From counting sheep to popping melatonin, you’ve probably heard a lot of different methods to help you fall asleep. But what techniques actually help you fall asleep faster?
Clear your mind
We all tend to have a million things run through our heads as soon as we lay down at night. Midnight on a work night isn’t exactly the time you want to think about your ex or that time you accidentally called your teacher “mom” in middle school. Set aside some time each night to clear your mind before bed. A simple breathing exercise can help you fall asleep quicker. A short meditation or mindfulness session can also help to clear your mind and make you feel more relaxed before bed. There are plenty of free meditation apps available like Calm, and the Eight app has recorded meditation sessions as well.
Sleep soundly
Whether you need to drown out noisy neighbors or just want to listen to some relaxing noises as you fall asleep, putting on some ambient noise can help sleep to come quickly. You can choose from a variety of sounds, from waves crashing to cats purring.
Schedule worry time
We all have stressors in our lives, and it’s only natural to spend time worrying. Unfortunately, many of us tend to spend time worrying once we climb into bed for the night, making it nearly impossible to fall and stay asleep. Try to set aside some time at least an hour or so before bed to go over your thoughts. Often writing down some of your worries and realizing that many things are out of your control helps you fall asleep sooner and ultimately sleep better.
Avoid the obvious
It’s so tempting to end the day by watching television or scrolling through Instagram, but the blue light emitted from screens makes it very difficult to fall asleep quickly. Avoid screens as well as caffeine at least a couple of hours before bed. Another habit to avoid? Taking naps too late in the day and napping longer than a half hour or so will mess up your body’s natural clock, making it harder to fall asleep at night.
Wake up schedule consistency
One of the main ways to fall asleep faster is to regulate your sleep schedule. Waking up and falling asleep at around the same time every day is so important. Once your body gets used to a sleep schedule, you’ll find you fall asleep quickly and easily.
Body temperature
Body temperature naturally drops during sleep. So before bed, you don’t want your body temperature to increase. This means no late night exercise; get that gym time in during the early morning. Additionally, taking a warm bath or shower before bed helps you to relax and fall asleep quicker; it actually helps to lower your body temperature after you step into the cool air post shower. You can achieve this same effect with a smart bed too, which offer dynamic temperature regulation to relax you and help you fall asleep and stay soundly asleep.
By following these easy methods, you’ll be able to fall asleep faster each night. Sweet dreams!
