How to fall asleep quickly? This question troubles many people who struggle on a daily basis to get into a deep sleep and sleep peacefully for a sufficient amount of time. Why is falling asleep quickly a quite natural phenomenon for some, and for others a state that is very difficult to achieve? Sleep problems are usually caused by a variety of factors. If we start by eliminating them, and additionally put some simple, proven tips into practice, we will soon switch our body into a regular rest mode and learn to fall asleep faster, which will positively affect our well-being.
Contents
- 1 Sleep disorders an increasingly common problem
- 2 Why can’t I fall asleep?
- 3 Sleep problems – causes
- 4 Ways to fall asleep – sleep hygiene key to a good night’s rest
- 5 What should we do to fall asleep quickly?
- 5.1 Adjust eating habits so that the digestive system is not overloaded before bedtime
- 5.2 Be careful what you drink, especially in the afternoon and evening
- 5.3 Use accessories and dietary supplements to speed up falling asleep and promote good sleep
- 5.4 Incorporate physical activity into your schedule
- 5.5 Cut down on stimulants
- 5.6 Adjust your lifestyle
- 5.7 Limit the use of electronic devices before bedtime
- 5.8 Create the right conditions for sleeping in your bedroom
- 5.9 De-stress and relax before bedtime
Sleep disorders an increasingly common problem
Good, healthy sleep is the foundation for the proper functioning of our body. The average person gets about 6-8 hours of sleep per night, but for many people this number is much lower, and this is due to various sleep problems that do not allow proper rest. It is estimated that about 30% of people suffer from sleep problems. Repeated difficulties in falling asleep and other sleep disorders cause our body to fail to regenerate in an optimal way, which in turn translates into increasingly poorer organ and tissue function.
Symptoms of sleep disorders are mainly:
- difficulty falling asleep (inability to enter deep sleep after going to bed, prolonged rolling from side to side),
- sleep that is too short (waking up very early in the morning or during the night and not being able to fall asleep again),
- frequent awakening during the night, interrupted sleep,
- arousal, racing thoughts right after putting your head to the pillow, even despite previous feelings of drowsiness,
- shallow sleep, half-sleep all night or most nights instead of deep sleep,
- lack of sleep,
- excessive stimulation of the nervous system during the night hours, and fatigue and sluggishness during the day.
Why can’t I fall asleep?
Sleep problems are among the most commonly observed sleep disorders. Mostly they are a consequence of abnormal production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. It is melatonin that guards the synchronization of our biological and astronomical clocks and is responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle.
The process of melatonin secretion in the body is dependent on the amount of light reaching the retina (light stimuli are received by neurons via retinal receptors, which then send signals to the pineal gland, which regulates melatonin secretion). When a significant amount of light reaches the visual apparatus, the level of melatonin decreases, and thus we become unwilling to sleep. Conversely, when little light reaches the visual organ, melatonin production increases, after which we become overwhelmed with fatigue and sleepiness.
With sleep problems, there is very often an imbalance in melatonin production, hence the over-stimulation of the nervous system and the inability to enter sleep. When, say, a large amount of blue light emitted by devices such as a smartphone, monitor screen or TV reaches our visual apparatus during the night hours, the concentration of melatonin in the blood remains low, the brain is still in a state of activity, and sleep does not come.
Sleep problems – causes
Abnormalities in the secretion of melatonin are an indirect factor responsible for sleep problems (in most cases). The direct causes of this phenomenon can be different. They are most often related to our irregular lifestyle, disrupted diurnal rhythm, lack of attention to sleep hygiene and not entirely healthy habits. Less often, sleep problems have a pathological basis. They can also be the result of hormonal and psychological disorders.
Among the causes of sleep problems, the most common ones are:
- dysregulated lifestyle (frequent changes in bedtime, frequent changes in the number of hours allocated to sleep),
- shift work,
- long use of electronic devices that emit blue light (smartphone, tablet, monitor screen, laptop, TV) just before going to bed,
- long sitting at night, going to bed too late,
- excessive stimulants (alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, legal highs, coffee),
- drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages too late, such as in the evening,
- deviating from the principles of sleep hygiene, bedroom conditions (e.g., too high temperature, not ventilating the room before bedtime, excess electrical appliances in the bedroom, excess objects and disorder in the bedroom),
- excessive light or sound stimuli at the time when we fall asleep (e.g., the light of a street lamp coming from outside, the bustle of a busy street),
- severe stress,
- busy lifestyles, constant thinking about responsibilities, living in a state of high nervous tension and lack of the habit of internal calming and relaxation before sleep,
- neurotic and depressive disorders, anxiety states,
- hormonal disorders (e.g., menopause, andropause),
- pains of various origins,
- certain diseases (e.g., hyperthyroidism, heart disease, hypertension, rheumatism, asthma, lung disease, Alzheimera disease, bipolar affective disorder).
