Once your body adjusts to this schedule, it’ll be easier to fall asleep and wake up around the same time every day (8). This article lists 17 evidence-based tips to sleep better at night. Christal Yuen is an editor at Healthline who writes and edits content revolving around sex, beauty, health, and wellness. This pressure to fall asleep, also called ‘sleep debt‘, is decreased or ‘paid off’ while sleeping. Your behaviors, both during the day and around bedtime, can affect the quality of your sleep. It’s believed that if you go to bed and try to force yourself to fall asleep, your chances of succeeding drop dramatically. Many people who struggle with sleep lie in bed wondering how … Additionally, the use of a weighted blanket could reduce body stress and help improve your sleep (46). Since many people struggle to drift off to sleep, some resort to alcohol or over-the-counter (OTC) sleep-aid methods to fall asleep faster. Practicing one or all of these techniques can help you get a good night’s rest and wake up reenergized. How much sleep do you need? Keep reading for “8 Tips to Fall Asleep Fast”. If you’re a beginner trying these hacks out, these methods may take up to 2 minutes to work. This is partly because electronic devices emit blue light, which has been found to suppress melatonin (51, 52). Here are 20 simple ways to fall asleep as fast as possible. Get out and expose your body to sunlight or artificial bright light throughout the day. Herbal tea, hot baths, an app, and good old-fashioned sex: what the experts do to ensure they sleep better Hold your breath, and mentally count to 7. If you fall asleep too quickly, it may be time to visit a sleep specialist to get a better night of rest. A medium-firm mattress has been shown to positively affect sleep quality and prevent sleep disturbances and muscular discomfort (43, 44). After practicing this method for 6 weeks there is a 96% success rate. For example, you can imagine a waterfall, the sounds of echoing, rushing water, and the scent of damp moss. Lastly, if relaxing music isn’t available, blocking all noise could also help you fall asleep faster and promote uninterrupted sleep (37, 38). It seems that the food you eat before bed may affect your sleep. Learning how to fall asleep fast sounds difficult, right? Their sleep cycles consist of the slow-wave sleep, rapid eye movement, and non-rapid eye movement stages. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Getting good sleep is very important for optimal health. Sleeping Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Fast. Interlock your fingers together (fingers out and palms touching) and open up your palms to create a cup shape with your hands. We include products we think are useful for our readers. Lowered melatonin levels make it harder for you to fall asleep and cause you to feel tired the next day (70, 71). Research is ultimately mixed, but some studies have showed that people who adopt this technique tend to fall asleep faster (72). To find out if naps are affecting your sleep, try either eliminating naps altogether or limiting yourself to a short nap (30 minutes or less) early in the day. It’s as simple and easy as that, and you can do this repeatedly until you feel calmer. So if you think you fall asleep faster than the average person, here are six reasons that could explain why: 1. According to Ackerman, the United States Navy Pre-Flight School created a routine to help pilots fall asleep in 2 minutes or less. The premise is to tense — but not strain — your muscles and relax to release the tension. Wait 10 seconds. “As a result, you don’t feel sleepy. Picturing and concentrating on an environment that makes you feel peaceful and relaxed can take your mind away from the thoughts that keep you up at night (60). Do the activity for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you start to feel drowsy, then head back to bed. Wake up at the same time. We cover some science-based tricks to help you fall asleep faster. Here are three you can do without sitting up: If you’ve tried these methods and are still finding yourself unable to fall asleep in 2 minutes or less, see if there are other tips you can take to make your bedroom a more sleep-friendly place. Sleepless and restless? Recent research found that taking a warm bath or shower, preferably one to two hours before bedtime, can help people fall asleep faster—36 percent faster, to be exact. Start your bedtime routine at the same time each day and maintain a regular sleep time. 15 Methods to Fall Asleep Fast Published on Mar 29, 2021. The time of the day when you exercise is also critical. Have a ritual – go to bed at the same time. Calm yourself before bedtime – Many enjoy yoga, a hot shower or bath, or listening to soothing music or ASMR. Some say that visualizing something can make it real, and it’s possible this works with sleep, too. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. The active ingredient in ZzzQuil is Diphenhydramine HCl, which helps you sleep soundly so you wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Due to poor sleep at night, people with insomnia tend to be sleepy during the day, which often leads to daytime napping. Popular scents with positive effects on sleep include: Oil blends made with ingredients like lemon and orange were also effective at improving sleep quality (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59). Irregular light exposure can lead to the disruption of circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep and stay awake (10). Exercise can increase the duration and quality of sleep by boosting the production of serotonin in the brain and decreasing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone (39). Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This has been shown to be the optimal sleep duration for adults (1). Relax. © 2005-2021 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. According to Acherman’s point of view , the United States Navy Pre-Flight School developed a routine to fall asleep under 2 minutes in any condition. The next section lists 23 of our best and tips to fall asleep. Limit caffeine and drink a soothing beverage, How to Calculate When You Should Go to Sleep, How to Fall Asleep in 10, 60, or 120 Seconds. Unwind and relax; Are your worries keeping you awake and away from precious sleep? However, it’s important to understand the differences between reading from an e-book and a traditional paper book. Here’s our process. If you have a respiratory condition, such as asthma or COPD, consider checking with your doctor before beginning, as this could aggravate your symptoms. Although there are a variety of ways to use essential oils, many sleep studies are centered on inhalation aromatherapy. It really helps, that blue light is not good for our eyes. The most common cause of sleepiness is sleep deprivation. If you want to fall asleep faster, like under a minute or so. When we were all still in the womb, we were used to a comforting, gentle and repetitious rocking sensation – that of our mothers moving around. This allows your body and mind to relax and prepare for sleep (9). Listening to Buddhist music may be another great tool for better sleep, as it can reduce the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep. It’s based on breath control techniques learned from yoga, and it consists of a breathing pattern that relaxes the nervous system. Research has found that people who practiced paradoxical intention fell asleep faster than those who didn’t. It’s commonly practiced by those who have trouble falling asleep, as it may help with relaxation. Here’s some of my favorite tips. Some variation between people is not necessarily a sign of a problem. When we were all still in the womb, we were used to a comforting, gentle and repetitious rocking sensation – that of our mothers moving around.