells while late-night gaming, or just the general hubbub of dorm life, a good pair ofearplugscan be a huge help.
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Alpine Silence Earplugs
Alpine’s Silence earplugs are my favorite reusable earplugs for sleep because they’re comfortable, effective, and affordable. They’re made from thermoplastic, which feels similar to silicone. The V-shaped external piece lets them sit unobtrusively in your ear — even when lying on your side.
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An affordable three-pack of comfortable, reusable earplugs.
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A reusable earplug that’s just as soft as disposable foam ones.
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... which also come in a slim-fit version for people with small ears.
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Moldable silicone that doesn’t go into your ear.
White-noise orsound machinesare a popular recommendation for those sleeping in noisy environments — if you and your roommate agree on white noise, theYogasleep DohmandLectroFan Evoare our twotop picks. But if they aren’t a workable solution, I’d recommend a pair ofsleep headphonesto play white noise or other audio without disturbing anyone around you.
Headband-style headphones have small speakers embedded in the fabric, which rest over your ear rather than in it. Crucially, they are also much cheaper than thesleep earbudsdiscussed above — though if you want something that blocks soundandplays audio, earbuds may still be your best bet.
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Writer Kate Spencer swears by these headphones for playing brown noise.
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Strategist contributor Chelsey Pippin Mizzi uses this pair nightly.
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I recently tested this headband and found it comfy and unobtrusive.
If your dorm is too hot at night …
Not all dorms have air-conditioning, and even if they do, you might not have control over it.Cooling mattress toppers,pillows, andsheetscan help prevent you from overheating; here are some of our favorites.
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This topper is infused with copper to provide additional cooling power.
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My favorite adjustable cooling pillow.
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A cooling pillow that's especially good for stomach sleepers.
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A shredded latex pillow with a breathable cotton cover.
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Our bedding writer's favorite cooling sheets.
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A fewwell-placed fanscan also make a big difference.
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Senior writer Ambar Pardilla loves this slim oscillating fan with multiple speeds and settings.
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A classic box fan will never let you down.
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Writer Tembe Denton-Hurst keeps this tiny fan pointed directly at her all summer long.
If light pollution is keeping you up …
Beyond wearing an eye mask, the darker your bedroom, the better.
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An effective set of blackoutcurtainsdoesn’t have to set you back hundreds of dollars. Writer Erin Schwartz recommends these ones that come in a variety of lengths and colors. And you shouldn’t need to do any drilling to hang them if you install a simpletension rodfromTarget,Walmart, or another home-goods store.
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You can also cover any sleep-disrupting lights on devices in your room with convenient (and cheap)light-blocking stickers.
More of our favorite dorm essentials
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For resting in bed or sitting on the floor.
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A cozy rug to make your room feel homier.
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An easy-to-clean shower caddy.
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The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
