When it’s time to go to bed there’s nothing quite as frustrating as laying down only to toss and turn as your mind wanders and your brain refuses to relax for sleep. If you suffer from periodic bouts of sleeplessness (or if it’s more like every night), then it’s time to make a change. Try one, or all, of these science-backed techniques to help you fall asleep faster every night.
- Create a routine
- Turn off the phone at least 30 minutes before bed (and don’t play on your phone while laying in bed)
- Cool the room
- Take a warm shower
- Try the 4-7-8 breathing method
- Listen to music or white noise
Create a Routine
It can’t be said enough, people are creatures of habit. If you don’t take the time to build good sleep habits for yourself, it’s going to be more difficult to fall asleep every night. That means, choose a time of day when you want to regularly prepare for bed – whatever time works for you most days of the week – and start preparing for bed at that time every night. Even if you’re tired earlier, push yourself to stay awake, or if you’re not tired at that time, keep yourself on routine anyway. Eventually, it will be easier to fall asleep faster.
Turn Off the Phone
You’ve probably heard about how the blue light of your cell phone can affect your ability to fall asleep. If not, it’s time you learned. Having that little screen in your face before sleep is not doing you any favors. So, if you struggle to get to sleep quickly, put your phone, tablet, laptop (or any illuminated screen in close proximity to your body) away at least 30 minutes before bed. Instead, read a book, meditate, listen to music, or review everything you are grateful for in life.
Cool the Room
Here comes some more science! Thanks to your circadian rhythm, when your body temperature drops, it sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep. This is an ancient biological response that all humans have, but thanks to busy lives and technology, sometimes our bodies get confused about when it's ok to rest (thanks, coffee). But you can reset your clock by training your body that when the temperature drops in the room, it should relax and go to sleep by making it a controlled habit. Make sure you cool the room by at least a few degrees for the best result.
Take a Warm Shower
If cooling the room isn’t enough to make you sleepy, try taking a warm shower AND cooling the room. By raising your core temperature up a bit and then letting it drop sharply in the cool night air, your body should get the signal that it’s time to make you drowsy and release melatonin.
Try the 4-7-8 Breathing Method
We won’t tell you to meditate because that’s not for everyone. But the 4-7-8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Weil is easy to follow and helps thousands of people relax and fall asleep faster.
Turn on Some Music or White Noise
Sometimes you just need to let your mind wander, and music is the perfect antidote to all those worries and stressors that enter into your brain late at night. Try listening to something relaxing with lyrics, because listening to lyrics helps distract your mind. If you don’t care for music, try some white noise like the sound of a crackling campfire or rain and wind. There are some great apps for your phone that don't cost anything (but don’t stare at the screen too long while setting it up!). Try the White Noise Free app for your iPhone or Andriod.
And, of course, if your bed doesn’t inspire warm, fuzzy, dreamland feelings, make sure you check out our extensive line of bedding, pillows, and mattress toppers designed to put you into a deep and comfortable sleep.
