Is there science that describes how to get quality sleep? The first thing you might be wondering is why you can’t fall asleep when you want to, even after a tiring day. Well, we won’t get into the ‘why’ of not falling asleep faster but rather get straight to the ‘how’ of falling asleep faster.
First, let’s understand what exactly sleep is?
“Google” describes sleep as “a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours every night. During these times, the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes close, the postural muscles relax, and consciousness partially suspends.” Phew! That sounds like something way more complicated than what we know of sleep. But as we all know, Google is always right!
By looking at the definition of sleep, it’s enough for us to understand how important “SLEEP” is. But is it that easy to fall asleep? Well, let’s read further to find that out.
How many of us can fall asleep as soon as we hit the bed?
I’m sure it’s just a bunch of us who can do that. The rest of us are either planning the next day or looking back at the day that has gone by, and some of us are procrastinating while most of us are just overthinking. Yes, we all do that, and it is entirely normal. I recently learned how to sleep fast, and I will be sharing the same with you to implement it in your life and improve your life. What am I talking about improving your life and sleep? Well, you improve your sleep. Improve your mood, Work on your relationships, release your work stress, Improve yourself, ultimately improve the quality of your life. You see, all of it is in connection and synchronicity.
When I was young, I would fall asleep when I jumped into bed. I could get a sound sleep whenever I wanted. My mother would always say that I was lucky to do that. She said that a person who can sleep so fast is fortunate. I would secretly think that I had some superpower!
But as I grew up, I took that superpower for granted. There were times when I used to lie in bed and stare at the ceiling, waiting to fall asleep.
Now you’ll ask me as to what happened now?
How did you overcome that time of yours?
Are there any ways to fall asleep faster?
Yes, there are. And you will find them very surprising.
1. Reading
Bedtime reading is an all-time favorite activity of many people. But one should be careful of what to read. Try and read something good and positive. Avoid reading horror stories or murder mysteries at night if you have trouble sleeping faster. Like I say, let’s keep Sydney Sheldon for the daytime! Hahaha
2. Have a warm bath or shower
Taking a hot water bath or shower can improve sleep parameters such as sleep efficiency and sleep quality. Sleep efficiency is the amount of time you spend in bed asleep instead of lying awake.
3. Practice yoga, meditation and mindfulness
These are powerful tools that help you relax your body. Yoga enhances sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and also sleep duration. Meditation can improve the melatonin levels in the brain. Melatonin is a hormone that our body produces. Our Pineal glands release it at night, controlling the sleep-wake cycle. You can perform various breathing exercises in yoga before going to bed to help you fall asleep faster.
4. Invest in a weighted blankets
To my surprise, the weighted blankets worked well, and now I am a firm believer that they do work! Trust me. They are a one-time investment. What started as one, we now have 5 weighted blankets in our house in Canada. We even have spare ones for our guests. These weighted blankets are great for reducing anxiety and improving the quality of sleep. I can vouch for this one because I have been falling asleep in less than 5 minutes since I’ve got this!
5. Avoid naps during the day
Due to the reduced quality of sleep at night, people nap during the day. Power naps help you relax in a short time and improve body alertness. However, long naps during the daytime can cause lethargy and poor quality nighttime sleep.
6. Avoid late night dinners
Try having your meals at least 3 to 4 hours before your bedtime. This is helpful because that time will be enough to digest it, thus improving quality sleep.
7. Listen to good relaxing music
Music significantly improves the quality of sleep. Music communicates with us emotionally and improves chronic sleep disorders like insomnia. For me, Buddhist music helps. I find it soothing because of sacred chants and singing bowls. Such sedative music promotes deeper sleep and well-being.
8. Exercise during the day
Exercise directly improves the quality of sleep. It increases the feel-good hormone- Serotonin and reduces the stress hormone-Cortisol. However, lack of excessive is often associated with poor sleep. So make sure you do exercise, but not overdo it.
9. Turn off all electronics
Using electronics late at night is going to hamper your sleep. This is because electronic devices emit the “blue light,” which has been found to suppress melatonin. Stop using electronics at least 30-60mins before your bedtime.
10. Practice journaling before you go to bed
Many people have trouble falling asleep faster because of overthinking. If you journal your thoughts down, it will give you a clear head and help you fall asleep faster.
11. Limit your caffeine intake
This one is a no-brainer here and doesn’t need any explaining! We all know caffeine increases our alertness, thus making it difficult to fall asleep faster. Instead, you should go in for a bed tea that is soothing like passionflower, chamomile, and magnolia.
12. Vizualise happy things
Instead of lying in bed and worrying, try and picture yourself in an environment that makes you feel peaceful, happy, and relaxed. This can take your mind away from thoughts that probably keep you up at night.
13. Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils. This majorly helps with relaxation. Popular scents with positive effects on sleep include lavender, damask rose, and peppermint.
14. Make a routine
Our body’s circadian rhythm works on a set loop. It aligns itself with sunrise and sunset, consistent with your sleep time and waking up on time. It can improve and aid in long-term sleep quality. Irregular sleep patterns can alter your circadian rhythm and play with your melatonin levels. If you practice this habit consciously of sleeping and waking up on time, you will not even need an alarm after a few weeks.
15. Use supplements
Certain supplements can aid in faster sleep. These include:
- Melatonin: our body already produces this hormone, but it can also be taken as a supplement. Doses of 0.5-5mg must be taken at least 2 hours before the desired bedtime.
- Magnesium: doses of 500mg per day have shown improved results in sleep. Magnesium helps to activate the neurotransmitters which are responsible for sleep.
- Other supplements, like L-theanine, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid and 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), have also shown a few results, resulting in relaxation and improved sleep those are better to be taken under supervision.
Definitely consult your Physician before you take any supplements.
There can be many more ways to aid you in falling asleep faster. Do you have to do them all? Absolutely not. Find your best fit. The one activity you feel comfortable doing is your thing, and that’s the only thing you need to focus on at the moment. If one doesn’t work, you can try the others to get a good quality sleep.
If you can’t figure out which activity would affect you or which action to start with – simply start by getting weighted blankets, that’s where cooling weighted blankets come in. There is absolutely nothing you have to do with this option, and I guess that’s what is required here – to do nothing!
The best weighted blankets of their kind can help you fall asleep faster. These cooling weighted blankets work for anxiety and typical sleep issues, and aren’t just for children, but work great for adults.
If you want to dive deeper into weighted blankets and their benefits for specific topics, check out our other blog Does A Weighted Blankets Really Work? And learn everything about the best weighted blankets for kids, teens, and adults.
I hope you fall asleep faster, and here’s wishing you all a good night! Until next time.
