Sleep is very vital when it comes to health and wellness. However, at times we all struggle to fall asleep and it can be frustrating. Are there ways to fall asleep faster?
Here are some tips and trick on ways to fall asleep faster:
Sleeping Schedule
Work on creating a bedtime and morning routine. Try as hard as you can to be consistent. Maintaining a bedtime routine helps your body develop a regular schedule. While it may be hard to go to bed at the same time every day of the week, it could help. This is one of the best ways to fall asleep faster. Once you have a sleeping schedule your body also automatically knows to be alert during the day and to relax at night.
Creating a sleeping schedule should include relaxing things at least an hour to bed. You can stop using your phone and meditate or something.
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Get Some Sun
Sunlight can influence your body’s rhythm and not just sunlight but light in general. Expose your body to bright light because the light helps the body stay alert. Exposing your body to daylight is one of the easy ways to fall asleep faster. Sunlight helps increase the quality of sleep. When sleeping, make sure your room is dark and not well lit. Darkness has been known to promote the production of melatonin which is a hormone that helps induce sleep.
4-7-8 Breathing Method
If you struggle to fall asleep, you can try the 4-7-8 method. It’s a breathing method that helps the body relax. This breathing method helps reduce your heart rate by increasing the intake of oxygen into your bloodstream.
The 4-7-8 breathis method has the following steps:
- Exhale using your mouth.
- Close your mouth and inhale through your nose while counting to 4
- Hold your breath while counting to 7
- Exhale using your mouth while counting to 8
- Repeat his cycle severally for effective results.
This method increases oxygen in your bloodstream, making you feel more relaxed. This will help you fall asleep faster.
Avoid daytime naps
Sometimes we all get burnout during the day and are tempted to take a nap. You can take a short nap between 10- 30 minutes because they have been known to improve efficiency. Avoid those long naps that last almost 2 hours. If you take long naps during the day, chances are high you will have erratic sleep patterns at night and poor sleep quality. One of the ways to fall asleep faster is to avoid daytime naps. If you’re sleepy during the day you can try coffee, washing your face with cold water, or even a physical exercise.
Exercise
Physical activity and exercise can increase the quality of sleep. Exercising helps increase the production of serotonin, which is a hormone that helps reduce stress. The less stressed you are, the better you sleep. Moderate your physical exercise as well because too much physical exercise can also lead to poor sleep. Exercising in the morning also boosts better sleeping patterns.
Avoid Caffeine
If you’re a coffee-lover, try and avoid caffeine 4- 6 hours before your sleeping time. Caffeine is a stimulant that promotes alertness. Caffeine is also found in energy drinks, soda, and chocolate. One of the ways you can fall asleep faster is by drinking herbal teas that promote sleep like chamomile or lavender tea.
Meditation
If you tend to find it difficult to fall asleep, you should try meditation. If you’re stressed, you might find it harder to fall asleep. Meditation and mindfulness can help with this. This can help with relaxation and production of the melatonin hormone which ensures quality sleep. It also helps reduce anxiety and depression which can cause insomnia.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is well known for its effectiveness when it comes to relaxation. Lavender and peppermint are some of the essential oils that help induce sleep. Aromatherapy has been known to help improve sleep quality as well. You should invest in a diffuser that can help infuse the aromas in your bedroom with relaxing scents.
Grab a book
Reading a book for kids right before bed seems to work for kids, so why not for adults? Reading a book before you sleep can be relaxing and it’s a way of falling asleep faster. Read a nonfictional book to avoid raising your adrenaline and making you so obsessed about finishing it. Also, go for a physical book as opposed to an E-book to avoid the blue light which might reduce your sleep quality.
Eat right
The digestion process might take a while so it’s best to eat at least 2-3 hours before bed. High-fat meals are also known to promote better sleep. The myth is usually, you sleep better when you’re full. However, this is not true. You may sleep instantly however the quality of sleep will not be good. You will still wake up tired. Be careful about what you eat and eat 2-3 hours before bed.
Avoid electronics
If you want to fall asleep faster, avoid electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Electronics emit blue light which reduces the production of melatonin. If you can’t help yourself from using electronics you can invest in blue light blocking glasses or filters. Using electronics provides multiple distractions making it harder to fall asleep. You can adopt a policy where you do not have your phone in your room.
Hot shower
Taking a hot shower or a warm bath before bed can be relaxing and beneficial to sleeping better. You can do this an hour before bedtime.
Music
Music is very powerful when it comes to quality sleep. Listen to calming music as opposed to upbeat songs that will give you energy. Music has been known to treat insomnia. Music can improve sleep quality. If you’re not a music person, you can also opt for white noises like rain which also tend to be very relaxing.
Comfort
When going to bed, ensure that you’re comfortable in all aspects. Not just what you wear but where you’re sleeping. You need a comfortable mattress, pillow, and beddings for you to have quality sleep.
Bedtime Routine
Bedtime routines are more common in babies and toddlers for good reason. As adults, we need bedtime routines as well. Follow the same routine every day and your sleep schedule and your body will automatically adjust. You can take a hot shower or bath, do some yoga, read a book then wind down with some calming and relaxing music. Having a bedtime routine will help with your ability to sleep faster.
Happy Thoughts
Make your bedroom a happy place. Train yourself to avoid thinking about your worries in the bedroom. Think about happy thoughts and a place that makes you feel safe, calm, peaceful, and relaxed. You can have a grateful notebook on your nightstand as well, where you can jot down all the things that make you feel happy.
Keep Warm
This may seem obvious but it’s still important to point it out. If you’re cold it’s much harder to fall asleep. Especially cold hands and feet. You might want to start sleeping with socks if you get cold. If you don’t like socks, you can have some extra throw blankets on the foot of your bed.