A good night’s sleep is incredibly important.
It helps you feel good and let your body and brain function properly.
Some people have no problem falling asleep. Many others, however, have great difficulty falling asleep during the night and then sleeping through the night.
Poor sleep can negatively impact many areas of your body and brain, including learning, memory, mood, emotions, and even various biological functions.
Here are 20 simple-ways to fall asleep quickly.
Lower the room temperature
Your body temperature changes when you fall asleep. The core temperature drops as the temperature of your hands and feet increases.
If your room is too warm, you will have a hard time falling asleep. However, setting the thermostat to a cool temperature between 15 and 23 ° C can help.
Individual preferences vary with every person. So find the temperature that is best for you.
A warm bath or shower can also help accelerate the body’s temperature changes. When your body cools down afterwards, it can send a signal to your brain to go to sleep.
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness-training
When people are stressed, it is difficult for them to fall asleep.
Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are ways to calm the mind and relax the body. They have also been shown to improve sleep.
Yoga encourages the practice of breathing patterns and body movements that relieve stress and tension in your body.
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Meditation can increase melatonin levels and help the brain reach a certain state where sleep is easily achieved.
Finally, mindfulness can help you focus on the present and worry less about falling asleep.
Use the breathing-method “4-7-8 ”
The “4-7-8” method is a simple but powerful breathing method that promotes calm and relaxation. It can also help you relax before bed.
It consists of a breathing pattern that relaxes the nervous system. It can also be used anytime you feel anxious or stressed.
Here are the steps:
- First place the tip of the tongue behind the upper front teeth.
- Exhale completely through your mouth and make a hissing noise.
- Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose as you mentally count to four.
- Hold your breath and count to seven.
- Open your mouth and exhale completely, making another hissing noise and mentally counting to eight.
- Repeat this cycle at least three times.
This technique can relax you and make you fall asleep quickly.
Try to use-supplements
Certain supplements can help you fall asleep faster.
They have been shown to promote sleep by either increasing the production of sleep-inducing hormones or by calming brain activity.
Supplements that can help you fall asleep are:
Magnesium
Magnesium helps to activate the neurotransmitters responsible for sleep. Doses of 200–400 mg per day, taken with food, have been shown to improve sleep.
5 HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan)
5-HTP increases the production of serotonin, which is related to the regulation of sleep. Doses of 300–500 mg per day, either once daily or in divided doses, appear to be effective in treating sleep disorders.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced by the body, but it can also be used as a supplement to help regulate your sleep. Doses of 0.5-5 mg taken 30 minutes before bed seem to improve the quality of sleep.
Theanine
Theanine is an amino acid with calming properties. While it hasn’t been proven to induce sleep, it may help with relaxation. Doses of 200 mg per day seem useful.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
GABA is a compound that is produced in the brain and that inhibits certain transmitters. This can help the central nervous system relax. Doses of 250–500 mg and no more than 1,000 mg are recommended.
Pay attention to what and when you eat
It seems that the foods you eat before bed can affect your sleep. Research has shown, for example, that high-carbohydrate meals can interfere with your sleep
A review of the studies found that while a high-carb diet can help you fall asleep faster, it does not cause restful sleep. Instead, high-fat meals could promote deeper, more restful sleep.
In fact, several studies agree that a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet significantly reduces the quality of sleep compared to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with the same amount of calories for both diets.
If you still want to have a high-carbohydrate meal for dinner, you should eat it at least four hours before bed so that you have enough time to digest it.
Make-yourself-an exact-schedule
Many people find that setting a sleep schedule makes falling asleep a lot easier.
Your body has its own regulation system, the so-called circadian rhythm. This internal clock ensures that your body feels alert during the day and sleepy at night.
Getting up and going to bed at the same time each day can help keep your internal clock on a regular schedule. Once your body gets used to this schedule, it’s easier to fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day.
