Are you spending more time turning and tossing in your bed rather than sleeping? Not being able to doze off can be frustrating. Moreover, it can take a toll on your health. Around 50 to 70 million adults in the US suffer from some sleep disorder. If you are one of them, it’s time to come out of it. Read on to know how to fall asleep fast.
How to Fall Asleep in 10 Seconds
People often ask how to go to sleep fast. But isn’t 10 seconds unimaginably short a time? It might take time to practice. But once you have mastered it, you can fall asleep in 10 seconds.
The Military Method
This method was developed to help pilots in the US Navy Pre-Flight School fall asleep quickly. It is helpful for people who have to sleep while sitting. It focuses on relaxing your muscles and controlling your breathing.
Here’s how to fall asleep in 10 seconds using the military sleep method:
- Lie down on your bed and relax your muscles.
- Start with your face muscles. Let them relax naturally.
- Now, relax the muscles of your shoulders.
- Take deep breaths.
- Don’t think of anything for ten seconds. You might try imagining a relaxing scene.
- If this doesn’t work, try repeating “don’t think” in your mind for 10 seconds. That will help you in falling asleep quickly.
If the military method fails to take you to the world of sleep, you might consider focussing on its basics. Muscle relaxation and breathing can indeed be helpful. Know more on how to sleep well and easily in the other methods.
How to Fall Asleep in 60 Seconds
60 seconds sounds reasonable, right? Here are two things to help you sleep. If you are a beginner, it might take up to 2 minutes. However, it will be easier with time and practice.
The 4-7-8 Breathing Method
This method combines the power of meditation, visualization, and breathing. It can help you relax by distracting you from all your thoughts.
Follow these simple tips on how to fall asleep fast:
- Rest your tongue at the back of your front teeth.
- Exhale all your breath through your mouth, making a whooshing sound.
- Now inhale slowly through your nose. Count 4 in your mind as you do it.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.
- Repeat the process four times. If you feel relaxed sooner, let your body go to sleep.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
How to relax and fall asleep fast? It is a common question. Yes, progressive muscle relaxation can help you relax and go to sleep.
You can also call it deep muscle relaxation. This method helps you unwind for the day. You will focus on different muscle groups in your body to tense and then relax them.
- Raise your eyebrows to tense your forehead muscles. Now focus on releasing the tension.
- Put on a wide smile to tense the muscles of your cheek. Now relax them slowly.
- Squeeze your eyes shut. Relax them slowly as you focus on your eyelids.
- Try this out with the other areas in your body like shoulders, neck, hips, and feet.
- Doze off to sleep when you feel relaxed.
This is one of the most effective ways to fall asleep. You can try out the 4-7-8 breathing first for better effects.
How to Fall Asleep In 120 Seconds
If the above methods fail to lull you to sleep, you can try out something more. Here are some more sleeping tips that can help you doze off in two minutes.
Image Distraction
It is about imagining a calming and relaxing scene that distracts you from all other thoughts. A 2002 study showed that people who practiced imagery distraction were likely to fall asleep faster.
So, how to go about it?
Try imagining a scene and the feelings associated with it. For instance, you can imagine the sun setting on the mountains, the sound of flowing water, the rustle of leaves. You will find all your worries vanish from your mind.
That is how to fall asleep fast naturally. You take recourse to scenes from nature and watch your tensions flee. Then you can enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.
Ask Yourself to Stay Awake
Don’t go to sleep. No, we are not joking. It is all about paradoxical intention. You end up doing something you don’t want to do.
Thinking about sleep and trying to doze off might make you anxious. What you can do instead is try not to sleep. It might be more effective than all other methods to make you fall asleep.
Acupressure for Sleep
Acupressure helps in relaxing some specific pressure points in your body. Some points are particularly tense. Gently massaging them can help you relax and fall asleep.
More research, however, needs to be done on the effects of acupressure on sleep. Here are some acupressure points that might help while you try to fall asleep.
- The spirit gate- It is the small hollow-like place under your palm on the pinky side.
- The inner frontier gate – It is the hollow area on your palm below the wrist crease.
- Wind pool- This is where your head connects with your neck.
You can press these areas gently. Breathe deeply while you do it. Focus on how your body relaxes. And, you will slide into the world of dreams.
Other Ways to Fall Asleep Quickly
If these methods are not helping you, don’t worry. There are other things to do when you can’t sleep. You might need to focus on your pre-sleeping habits and the atmosphere of your room. Let’s look at some superb tips.
