Small changes in your routine may help you fall asleep faster. These might include making the room cooler, practicing the 4-7-8 breathing method, and avoiding screens before bedtime.
Proper sleep is vital for physical and mental well-being. Lack of it may increase your risk of:
- cardiovascular disease
- type 2 diabetes
- obesity
- stress, anxiety, and depression
- impaired learning, memory, and mood
Adults require around 7 hours of sleep per 24-hour period, though the recommended hours of sleep may change as you age.
19 strategies for falling asleep faster
If you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, these strategies may help.
Lower the room temperature
A hot sleeping environment may affect thermoregulation, which is your body’s ability to control internal temperature. This may impact your sleep quality.
When you lie down and prepare for sleep, your body begins to shed heat through blood vessel dilation (expansion), which sends a sleep onset signal to your body. Gradually, your core body temperature decreases until waking up again.
Maintaining a room temperature ranging between 60°F and 67°F (15.6°C and 19.4°C) may help keep your body temperature low and help you fall and stay asleep.
A 2019 research review suggests that bathing in warm water 1 to 2 hours before bedtime may also speed up thermoregulation and help you fall asleep faster. The study also found that people who bathed in water ranging from 104°F to 108.5°F (40.0°C to 42.5°C) for as little as 10 minutes before going to sleep reported higher sleep quality.
Try the 4-7-8 breathing method
The 4-7-8 method is a cyclical breathing technique that may promote calmness and help you unwind before bed.
Dr. Andrew Weil, an integrative medicine doctor, developed it. The technique is based on pranayama exercises in yoga.
Steps to complete one 4-7-8 cycle
Set a sleep schedule
A sleep schedule may help you fall asleep faster. Your body has its own near-24-hour regulatory system called the circadian rhythm. This internal clock cues your body to feel alert during the day but sleepy at night.
The rhythm also has an important role in maintaining physiological cycles, such as metabolism, thermoregulation, and sleep-wake cycles.
Waking up and going to bed at the same time each day could help regulate this internal clock.
Once your body adjusts to a given schedule, it’ll be easier to fall asleep and wake up around the same time every day.
Research also recommends giving yourself 30 to 45 minutes to wind down in the evening before getting in bed. This may allow your body and mind to relax and prepare for sleep.
Experience both daylight and darkness
Research published in 2022 indicates that light exposure can influence your body’s internal clock, which regulates sleep and wakefulness. It may also help dictate the duration, timing, and quality of your sleep.
Every additional hour you spend outdoors may lead to falling asleep 30 minutes earlier.
Daylight exposure may also increase evening fatigue and sleep duration and quality. That said, timing is important, as too much evening light exposure may prevent you from falling asleep and hinder melatonin production. Melatonin is an essential hormone for sleep that’s produced in darkness.
Therefore, it is important to find a balance between time spent under natural light and in darkness. One way to do this is to expose one’s body to daylight throughout the day and use blackout curtains at night.
Practice yoga, meditation, and mindfulness
Research suggests that yoga may positively affect the quality, efficiency, and duration of sleep.
Yoga involves the practice of breathing patterns and body movements that could release stress and tension in your body.
Mindfulness may also have a positive impact on your stress levels, sleep quality, and cognitive function. It could help you focus on the present, rather than worry about falling asleep.
Avoid looking at your clock
Waking up in the middle of the night is a natural occurrence, but not being able to fall back asleep may be frustrating.
It’s common for people with insomnia to look at their clock every time they wake up. This is known as clock-watching or time-monitoring behavior (TMB), which research suggests may increase brain stimulation and exacerbate anxious feelings of sleeplessness.
Removing the clock from your room may help reduce your feelings of sleep-related anxiety. Alternatively, if you need an alarm in the room, you can turn your clock around to avoid looking at it when you wake up during the night.
Avoid naps during the day
Lack of sleep at night may lead to daytime napping. While short naps may improve alertness and well-being, there’s mixed research about the effects of napping on nighttime sleep.
An older 2016 study involving 236 healthy high school students suggested that daytime napping leads to shorter nighttime sleep duration, and lower sleep quality and efficiency.
That said, a 2022 literature review found that daytime naps do not always negatively impact an adult’s nighttime sleep.
To find out if naps are affecting your sleep, try eliminating them altogether or limiting yourself to a 30-minute nap early in the day.
Watch when you eat
Results from the American Time Use Survey suggest that eating within 1 hour before bedtime increases your chances of waking up shortly after falling asleep.
Try to space out your meals and eat your last meal of the day at least 2 hours or more before going to bed. If this isn’t possible for you, consider a lighter meal at night.
Listen to relaxing music
Research on chronic mental health conditions, including insomnia, suggests that listening to relaxing music may help improve sleep onset, quality, and duration. It may also provide comfort and relaxation before bedtime, which may, in turn, reduce anxiety.
A systematic review published in 2023 involving hospitalized people suggests that listening to 30 minutes of relaxing music in the evening significantly increased sleep quality.
If relaxing music is not available, blocking out all noise with earplugs may help you fall asleep faster.
Exercise early in the day
It’s important to maintain a moderate-intensity exercise routine and to be mindful of when you exercise.
