How to fall asleep Fast!

by Sean Davis November 09, 2018

Falling asleep quickly is just a dream (no pun intended) for many people. Laying in bed with thoughts ruminating, worries and the days stress playing over and over in your mind is very common.

And then just as you are about to fall asleep something happens to jolt you awake.

This is an extremely frustrating scenario and is becoming more and more common. In fact, recent reports have shown that almost a third of adult Americans have a sleep disorder!

That's not just one or two nights of poor sleep that is long-term deprivation with serious physical and mental health issues attached.

Falling asleep at the end of the day, in a warm comfortable bed should be something we all look forward to.

With these tips, you can definitely achieve nodding off quickly into a deep, restorative sleep.

Routines:

Its all about having routines and rituals that work for you!

Day Routines:

Wake up at the same time each day

this sets your body clock in motion and will definitely help come evening.

Try to get exposed to natural light as early as possible in the day

If this isn't possible then bright light still works. Waking up to a 'light alarm' has worked wonders for many people. This begins serotonin production readying you for the day ahead.

Glow alarms are a great way to mimic waking up to natural light

Exercise

studies have shown, it doesn't matter what it is, but people who exercise fall asleep faster and sleep better than those who don't. Exercise tires your body out, and reduces cortisol our stress hormone. Makes sense doesn't it.

Avoid Caffeine and Napping for the 6 hours before you want to go to sleep

Caffeine inhibits adenosine production and napping inhibits melatonin production. Both of which make us feel sleepy, fall asleep and stay asleep!

Pre-Bed Routines

Our modern lives with all the stress, rushing, and connectivity are hectic. It is no wonder that your brain takes some time to wind down at the end of the day before it can fall into the deeper slower brainwaves of sleep.

Power down

Blue light is emitted from devices, computers, e-readers, televisions and mobile phones. It interferes with our Melatonin (the sleep hormone) production which is why you can flick on the T.V feeling exhausted and then not feel sleepy 3 hours later!

A great option is to turn these devices off an hour before you want to sleep.

Putting your Mobile on Airplane mode stops those pesky email and social media notifications if you can't turn it off altogether.

If you need to use your computer at night installing Flux is a great option. This gradually dims your computer light as the day wears on.

Reduce Alcohol

Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially but once it begins to be metabolized it can lead to overheating and broken sleep. It is best consumed in moderation and avoided an hour or two before bedtime

Relax your body and mind.

If you are kept awake by things you need to do, stress and a general feeling of unease then this is a must.

Keeping a gratitude diary by writing down 2-3 things you are grateful from during the day, doing a to-do or goal list for the next day and a 'Wouldn't it be nice if...' list of 2-3 things you would like to happen in the near future will help to leave you in a calm, positive mindset.

Reading is also a great way to calm a busy mind before sleep

Practice Mindfulness

Now, this is similar to switching off from the day but takes it a step further. Doing deep breathing, guided meditation or a yin yoga practice can all help slow a busy brain.

Not sure where to start?

Run a bath, light some candles and listen to a guided meditation is an easy way.

Practice 20-30 deep breaths (4 seconds in, pause, four seconds out, pause, Repeat) before carrying on your pre-bed routine

Or flick on YouTube and follow along a Yin Yoga Practice.

This has turned out to be a big one! So we will split it in two parts.

To recap: In order to Fall asleep fast you need to address both your day time and evening routines.

Being active everyday, limiting caffeine and stimulants in the afternoon and evening and letting yourself wind down before bed is critical to being able to fall into a deep, restorative sleep quickly.

How to fall asleep Fast!

Falling asleep quickly is just a dream (no pun intended) for many people. Laying in bed with thoughts ruminating, worries and the days stress playing over and over in your mind is very common.

And then just as you are about to fall asleep something happens to jolt you awake.

This is an extremely frustrating scenario and is becoming more and more common. In fact, recent reports have shown that almost a third of adult Americans have a sleep disorder!

That's not just one or two nights of poor sleep that is long-term deprivation with serious physical and mental health issues attached.

Falling asleep at the end of the day, in a warm comfortable bed should be something we all look forward to.

With these tips, you can definitely achieve nodding off quickly into a deep, restorative sleep.

Routines:

Its all about having routines and rituals that work for you!

Day Routines:

Wake up at the same time each day

this sets your body clock in motion and will definitely help come evening.

Try to get exposed to natural light as early as possible in the day

If this isn't possible then bright light still works. Waking up to a 'light alarm' has worked wonders for many people. This begins serotonin production readying you for the day ahead.

Exercise

studies have shown, it doesn't matter what it is, but people who exercise fall asleep faster and sleep better than those who don't. Exercise tires your body out, and reduces cortisol our stress hormone. Makes sense doesn't it.

Avoid Caffeine and Napping for the 6 hours before you want to go to sleep

Caffeine inhibits adenosine production and napping inhibits melatonin production. Both of which make us feel sleepy, fall asleep and stay asleep!

Pre-Bed Routines

Our modern lives with all the stress, rushing, and connectivity are hectic. It is no wonder that your brain takes some time to wind down at the end of the day before it can fall into the deeper slower brainwaves of sleep.

Power down

Putting your Mobile on Airplane mode stops those pesky email and social media notifications if you can't turn it off altogether.

If you need to use your computer at night installing Flux is a great option. This gradually dims your computer light as the day wears on.

Reduce Alcohol

Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially but once it begins to be metabolized it can lead to overheating and broken sleep. It is best consumed in moderation and avoided an hour or two before bedtime

Relax your body and mind.

Reading is also a great way to calm a busy mind before sleep

Practice Mindfulness

Now, this is similar to switching off from the day but takes it a step further. Doing deep breathing, guided meditation or a yin yoga practice can all help slow a busy brain.

Not sure where to start?

Run a bath, light some candles and listen to a guided meditation is an easy way.

Practice 20-30 deep breaths (4 seconds in, pause, four seconds out, pause, Repeat) before carrying on your pre-bed routine

Or flick on YouTube and follow along a Yin Yoga Practice.

This has turned out to be a big one! So we will split it in two parts.

To recap: In order to Fall asleep fast you need to address both your day time and evening routines.

Being active everyday, limiting caffeine and stimulants in the afternoon and evening and letting yourself wind down before bed is critical to being able to fall into a deep, restorative sleep quickly.

In part 2 we will look at the role your Sleep Environment has on your sleep quality and what we can do to improve it. So keep an eye out!

Please let us know what you think and any suggestions for future posts.