How To Fall Asleep Fast | Tried & Tested Hacks

Hi there, I hope you're doing well today! :)

So, you've been staring up at the ceiling, scrolling endlessly through social media, tossing & turning in your bed, trying so hard to fall asleep but you don't fall asleep. Read your mind? That's me too! Especially on days when there's so much going on in the mind & it's just so hard to fall asleep. We've all been there.

A study shows that almost everyone at some point in their lives find it difficult to fall asleep. This difficulty to fall asleep or staying asleep at night is termed as 'insomnia' which can range from being acute to chronic and is very common. 

What lack of sleep does to you?

Sleep deprivation is harmful for our body, especially in the longer run. Our bodies need rest from time to time in order to replenish, heal and function properly. Ignoring our sleep and being sleep deprived can lead to a number of health issues such as -

• Losing the ability to concentrate
• Losing the ability to identify objects
• Poor coordination
• Mood swings
• Short term memory
• Hormonal imbalance
• Weight gain 
• Fatigue
• Low energy
• Learning & reaction time gets affected
• Chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Alarming enough, right? That's what makes it really important to get enough & adequate amount of sleep each night. 

It is essential to note here that, Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep, adolescents need about 8-10 hours of sleep and infants need about 12-15 hours of sleep each night. 

How to fall asleep fast?

You've probably been wondering this for a long time now & so did I. That's what got me into trying a lot of hacks on the internet that help you fall asleep faster and better. Here's what actually worked for me & I'm pretty sure it's going to work for you as well.

1. DE-CLUTTER YOUR SPACE - 

Nobody would fall asleep in a bed that's all messed up. Before you go to bed, make sure it's nice & clean & cosy. Fresh bedsheets and pillow covers always add a cosy vibe to your room. It always helps to fall asleep faster when your space is nice and clean. 

2. THE RIGHT SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT - 

It's generally considered ideal to sleep in a dark room where the lights are dim & low. Darkness in the room helps to regulate our biological clock which in turn helps us to fall asleep faster and at the same time every day. 

Also, maintaining the right temperature in the room helps. Some people find it easier to fall asleep in cooler temperatures while the others in slightly warmer temperatures. Find what feels good to you and make sure that you stay nice & cosy.

3. PUT ALL YOUR GADGETS AWAY - 

When you go to bed with all your gadgets around you, it hardly gets easier than difficult to put them down & go to sleep. Once you're in the social media loop, it's hard to get out. Therefore, it's always a good idea to put your phone on a flight mode and away from your bed. 

Also, the lights from these gadgets wreak havoc on our sleep patterns & is damaging to our eyes. 

PRO TIP - Install a Bluelight filter for all your gadgets. 

4. YOGA NIDRA (Sleep Meditation) - 

Yoga Nidra is an ancient yoga practice that allows your body to relax complely before falling asleep. It helps to relieve stress and also relaxes any tensed muscles. In Yoga Nidra, we either sit down or lay in our bed, consciously relaxing the body completely from head to toe. The aim is to focus on one body part at a time & then shift the focus on to the other body part while consciously letting go of any tension in your muscles. This yogic technique relaxes the body completely and helps you fall asleep. 

5. INDULGE IN A SELF-CARE SESSION - 

When you go to bed feeling nice & squeaky clean, your chances of falling asleep fast get higher. Indulge in a warm bath to relax your body & mind. You may want to light up your favourite candles & pamper yourself. A hot shower relaxes our muscles and helps rise temperatures of our body, once we're out of the shower, the temperatures drop & that's what helps us fall asleep faster. 

6. JOT IT DOWN - 

It's easy to get drifted away by your thoughts while trying to fall asleep, the best way to center your mind is by writing down all that's running in your mind. If you try to fall asleep with all these thoughts in your mind, you may have trouble falling asleep as these thoughts may bother you. Therefore, take a few moments to jot down everything, this will help to clear any anxiety that keeps building in your mind. 

7. THE 4-7-8 BREATHING EXERCISE - 

All you have to do is breath in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds & then breath out through your mouth for 8 seconds. This specific technique is known to help slow down your heart rate, quieten your mind, relax and calm your body. This helps you fall asleep faster.

8. HAVE CHAMOMILE TEA & READ A BOOK - 

 

A cup of chamomile tea helps you relax and reduce stress levels. You must avoid caffeine before bed. Chamomile tea makes up for a great alternative. Along with having your chamomile tea, you may want to read your favourite book so as to avoid the use of any gadgets in your bed. When you read a book, your eyes eventually get tired, this will help you fall asleep faster. 

9. USE ESSENTIAL OILS - 

Apply a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pulse points and to your pillow, it helps relax your senses & helps you fall asleep faster. A study shows that when exposed to lavender people reported 20% overall better sleep experience. 

10. AMBIENT MUSIC - 

The sounds of the nature help you fall asleep faster. You can choose from a variety of nature sounds such as the sounds of rain, ocean, wind, river, waterfall, etc. These sounds have a calming effect on the mind & so the mind gets relaxed & you fall asleep faster. Any noise that surprise your senses won't let you fall asleep quickly. Therefore, you may choose from a variety of these nature sounds. 

A few other hacks that work equally well - 

• Wear something comfortable to bed.
• Practice bedtime yoga, it helps you sleep better. 
• Sleep at the same time every single day. It helps to regulate your circadian rhythm.
• Do not toss & turn in bed while trying to fall asleep, this will only make you more restless. Stay as still as you can. 
• Try sleeping on your left side.
• Press the pressure point between your eyebrows, it helps to relieve anxiety, insomnia and depression. 
• Make sure to stretch before bed to relieve any tensed muscles. 
• Drink warm lemon water before bed. 

These hacks do work really well, all it requires is a little consistency and some patience. You must make for yourself a night time routine that's easy to follow and helps you relax and fall asleep. Feel free to include these hacks into your daily night time routine, i'm sure you'll love it! Sleep well!