It’s also important to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. This has been shown to be the optimal length of sleep for adults.
Finally, give yourself 30 minutes to an hour to relax in the evening before going to bed. This allows body and mind to relax and prepare for sleep.
Experience both daylight and darkness
Light can influence your body’s internal clock, which in turn regulates sleep and wakefulness.
Irregular exposure to light can disrupt the circadian rhythm, making it difficult to fall asleep and wake up. If you expose your body to bright light during the day, it means it remains vigilant.
At night, the darkness promotes the feeling of sleepiness. In fact, research shows that darkness increases the production of melatonin, a hormone essential for sleep.
Go outside and expose your body to sunlight or artificial bright light all day. If possible, use curtains or blinds to darken your room at night.
Don’t look-at-your-watch
It is quite normal to wake up in the middle of the night. However, the inability to get back to sleep can ruin your entire good night’s sleep.
People who wake up in the middle of the night have a tendency to look at the clock and become so obsessed with it that they cannot sleep again.
“Clock-watching” is common among people who suffer from insomnia. This behavior can even lead to fear of insomnia.
If you regularly wake up without going back to sleep, your body can develop a certain routine in it. As a result, you can wake up in the middle of the night every night.
If possible, it is best to remove the clock from your bedroom. If you need an alarm clock in the room, you can also easily turn it around and avoid waking up in the middle of the night and looking at it.
Avoid napping during the day
Because of poor sleep at night, many people with insomnia tend to be sleepy during the day. This often leads to an afternoon nap.
While short naps are associated with improvements in alertness and well-being, opinions are mixed about the effects of napping on nightly sleep.
Some studies have shown that regular, long (two or more hours) and especially late naps can lead to poor sleep quality and even sleep deprivation.
One study showed that among 440 students who reported taking three or more naps a week, those who slept more than two hours and those who napped late (between 6 and 9 p.m.) who had the worst quality of sleep.
Another study found that older adults who napped frequently had poorer sleep at night, had depressive symptoms, had less physical activity, and were more likely to be overweight than those who napped infrequently.
To find out if naps are affecting your sleep, try either to remove a nap entirely from your daily routine or to limit yourself to a short nap (30 minutes or less) early in the day.
Listen to relaxing music
Music can greatly improve the quality of sleep. It can even be used to combat chronic insomnia and improve your sleep on your own. A study of 24 young adults showed that soothing music promoted deeper sleep.
Buddhist music is a type of music that is created from various Buddhist chants and used for meditation. Eavesdropping can be a good way to sleep better.
Another study found that 25 participants slept more soundly and soundly when exposed to soothing music 45 minutes before bed compared to those who did not listen to music.
If relaxing music is available, blocking all other noises can also help you fall asleep faster and encourage uninterrupted sleep.
Train during the day
Physical activity is often seen as beneficial to a healthy sleep.
Exercise can increase the length and quality of sleep by increasing the production of serotonin in the brain and lowering cortisol, the stress hormone.
However, it’s important to stick to a moderate-intensity exercise routine and not overdo it. Excessive exercise has been linked to poor sleep.
The time of day you train is also important. To promote better sleep, exercising early in the morning seems to be better than exercising later in the evening.
Therefore, moderate to vigorous exercise in the morning can significantly improve the quality and quantity of your sleep.
Try aromatherapy
Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils.
Aromatherapy is often used by people who have difficulty falling asleep as it can help relax.
A systematic review of 12 studies found that the use of aromatherapy was effective in improving the quality of sleep.
It also seems that lavender and damask rose are popular fragrances that have a positive effect on sleep.
An essential oil diffuser could be helpful for adding relaxing scents to your room that promote sleep.
Make-yourself-comfortable
It has been shown that a comfortable mattress and good bedding can have a remarkable impact on the depth and quality of sleep.
It has also been shown that a medium-firm mattress has a positive effect on sleep quality and prevents sleep disorders and muscle problems.