1. Cut Yourself from Tech
Do you spend your time surfing the internet before bed? The development of technology has inevitably increased your screen time. However, the blue light emitted by your devices can do more harm than good.
Try to keep all your devices away at least 40 minutes before going to bed. It will help you unwind and relax. Moreover, your body will get the signal that it is time to sleep.
Now, if you can’t keep your devices away, you can try listening to some soothing music or a podcast. That will cut you off from the screen while preparing your mind for a restful sleep.
2. Take a Warm Bath
You know that a warm bath can leave you refreshed after a long and tiring day. But, it can also help you sleep better at night.
A study shows that taking a bath before bedtime will increase the chances of getting sound sleep. Moreover, you will fall asleep quickly. That is because your body will start cooling down after the bath. It will send the signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep.
3. Start Meditating
How to make yourself fall asleep fast without medication? Well, the best way to avoid medication is meditation. Yes, meditating before bed every day will reduce your stress and anxiety. Thus, you will be able to get an excellent night’s sleep.
How would you start meditating as a beginner? You might find it hard to focus initially. However, it will get better with time.
Follow these steps to ace your meditation game:
- Sit straight on your bed and close your eyes.
- Inhale and exhale deeply from your abdomen.
- Push aside all other thoughts and focus on your breathing.
- If you find it difficult to stop thinking, imagine your worries moving out as you exhale.
- Do it for five minutes. You can increase the time gradually.
4. Avoid Caffeine in the Evenings
Caffeine helps you stay alert and awake. So avoid it after sunset if you don’t want to mess up with your sleep.
You should stay away from tea and coffee after 5 pm. But what if you have cravings? In that case, you can go for some decaffeinated drink before bedtime. Chamomile tea is a soothing drink that might help you relax.
5. Set a Bedtime Routine for Yourself
You have read several techniques on how to fall asleep fast. But nothing can beat setting a routine for yourself.
So, what should you do? There is no fixed thing you can do. You can take a walk on the terrace or take a warm bath. You may even try listening to music. Do whatever suits you the best. When you perform the same activity regularly, your body and brain will understand when it’s time to wind up.
You should also try to go to bed at the same time every day. That will make your body accustomed. And it will prepare itself to slide off to sleep.
6. Have Your Dinner Early
Do you eat your dinner and jump straight into bed? That might be bad for your digestive health. Moreover, it will also prevent you from getting a peaceful night’s sleep.
Try to have your dinner at least two hours before bedtime. Thus, your body will get enough time to digest the food, and you will not have trouble falling asleep.
You must also avoid eating heavy and oily food at night. Proteins might be hard to digest. You can go for some light carbs instead. When you keep your stomach happy and calm, it will not disturb you at night.
7. Take a Walk
How to fall asleep fast with insomnia? Some people with insomnia feel restless at night. You might consider taking a ten-minute walk to calm down.
Take care not to make any loud noise or go near bright lights. It should serve as a soothing ritual to reduce your anxiety.
8. Put Your Clock Away
If you can’t sleep, looking at your look will make you more anxious. So, it is better to turn it off. You can also put it away.
Keep your phone away so that you do not keep checking the time. Not thinking about the time will reduce your anxiety and help you relax. So, you will fall asleep quickly.
9. Put Your Socks On
This method might help if you have cold feet. Having cold feet constructs your blood vessels affecting circulation. That will send signals to your brain to stay awake.
If you wear socks, your blood vessels will dilate. That will improve blood circulation and help your brain to sleep.
10. Get the Perfect Mattress
What could be the best mattress for you? No one type fits all. The best mattress for you will depend on your preferences.
Try to choose a mattress that is neither too soft nor too firm. The former will not provide enough support to your joints. And the latter might feel too hard when you lie down.
If you have specific medical conditions like arthritis or lower back pain, you can consult your physician before buying your mattress.
11. Maintain Sleep Hygiene
How to fall asleep easier? Maintaining sleep hygiene will help you doze off easier.
If most of the methods are not working, you might not be maintaining proper hygiene. Is your bedroom clean? Consider washing your sheets, and pillow covers regularly. There are thousands of dust mites on your bed that might hamper your sleep.
Make sure you do not jump to bed with dirty clothes and a sweaty body after a tiring day. Wash and change into clean clothes before hopping to bed.
A Sleepy Final Word
Not getting sound sleep at night might turn you into a grumpy person during the day. Moreover, you will feel drowsy and find it hard to concentrate on your work. So, make sure you fix your sleep disorders as soon as possible.
The sleeping tips in this blog will surely help you forget your worries and doze off. However, if the problem persists, you should see a doctor immediately.