Working out early in the morning may help establish your circadian rhythm and lead to better sleep in the evening. Contrarily, exercising within 2 hours before bed may decrease sleep quality, especially if you’re in a gym with bright lights.
Moderate and intense exercise, especially outdoors, may also positively impact your sleep quality.
Some activities that you could do during the day include:
- running
- hiking
- cycling
- lifting weights
Get comfortable
A comfortable mattress and bedding may have a remarkable effect on the onset, depth, and quality of sleep.
A medium-firm mattress has been shown to positively affect sleep quality in people with back pain, and prevent sleep disturbances and muscular discomfort.
Your pillow may also impact your sleep by having an effect on:
- neck and spinal curve
- pillow and body temperature
- comfort
Sleeping with a weighted blanket may also have numerous benefits, such as:
- better sleep quality and duration
- more energy for daytime activity
- reduced symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression
Lastly, the fabric of the clothes you wear to bed may affect how fast you fall asleep. It’s crucial that you choose comfortable clothing made of fabric that helps you keep a pleasant temperature throughout the night.
Turn off all electronics
Watching TV, playing video games, and using a smartphone may make it significantly harder to fall and stay asleep. This is partly because electronic devices emit blue light, which may suppress melatonin.
Using these devices also keeps your mind in an active and engaged state.
If you need to use your devices late in the evening, consider using blue-light glasses to block out the blue light.
That said, it may help to just disconnect and put away all your electronics at least 1 hour before going to bed. This could help ensure a quiet place, free of distractions.
Try aromatherapy
Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils and may help people with trouble falling asleep.
A systematic review of 30 studies suggests that aromatherapy may help improve sleep quality and reduce:
- stress
- pain
- anxiety
- depression
A variety of different scents, such as peppermint and lavender, may help improve sleep.
There are also a variety of ways to use essential oils. An essential oil diffuser could be helpful in infusing your room with relaxing scents that encourage sleep.
While research suggests there are health benefits, the FDA doesn’t monitor or regulate the purity or quality of essential oils. It’s important to talk with a healthcare professional before you begin using essential oils and be sure to research the quality of a brand’s products. Always do a patch test before trying a new essential oil.
Write before bed
Some people may have a difficult time falling asleep because their thoughts keep running in circles.
Journaling and focusing on positive thoughts may help calm the mind and help you fall asleep faster.
A study found that writing a to-do list, even just for 5 minutes, was more effective than journaling at helping young adults fall asleep faster.
It may help to set aside 15 minutes every night to write about your day. You may want to focus on the positive events, your upcoming events, and how you feel at the time. If tomorrow’s happenings keep you alert, try drafting a to-do list.
Limit caffeine intake
Although the effects of caffeine peak within 30 minutes, it may stay in your system for up to 10 hours after consumption.
Instead, drinking a noncaffeinated bedtime tea may help promote sleep and relaxation.
Adjust your sleep position
Good quality sleep may depend on your body position during the night.
There are three main sleeping positions:
- back
- stomach
- side
Traditionally, it was believed that back sleepers (supine) had a better quality of sleep.
However, this might not be the best position to sleep in as it could lead to blocked airways, sleep apnea, and snoring.
Although individual preferences play an important role in choosing a sleep position, the side position may provide the best quality sleep.
Read a book
Reading a physical book may have many benefits, including helping you unwind before bed.
One study suggests that reading a paper book during the hour before bed may help increase sleep quality, duration, and efficiency. Contrarily, reading from an e-book may impact these sleep factors.
Focus on trying to stay awake
Paradoxical intention (PI) is a sleeping technique that involves intentionally staying awake, rather than forcing yourself to sleep. It’s designed to reduce performance anxiety and stress produced by forcing yourself to fall asleep.
Although the research is mixed, some studies suggest that PI may help improve sleep onset, duration, and quality.
Try sleep-enhancing supplements
Certain supplements may help you fall asleep faster, boost the production of sleep-promoting hormones, or help calm brain activity.
Some of these supplements include:
- magnesium
- 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan)
- melatonin
- L-theanine
- GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
Before trying any of these supplements, it’s important to speak with a doctor. Many of them may have side effects or negative interactions with medications.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I want to sleep, but my body won’t let me?
Some common factors that may prevent you from falling asleep include:
- consuming caffeine within 6 hours before bed
- exercising at a high intensity during the afternoon or evening
- using electronics before bed
- eating certain foods before bed
- having a high room temperature
- being uncomfortable
- having anxiety
How do I fall asleep ASAP?
Some initial steps may help you fall asleep faster and can include:
- healthy sleeping habits, like turning off electronics
- a comfortable, cool, quiet, and dark sleeping environment
- healthy habits during the day, like exercising and getting enough sunlight
If these don’t work, then changing your daily habits or trying some relaxation methods might help.
Some of these might include:
- reading a book before bed
- not eating lots of carbs 4 hours before bed
- avoiding caffeine at least 6 hours before bed
- journaling at night
- trying yoga, meditating, or the 4-7-8 breathing method
- using essential oils
Takeaway
Having trouble falling and staying asleep is not only frustrating, but it could affect your mental and physical health.
Some techniques may help relax and calm your mind before bed, which could help you sleep better and have more energy the following day. These include exercising early in the day, reading a print book, keeping your room cool, taking a warm bath, and avoiding screens within an hour before sleep.