The quality of your pillow is also crucial. It can affect your neck curve, temperature, and comfort. One study found that orthopedic pillows may be better than feather pillows or memory foam pillows (pillows that conform to the contour of your body).
In addition, using a weighted blanket can reduce body stress and improve your sleep.
Finally, the fabric of the clothes you wear in bed can also affect your sleep. It is crucial that you choose comfortable clothing made of fabric with which you can have pleasant temperatures all night.
Switch-off all-electronics
The use of electronic devices at night is dreadful for a sound sleep.
If you watch TV, play video games, use a mobile phone and social network, for example, it can be a lot more difficult for you to fall asleep and sleep through the night.
It is recommended that you unplug all electronics and keep computers and cell phones far away to ensure a quiet place free of distractions. Then you can fall asleep much faster.
Practice writing-a-diary
Some people have trouble falling asleep because their thoughts go in circles. Research has shown that this can lead to anxiety and stress, which can create negative emotions and disrupt sleep.
However, research has also shown that writing a journal and focusing on positive thoughts can calm the mind and help you sleep better.
Writing down the positive events of the day can lead to gratitude and satisfaction, demote stressful events, and encourage more relaxation before bed.
In fact, a study of 41 college students found that journaling resulted in less sleep disturbance and stress, increased sleep time, and improved sleep quality.
Try to practice this technique by taking 15 minutes each evening to write about your day. It is important not only to focus on the positive events of the day, but also on how you felt at that point.
Adjust your sleeping-position
Good sleep can depend on your body position during the night.
There are three main sleeping positions: back, stomach and side. Traditionally it was assumed that those who sleep on their backs have better quality sleep.
However, research has shown that this may not be the best position to sleep in as it can lead to airway obstruction, sleep apnea, and snoring.
In a study conducted on 16 people, it was found that participants who reported persistently poor sleep spent more time on their backs.
Although individual preferences play an important role in the choice of sleeping position, the side position seems to be associated with quality sleep.
Read something
Reading can be a good activity that will help you relax before bed. For children at least, reading before bed seems to promote a longer sleep.
However, it is important to understand the difference between reading from an electronic book and reading from a traditional paper book.
Electronic books emit a type of light that can decrease melatonin secretion, making it difficult to fall asleep and making you feel tired the next day.
It is therefore recommended that you read from a real book to relax and improve your sleep.
Limit your-caffeine consumption and drink a calming drink
Caffeine is often used among people against tiredness and for increased alertness. It can be found in foods and beverages like chocolate, coffee, sodas, and energy drinks.
Unfortunately, caffeine can have a devastating effect on sleep.
Although the effects of caffeine vary from person to person, it is recommended that you avoid consuming caffeine at least six hours before bed.
Instead, you can have a soothing tea, such as chamomile tea, which has been shown to promote sleep and relaxation.
Focus-on-trying-to-stay-awake
It is believed that if you go to bed and try to force yourself to sleep, your chances of success decrease dramatically.
Instead, you can try the “paradoxical intention”. This technique recommends trying to stay awake instead of forcing yourself to sleep.
This technique is based on the idea that the stress and anxiety caused by falling asleep can prevent relaxation and falling asleep.
One study has shown that people who paradoxically try this technique tend to fall asleep faster than the other way around.
Visualize-the-things that make you happy
Instead of worrying and thinking about stressful things in bed, visualize a place where you can feel happy and calm.
41 participants who suffered from insomnia fell asleep faster after being instructed to use an “imaginary distraction”.
This technique helped them engage with good thoughts instead of dealing with worries and needs while sleeping.
By focusing on an environment that makes you feel peaceful and relaxed, you can distract yourself from the thoughts that normally linger you at night.
Conclusion
Problems falling asleep and staying asleep are not only frustrating, but can also affect your mental and physical health.
However, by using the techniques above, you can fall asleep quickly, sleep much better, and the next day have more energy.