Good sleep is really important.
It helps you feel happy and makes your body and brain perform properly.
Some folks have no issue falling asleep. However, many individuals have great trouble falling and keeping asleep through the night.
Poor sleep can have severe consequences on many elements of your body and brain, including learning, memory, mood, emotions, and different bodily processes.
Here are 6 simple ways to fall asleep as fast as possible.
1. Lower the temperature
As you drift off to sleep, the temperature in your body fluctuates. When you lie down, your body cools down, and when you get up, it warms back up.
You may find it difficult to sleep if the temperature in your room is too high. A temperature of 60–67°F (15.6–19.4°C) on your thermostat may be beneficial.
Because everyone’s tastes differ, it’s important to select the ideal temperature for you.
Temperature changes can be accelerated by taking a warm bath or shower. After a workout, your body may send a message to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep.
According to one study, taking a hot bath or shower before going to bed can increase sleep efficiency and quality.
The amount of time you spend asleep in bed as opposed to lying awake is referred to as your sleep efficiency.
They found that those who bathed or showered in temperatures between 104 and 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit (40.0 and 42.5 degrees Celsius) one or two hours before bedtime saw good outcomes.
Sleep was improved for those who took just 10 minutes to soak in the tub or shower.
Although more research is required, these results are encouraging.
2. Use the 4-7-8 breathing method
The “4-7-8” breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil is a simple yet effective way for calming and relaxing the mind. Also, it may help you wind down before going to sleep (7).
Based on yoga’s breath control methods, it uses a breathing rhythm that calms the nervous system and helps you relax. Even if you’re feeling anxious or stressed, you can use this technique.
These are the steps:
The first step is to position the tip of your tongue beneath the top front teeth.
Using your mouth, blow a “whoosh” sound as you exhale fully.
Mentally count to four as you inhale through your nose.
Hold your breath and count to seven in your head as you do this.
Open your mouth and exhale fully while mentally counting to eight with a “whoosh” sound.
At least three more times, repeat this process.
You can use this method to help you fall asleep more quickly and easily.
3. Get on a schedule
Setting a sleep schedule can help many people get to sleep more easily.
The circadian rhythm governs your body’s internal clock. Your body’s intrinsic clock tells you to be awake during the day and sleepy at night, so that you can get the best of both worlds.
Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake time can help your body’s internal clock stay on track.
Once your body gets used to this routine, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will be much easier.
Sleeping for seven to nine hours a night is also essential. Adults should aim to sleep for no less than this amount of time, according to research.
Finally, set aside 30–45 minutes each evening to wind down before going to bed. This helps your body and mind prepare for sleep by allowing them to unwind.
4. Experience both daylight and darkness
Your body’s internal clock, which controls sleep and wakefulness, can be affected by light exposure.
Circadian rhythms can be thrown off by irregular light exposure, making it more difficult to go asleep and stay awake.
To keep your body attentive, expose it to bright light during the day. Your attentiveness is affected by both natural daylight and artificial light, such as that provided by an e-reader.
Sleepiness is exacerbated at night because of the dim lighting. Melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, is produced in greater quantities in the absence of light, according to studies. During the day, the body actually produces very little melatonin.
During the day, get outside and expose yourself to sunlight or bright artificial light. Use blackout curtains if feasible to keep your room at night completely dark.
5. Practice yoga, meditation, and mindfulness
Stress can make it difficult for people to sleep.
Mindfulness, yoga, and meditation are all ways to reduce stress. Furthermore, all of them have been found to improve sleep.
Yoga promotes the use of breathing techniques and physical postures to alleviate tension in the body.
Yoga has been shown to improve sleep quality, efficiency, and duration, according to studies.
Meditation has been shown to increase melatonin levels and help the brain into a condition where sleep is more readily obtained.
Finally, practicing mindfulness can help you stay in the present moment, reduce anxiety before going to bed, and perform better during the day.
Using any or all of these strategies can help you sleep better and feel more energised the next day.
6. Avoid looking at your clock
We all experience night terrors from time to time. A good night’s sleep might be ruined if you can’t get to sleep again.
Watching the clock and obsessing about being unable to get back to sleep are common reactions for people who wake up in the night.
Insomniacs are prone to obsessively checking the time. Anxiety over insomnia may result from this practice.
If you wake up frequently without falling back asleep, your body may begin to create a pattern. If this is the case, you may wake up in the middle of the night on a regular basis.
You should remove the clock from your bedroom if you can. It is possible to turn your clock so that you don’t have to see it when you wake up in the night.
7. Avoid naps during the day
Insomniacs are frequently found tossing and turning throughout the day as a result of their inability to get enough shut-eye at night.
Some believe that short-term naps can help people feel more alert while others believe that sleeping can disrupt their nightly sleep patterns.
Sleep deprivation and poor nocturnal sleep quality have been linked to long, late-night naps, according to several studies.
According to a study of 440 college students, those who reported taking three or more naps a week, those who napped for more than two hours, and those who napped late all had the lowest quality overnight sleep (between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m)
Older persons who snooze regularly are more likely to be depressed and less active, according to a research published in 1996. People who napped frequently were less likely to be overweight.
Students who napped during the day had shorter sleep durations and less efficient sleep, according to a recent study.
Other research has shown that naps have no effect on the quality of one’s evening sleep.
Take a 30-minute nap early in the day to see if naps are interfering with your nighttime sleep, or try eliminating naps entirely.
