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Hygiene is a big umbrella. Hygiene can encompass many things that run the gamut from assumptions that we have about cleanliness to the way we practically engage in cleanliness. It encompasses the ways we care for our bodies, maintain our physical upkeep, and even our nutritional choices. Sleep also falls under the hygiene umbrella as a form of self-care and an extension of our general health.

Sleep is also easily affected by stress. Everyone’s lived experience is unique, and there could be an array of ways your stress is manifesting. For some, this might involve racing thoughts, feeling consumed by worries from the day, experiencing anxiety about days ahead, etc. Having a place to put these worries can reduce the stress you’re holding in your mind. If you have a journal on hand, you can brain dump your concerns and actively place those worries elsewhere. You can also just list your concerns out to get a visual landscape of your stressors, remind yourself that you can spend time tomorrow processing them and give yourself permission to fall asleep. Finding a therapist to discuss your challenges and stressors also allows a designated place for those worries and can help you process through things that might be weighing heavily on your mind.

But if you’re simply feeling scattered and all over the place in any capacity, routine is key for cultivating healthy sleep habits. Below are a few habits and strategies you can use to get the most out of your sleep.

Schedule Your Sleep

If you consistently hit the same sleep window, your body will develop a rhythm, helping you fall asleep faster, stay asleep for longer intervals, and feel more rested upon waking up. Naps can throw off your sleep routine as well, so committing to a sleep schedule might mean a reduction in your nap frequency.

Gradual adjustments are your friend

A big adjustment, like going to sleep regularly at midnight and then switching rapidly to an 8pm bedtime, might feel like a quick fix. But your body will acclimate more effectively in increments of an hour or two earlier at night. The same can be said about introducing a nightly routine, like incrementally cutting down on screen time before bed and finding ways to wind down without electronics. Winding down might look different for everyone depending on what each individual finds relaxing, but some effective ways might involve stretching, reading, listening to calm music, meditating, and various breathwork techniques such as in for four, out for four

Bedtime Boundaries

If you have trouble falling asleep, boundaries within your sleep environment could help facilitate a higher quality of sleep as well. For example, reserving your bed for sleeping alone and avoiding doing work or watching TV will build a link in your mind that your bed is for rest rather than activity. When you get in bed at night, your body will be able to quickly recognize the task at hand and fall asleep faster.

Daytime Deliverables

During the day, you can prepare yourself for sleep by spending some time in the sun. This will help your circadian rhythm–your internal, 24-hour biological clock that responds to light and darkness–create a healthy cycle. Physical activity will also help with falling asleep and staying asleep, as well eating earlier and cutting back on caffeine late in the day.

Keep Records

Last but not least, if you can’t quite put your finger on what is causing your struggles with sleep, a sleep diary can be an effective tool to identify what might be causing interrupted sleep or difficulty falling asleep. Recording the times you sleep and wake up, consume food, drink caffeinated beverages, work out, go outside, etc. might help locate where changes can be made to make your slumber more restful.

References

CDC. “CDC – Sleep Hygiene Tips – Sleep and Sleep Disorders.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 15 July 2016, www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html.

Kersh, Erica. “Sleep Hygiene Explained and 10 Tips for Better Sleep.” Healthline, Healthline, 17 Aug. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/sleep-hygiene#relaxing-routine.

Suni, Eric. “What Is Sleep Hygiene?” Sleep Foundation, 14 Aug. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene.

For many students graduation can be a moment of immense relief and celebration. While graduation can be an occasion for joy it can also be a time of stressful transitions. Graduation is not a perfect or an immediate indicator of career success while other students struggle to find potential job opportunities. Loss of their peer community can also be disorienting.

Even though a student has worked very hard for it, leaving college can often feel like an unwanted transition. By the time students finish their degree, they have often created social systems that have felt essential to their day to day well being. Having these connections decentralized can have a significant impact. If a student goes home, there can be a certain feeling of resentment towards home and family, since these environments cannot be or live up the beloved and socially stimulating college lifestyle. For those starting jobs immediately, there can be the emotional impact of moving from the university environment to the work environment which they might find to be less flexible and engaging.

