If you want to fall asleep quickly and get a good night's sleep, this can often be a real challenge. A large portion of the population says they don't get enough sleep from time to time. Accordingly, it increasesinadequate sleepthe risk of accidental injury and many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and depression. To properly maintain the sleep hygiene you need, you may need to make lifestyle changes. It's also important to develop habits that promote your health and eliminate the ones that keep you awake at night. So here are some sleep techniques, tips and tricks that can help you prevent sleep disorders.
How can you learn to fall asleep quickly?
Having a consistent plan for getting to sleep is a crucial part of developing good sleep hygiene. Frequently changing the times you go to bed and wake up canyour body's biological clockconfuse. To stick to a schedule, prepare your mind and body for sleep by developing a relaxing bedtime routine that starts around the same time every night. For example, take a warm bath, listen to calming music, read a book, or do other activities that help you relax. This signals your body that bedtime is coming and helps you fall asleep faster and easier.
So follow a regular sleep schedule, develop a relaxing bedtime routine, and create an environment that helps you fall asleep quickly. Also avoid caffeine, alcohol and electronic onesglowing screens before bed. However, if you can't fall asleep, don't force it. Instead, get up and enjoy some relaxing activities. Then try again when you feel calmer. If sleep is still difficult, talk to your doctor. An underlying health condition or other factors may affect your ability to sleep. Your doctor may recommend additional lifestyle changes, medications, or other strategies to get the rest you need.
Effective behaviors and sleep techniques
Simply trying too hard to fall asleep can create or perpetuate a cycle of anxious, nerve-wracking energy. This not only keeps the body but also the mind awake. If you can't sleep because of your mental state, it's really difficult for your body to recover. There are scientifically proven quick sleep tricks you can try to flip the switch and guide your body into a safe shutdown mode. We've put together some science-backed tricks to help you fall asleep faster.
Fall asleep in 10 seconds
It usually takes a magical spell to fall asleep so quickly and on cue, but just like with spells, with practice you can eventually reach that sweet 10-second point. The following method takes a full 120 seconds, but the last 10 seconds should really be all it takes to finally doze off. The popular military method comes from a book called “Relax and Win: Championship Performance.” The American Army has developed a routine that allows pilots to fall asleep in 2 minutes or less. It took them about 6 weeks, but it worked even after drinking coffee and with gunshots in the background. This practice is said to work even for people who have to sleep sitting up.
- First, relax your entire face, including the muscles in your mouth.
- Drop your shoulders to release tension and position your hands at the sides of your body.
- Then exhale and relax your chest, legs, thighs and calves.
- Afterward, empty your mind for 10 seconds by imagining a relaxing scene.
- If this doesn't work right away, repeat again for 10 seconds.
You should eventually be able to fall asleep within this short period of time. If this still doesn't work for you, you may need to work on the basics of the military method. This includes breathing and muscle relaxation, for which there is some scientific evidence. Some medical conditions such as ADHD or anxiety can also affect the effectiveness of this method. The military method is based on these techniques and can be used effectively at home.
Fall asleep in 60 seconds
The next two methods, focusing on your breathing or muscles, will help you distract yourself from thinking and get back to bed. However, if you are a beginner trying these tricks, it may take up to 2 minutes for the methods to work. The 4-7-8 breathing method mixes the powers of meditation and visualization and becomes more effective with a little practice. However, if you have a respiratory condition such as asthma or COPD, you should contact your doctor before starting as this may worsen your symptoms. To prepare, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your two front teeth. Keep your tongue there the entire time and moisten your lips if necessary.
- First, let your lips part slightly and make a whooshing sound as you exhale through your mouth.
- Then close your mouth and breathe in silently through your nose.
- Then count to 4 in your mind and hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Then breathe out for 8 seconds, again with a hissing sound.
- Avoid being too vigilant at the end of each cycle.
- Try to practice relaxed and complete this cycle for four full breaths.
- Allow your body to sleep if you feel relaxation sooner than expected.
Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation, also known as deep muscle relaxation, is equally helpful if you want to fall asleep quickly. The prerequisite for this is to first tense the muscles, but not to strain them, and then relax them to release the tension. This movement promotes calm in your body. This is a trick recommended to work for insomnia. Before you begin, practice the 4-7-8 method while imagining the tension leaving your body as you exhale.
- First, raise your eyebrows as high as possible for 5 seconds. This will tighten your forehead muscles.
- Immediately relax your muscles and feel the tension ease.
- Then wait 10 seconds and smile broadly to create tension in your cheeks.
- Hold the muscles like this for 5 seconds and then relax.
- Pause for another 10 seconds and squint with your eyes closed. Stay like this for 5 seconds and relax your eyes again.
- Wait another 10 seconds and tilt your head back slightly for 5 seconds so that you can comfortably look at the ceiling.
- Relax as your neck sinks back into the pillow.
- Pause for another 10 seconds and move down the rest of your body, from triceps to chest, thighs to feet.
- Try to fall asleep without tensing and relaxing the rest of your body.
- As you do this, focus on how relaxed and heavy your body feels when it is relaxed and in a comfortable state.
Fall asleep in 120 seconds
If the previous methods don't work, you may have a blockage that you need to clear. So try the following techniques. Tell yourself to stay awake. Although this may seem paradoxical, the method can be a good way to fall asleep faster. For people with insomnia, trying to sleep can increase performance anxiety. Research has shown that people who practiced such methods fell asleep faster than those who did not. If you are frequently stressed, this method may be more effective than traditional,intentional breathing exercises. Imagine a quiet place and if counting activates your mind too much, try stimulating your imagination instead.
Some people claim that visualizing something can make it real. For this reason, it is possible that this also works with sleep. In a study at the University of Oxford, researchers found that such distractions make people fall asleep quickly. So instead of counting sheep, try imagining a calm environment and all the feelings that come with it. For example, you can imagine a waterfall, the rushing water and the smell of wet moss. The key is to let this image take up space in your brain to prevent you from filling your brain with thoughts and worries again before bed.
Acupressure for sleep
There isn't enough research to know for sure whether acupressure really works. However, the available research results are promising. One method is to target areas that you know and find particularly tense. These are, for example, the upper part of the bridge of your nose or your temples. However, there are also certain points in acupressure that have been reported to help with insomnia. Here are three of them.
- First, feel the small, hollow space in your wrist under your palm.
- Then gently apply pressure in a circular or up and down motion for 2 to 3 minutes.
- After that, press the left side of the dot down for a few seconds and then hold down the right side.
- Repeat on the same spot on your other wrist.
2.
- On one of your palms, measure three finger widths down from the crease of your wrist.
- Use your thumb to apply even downward pressure between the two tendons.
- You can massage in circular motions or up and down until you feel your muscles relax.
3.
- Interlace your fingers and open your palms to create a cup shape with your hands.
- Position your thumbs at the base of your skull, with the thumbs touching where the neck and head join.
- Apply deep, firm pressure and massage this area using circular or up and down movements.
- Finally, take a deep breath and notice how your body relaxes as you exhale.
Fall asleep quickly home remedies
If you've tried these methods and still aren't able to fall asleep in 2 minutes or less, see if you can find tips to fall asleep quickly. This means you can also make your bedroom more suitable. Try hiding your watch and taking a warm shower or bath before bed. Open the window to keep your room cool andmaybe put on socks.
A gentle 15-minute yoga practice might also help. Place your phone far away from your bed and try aromatherapy. Additionally, avoid eating before bed as digestion can disrupt sleep. If you find that the noise in your room is affecting your sleep, you can try to block out the noise. Try using blackout curtains, white noise machines or music, and earplugs. On the other hand, sleep hygiene or clean sleep is real and effective. Before you really commit to the military method or 4-7-8 breathing, you should also look at what you can optimize in your bedroom.