Ways to fall asleep – sleep hygiene key to a good night’s rest
Sleep hygiene is a set of all actions (our habits, the activities we do before sleeping, the rhythm of the day, the way we prepare the bedroom, etc.) that should be taken to ensure a healthy, restful sleep. The quality of sleep itself, as well as the rate at which we fall asleep, mainly depends on whether or not we follow the rules of sleep hygiene.
What should we do to fall asleep quickly?
First of all, we should diagnose the cause of our sleep problems and try to remove it. What’s different is if the main factor causing sleep difficulties is an illness. Then it is worth consulting your doctor. In other cases, the following tips may help.
Adjust eating habits so that the digestive system is not overloaded before bedtime
There is a lot of talk about dietary style in terms of comprehensive health care. As it turns out, our diet can also affect sleep. A large, indigestible meal eaten immediately before going to bed can cause digestive discomfort and make us unable to fall asleep. A meal very high in carbohydrates eaten just before going to bed can be equally detrimental, as it can cause over-stimulation (carbohydrates provide a large dose of energy to the body). It’s best to opt for a not-too-hearty, light supper with mostly vegetables and lean protein about 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Be careful what you drink, especially in the afternoon and evening
Coffee, drinks with guarana, energy drinks, very strong tea, Pepsi and other caffeinated drinks can over-stimulate us and contribute to sleep disturbances. So avoid them in the hours before sleep and reduce their overall amounts if you frequently reach for them.
What to drink for a good night’s sleep?
While coffee, strong tea, sweet carbonated drinks and energizers can make it difficult to fall asleep, there are a range of drinks that make falling asleep easier and faster, and here they are:
- chamomile,
- warm milk,
- cocoa with milk,
- valerian infusion,
- lemon balm tea,
- infusion of hops cones,
- lavender tea,
- herbal mixtures for good sleep,
- herbal syrups for sleep and sedation.
Use accessories and dietary supplements to speed up falling asleep and promote good sleep
Supplements containing herbal ingredients, such as: valerian, lemon balm, passionflower, angelica, hops, inhibit the activity of the nervous system, calm, relieve tension and anxiety, and facilitate entry into sleep. Also adaptogens such as: ashwagandha, small-leaf bacopa, gotu kola improve the quality of sleep – they help internally calm down, stabilize mood, allow you to fall asleep faster and sleep peacefully through the night. Dietary supplements containing tryptophan and melatonin can also be helpful in regulating sleep.
Special sleeping accessories with health-promoting properties, such as the weighted quilt and weighted blanket, are also noteworthy. They effectively reduce anxiety and stress, relax the body, put us in a relaxed state and improve the quality of sleep.
Incorporate physical activity into your schedule
A sedentary lifestyle is the enemy of good health and the enemy of good sleep. On the contrary, the more movement, the more dynamic muscle work and the better oxygenation of the whole during the day, the better sleep at night. Therefore, it’s a good idea to get some regular form of activity, such as jogging, swimming or even going for long walks.
Cut down on stimulants
Both alcohol abuse, smoking a lot of cigarettes and the use of other stimulants upset the nervous system and negatively affect sleep. So try to avoid them.
Adjust your lifestyle
Try to go to bed always at one time. Allocate about 6-8 hours for sleep. Avoid naps during the day.
Limit the use of electronic devices before bedtime
Put away your phone or tablet, turn off the computer and TV some time before going to bed. As a way to calm down and relax, listen to music of a calm, relaxing nature or read a book.
Create the right conditions for sleeping in your bedroom
Air out your bedroom immediately before going to bed. Make sure you have a comfortable mattress with the right level of firmness and a comfortable pillow that stabilizes the cervical spine well.
Keep your bedroom tidy and don’t overload it with excess items. Avoid excess electronic devices in the bedroom. Ensure good window shading. Remember that the temperature in the bedroom should not be too high (the best temperature for sleeping is about 16-19 degrees Celsius). If outside noise is getting to you, try to replace the windows with ones with high sound insulation. Ear stoppers are also a good protection against noise or noisy neighbors.
De-stress and relax before bedtime
How to fall asleep in 60 seconds or 2 minutes and sleep uninterrupted all night? The most important task is to calm your nerves in the evening, reset your mind, disconnect from the problems of everyday life and enter a state of rest. Various relaxation techniques and exercises for a good night’s sleep can help. Good, proven ways include:
- meditation,
- yoga,
- autogenic training,
- breathing exercises,
- mindfulness training,
- body scanning,
- baths with essential oils,
- relaxation music.
You can also use a special workout before going to bed:
Lie down in a comfortable position. Relax your facial muscles, relax your legs, thighs. Lower your arms and hands along your body freely. Relax your torso, breathe deeply. Imagine something pleasant and relaxing (for example, that you are lying on the beach). Hold this state for 10 seconds. If you are still awake, repeat the phrase: “Don’t think” for several seconds. Sleep will come after about 10 seconds.
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