Psychologically, what does this mean? The time from ages 18–28 is called “emerging adulthood.” This means growth, maturity, and a slew of exciting new challenges that prepare us for independence and self-sufficiency. But, the flip side of the coin can look like feelings of instability and scary uncertainty. Without grades, easily accessible personal relationships, and clubs/associations as markers of our interests and validation for our identities, it can feel like the ground is falling out from underneath you. Thus, we reach for other status and identity markers, which might be career-related things like prestigious job titles, promotions or income, marriage, traveling, etc.. These career markers seem to pop up immediately as huge, looming social pressures even as graduates try to process the life they have just left behind.

Signs of post-graduation depression can manifest in a variety of ways.

• Anxiety
• Fatigue or tiredness even if you feel like you are getting enough sleep
• Poor sleep routine
• Lack of motivation, even to do the simplest things
• Irritability
• Inadvertently isolating oneself

There are ways you can prepare ahead to help with some of your symptoms. If you tend to feel anxiety that hits out of nowhere, and there are mindfulness exercises that help, like breathing or meditation, have those solutions ready to go when those feelings hit! One that is easy to remember is “four by four https://gfycat.com/finishedobesedormouse” or box breathing. If social interaction tends to help with irritability or self-isolating, have a list in your phone of friends to text or call when those symptoms arise. Remember, this might not feel the same but you are using it as a safety raft to get you to the other side of your current transition.

Just because something good is happening it doesn’t mean that some of it doesn’t feel bad. At the same time, if you are in a bad place because you are finding it difficult moving from one moment in your life to another, allow yourself to acknowledge that if you feel bad. Know that Post-graduation depression is both common so you can be prepared and know you’re not alone.

If you’re looking for support as you deal with a big life transition, our clinicians can help. Get in touch with our office today to find a therapist that fits your needs.

References

Baker Brianna A. Baker Ph.D. Student in Counseling Psychology | Science Storyteller | Digital Content Creator| Ment, Brianna A. “Post-Graduation Depression and Anxiety : You’re Not Alone.” LinkedIn, 23 Apr. 2021, www.linkedin.com/pulse/post-graduation-depression-anxiety-youre-alone-brianna-baker/.

Cote, Joe. “How to Deal with Stress in College.” Www.snhu.edu, Southern New Hampshire University, 10 Dec. 2019, www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/education/student-stress.

Ismayilova, Aytaj. “What Is Post-Graduation Depression and How to Overcome It.” Www.snhu.edu, Southern New Hampshire University, 14 Jan. 2020, www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/post-graduate-depression.

“Pride is a time to recall the trials the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community has endured and to rejoice in the triumphs of trailblazing individuals who have bravely fought — and continue to fight — for full equality.  Pride is both a jubilant communal celebration of visibility and a personal celebration of self-worth and dignity,” writes President Joe Biden in A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month 2021.

Members of the LGBTQI+ community began to fight for their rights during the Stonewall Riots in 1969 and many members are fighting mental and emotional battles that may not be visible on the outside.

Did you know?
*LGBTQI+ adults are more than twice as likely as heterosexual adults to experience a mental health condition.
*Transgender individuals are nearly four times as likely as cisgender individuals to experience a mental condition.
*LGBTQI+ youth experience greater risk for mental health conditions and suicidality.

PRIDE month can be a time of reflection and celebration. In 2020 due to COVID-19 celebrated looked and felt differently. This past year many members of the community faced additional stress due to isolation from supportive friends and community. Many faced unique challenges quarantining for unsupportive and un-affirming family members.

If you identify as a member of this community we want to encourage you to please take care of your mental health. We understand that LGBTQI+ persons may deal with tremendous amounts of stress concerning their identity, childhood trauma, bullying, and abuse.

Honoring your mental health may look like:

• Reaching out to supportive friends and family who can hold space and validate your unique experience
• Form alliances with other members of the LGBTQI+ community and allies for social engagement
• Seek mental health services from providers who hold a non-judgmental safe space for you
• Setting boundaries around people and places that may be triggers for you
• Engage in the work of living in your unique and authentic truth

We want you know know that we see you, and we honor you.