Most of the people fall asleep soon after laying their heads on their pillow. But a lot of people have trouble on fallen asleep. It can be an extremely frustrating problem, as it reduces your sleeping hours and can leave you feeling tired next day. Nation Sleep foundation recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep per day but most of the people sleep an average of only about six hours. Taking a good sleep is very important for your overall health. It will help you to be happier and keep your brain sharp and strengthen your immune system, make your skin glow, keep your waistline trim, and many other things which are good for your health. There are many things you can do to improve your ability to fall sleep faster. You need to follow these methods to sleep faster.
Ways to Sleep Faster:
1.) Keep your Bedroom Cool
Cool, dark environment will help you to sleep faster and better. The optimal temperature for sleeping is between 64 to 68 degrees. So turn down the thermostat and snuggle under the covers.
- Find a temperature that works for you, it would not be easy to fall asleep if your room is too cool. Try to maintain a room temperature and remember pile on the blanket in a cold room is better than kick off the covers in a hot room.
- Try to invest in a cooling mattress pad and moisture wicking sheets to keep your body temperature down and draw sweat from the skin if you suffer from hot flashes or night sweat.
2.) Turn off Light and other Equipment to Sleep Faster
Turn off all lights and electronic equipment when you try to sleep because darkness helps your brain to process the fact that it’s time for sleep and release hormones that induce sleepiness. If you have too much light in your bedroom, this can delay the release of these hormones and prevent you from falling asleep. Always keep your bedroom as dark as possible and turn off all electronics at least an hour before bed.
- Turn off your cell phone or put them in a do not disturb mode. If your phone will be nearby you, you will have a temptation to check your emails, your facebook i.d,that will keep your awake.
- Don’t keep television or games console in your bedroom and try not to bring your laptop to bed. If you want your brain to identify your bedroom as a place of peace and sleep, so don’t work and play because that activity will keep you awake.
- Try to avoid having a light up the clock in your bedroom because knowing the fact that it has been 2 A.M. and you’re still awake is not going to help the situation. That situation will increase your anxiety and make you fall asleep even harder.
3.) Make your Bedroom a Noise-free Zone
Annoying or distracting noises can be a big problem for you to fall asleep. Do your best to make your bedroom as quiet and peaceful as possible. Shut your doors and window or ask your housemates to turn off the television. You can’t do anything about like your partner’s snoring or the party going on upstairs to turn off the noise, so consider wearing noise cancellation earplugs. At first, you will feel a tad strange or uncomfortable, but after some time you will get habitual of it. It will help to prevent external disturbances and you will sleep faster.
- You can also buy a cd with some relaxing music or even sounds from nature, play that softly music in the background as you sleep. Try not to sleep with earphones because these can become uncomfortable or get tangled while you sleep.
- Invest in a white noise app or machine, which produces random sounds at a variety of frequencies and mask other noises. True white noise is harsh sounding noise , so many of these machines produce color noises, which are softer and sound like a rushing waterfall or a gentle hum which is suitable for your ears.
4.) Soak in Hot Bath to Sleep Peacefully
A hot water bath is a tested and tried method to sleep faster. It gives you a peaceful sleep. There are many reasons why it is so effective.
- Taking a hot bath reduces stress. It also helps to clear your mind off the worries which are the main reason to keep you awake at night.
- It raises your body temperature which suddenly gets down when you get out. This action triggers your body cooling hormones when you are in bed and help you to sleep faster.
- You can put a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil such as chamomile and lavender in water to enhance the sleep-inducing qualities of your bath.
- A hot shower will do the same effect if you don’t have a bathtub. Just try to keep the water above 100 degrees F and stay in there for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
5.) Have a Snack and a Warm Drink
Eating a heavy meal right before bed isn’t such a good idea, but sleeping empty stomach even worse for preventing sleep, so try to avoid going to bed hungry. If you aren’t interested taking heavy meal so you can take a snack before bed, such as a piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, and some crackers. You can also drink a soothing chamomile or passionflower tea, or a glass of warm milk which has sleep-inducing hormones called melatonin.
- Or you can take any kind of nuts or seeds in a snack. Avoid anything very greasy or spicy.
- Try to take a snack that contains complex carbohydrates, such as cereals or whole grain bread because these increase your body’s tryptophan levels. Tryptophan encourages the brain to produce more serotonin which is a happy relaxing hormone which induces sleep.
6.) Do Stretching to Sleep Better
Doing a simple stretching exercise before going to bed can help to release tension from muscles and relax your body to sleep faster.
- According to the study of Cancer Research center in a Seattle found that those women who do 15 to 30 minutes of upper and lower stretches before bed reduce the problem with falling asleep by 30 percent.
- Lying on your back on the ground or on the bed and bending your right leg. Try to touch your knee with your chin and feel the stretch in your hamstring and lower back. Hold this position for 5 to 10 minutes. Then repeat with the other leg.
7.) Relax to Sleep Faster
Sometimes the best and simple option is to try to close your eyes and focus on breathing steadily. Each time when you exhale, visualize a different muscle relaxing. Start it from your forehead and move down, or focus on tense areas.
- If you need something else to think about, you can imagine something you find interesting and relaxing, such as a waterfall or a mountain landscape.
- Keep your thoughts focused and if you find yourself thinking about anything else like the tasks that have to get done tomorrow and the things that happened during the day, or anything you are anxious or upset about. Don’t give up, keep redirecting your thoughts to your own breathing, and to the feeling of your relaxing muscles.
8.) Wear Comfortable Clothes for a Peaceful Sleep
If you will be comfortable at the bed, it will help you to fall asleep. Don’t wear pajamas that are too tight and made from an uncomfortable material or have buttons that will stick into you as you sleep.
- Wear the clothes which are soft and loose, which will not leave you too hot or cold in the middle of the night.
- If you find pajamas feel uncomfortable so try to sleep naked. Many people fell comfortable and enjoy the sensation of freedom and comfort that comes with sleeping nude.
9.) Counting to Sleep Faster
Counting is an effective technique to sleep faster because it requires high mental concentration which will help you to distract you from thinking about anything else. It is also boring, which is good for inducing sleep. You can use the psychologist recommended method of counting backward from 300 by 3s. Count to 10 while breathing in and count to 10 again while taking out.
10.) Focus on Relaxing your Muscles
Progressive muscle relaxation is a tested physical relaxation technique which reduces muscle fatigue and helps you to sleep faster. Focus on each individual body part in turn and consciously tensing then relaxing that body part to do this technique. Start with your toes and work on each body part until you reach the top of your head.
