If you struggle to fall asleep at night, it may be time to kick your phone out of your bedroom and try new relaxation techniques. (Getty Creative)
In a perfect world, most of us should take 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep, with the average sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) sitting at about 12 minutes. But alas, this world is decidedly not perfect, and for many of us, sleep doesn't come easily, if at all. In fact, many of us lay awake in bed longer than we should (2020 data indicates almost 15% of Americans struggle to fall asleep most days of the week). Difficulty falling asleep, called sleep onset insomnia, may be rooted in a host of issues. Luckily, there are plenty of techniques you can try to help you fall asleep fast.
Falling asleep can be pretty tricky when your mind and body are out of sync, and the 30,000-foot view of the subject reveals that disharmony between the two typically stems from factors like stress and anxiety, racing thoughts and ruminating, environmental factors and rogue sleep hygiene practices.
Chelsea Perry, DDS, owner of Sleep Solutions and a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, says, "Falling asleep can feel impossible sometimes, especially when stress or anxiety takes over. When your mind doesn't slow down, it's easy to spiral, and that sense of frustration can make sleep feel even further away." Perry adds, "Poor sleep hygiene, like staring at your phone late at night, only adds fuel to the fire."
While falling asleep fast is occasionally hard for everyone, relaxation techniques can help you wind down and drift off, especially if your sleep challenges aren't chronic or rooted in other poor sleep hygiene practices.
Dr. Anita Shelgikar, MD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), notes that these techniques are good jumping-off points for many. They don't cost anything but a time commitment and are accessible to everyone. However, while these techniques can be helpful, Shelgikar cautions that there is no one-size-fits-all technique. Everyone is different, so there may be a bit of trial and error to find the one that works for you.
4-7-8 breathing. Rooted in the ancient yogic practice of pranayama or breath control, the 4-7-8 breathing technique brings your body into a more relaxed state. It reduces stress and anxiety by activating the body's parasympathetic nervous system. Perry says "To fall asleep fast, breathing techniques, like the 4-7-8 method, can be a game changer — slow, controlled breathing helps quiet that mental chatter."
Try it:
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold the breath for 7 seconds.
Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
Box breathing. Much like the 4-7-8 technique, box breathing calms the body and mind to help you fall asleep fast.
Try it:
Inhale for four seconds,
Hold the breath for 4 seconds.
Breathe out for 4 seconds, and then.
Hold the breath again for 4 seconds.
Progressive muscle relaxation. By tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time, progressive muscle relaxation can help shift your attention from endless ruminating to an awareness of the physical sensations across your body. This, in turn, can calm your nervous system, reduce tension and anxiety and improve your sleep.
Try it:
Lie comfortably in your bed, on your back, with your arms relaxed at your sides.
Start from your toes and move up your body, progressively relaxing each part of your body. (Lift your toes, then relax; tense your calf muscles, then relax; tense your thigh muscles, then relax and so on.)
Cognitive shuffling. Created by Luc Beaudoin, cognitive shuffling has recently become a popular sleep hack. Intended to stop the spiral of rumination in its tracks, cognitive shuffling is an exercise in which sleepers picture random words and phrases as a means of distraction.
Try it:
Lie down in bed and get comfortable
Picture an emotionally neutral word consisting of at least five letters — this is your seed word. (i.e., "chair")
For each letter of the seed word, think of a word that starts with that letter; imagine the item represented by the word.
Repeat the process as many times as you can for each letter.
Mindfulness meditation. Noted as one of the most popular types of meditation, mindfulness meditation involves focusing and being intensely aware of what you're feeling in the moment. It emphasizes letting go of negativity, calming your mind and body and slowing down your thoughts. Techniques for mindfulness meditation vary, but deep breathing and awareness are constants.
Guided imagery. For those who find solo meditation difficult, guided meditation is a good alternative. As the name implies, this type of meditation is led by a guide (usually in the form of a recording when used for sleep). Guided meditations rely on a series of mental imagery and visualizations, and it's an excellent option for those prone to monkey mind. Like most meditative practices, guided meditation can help relieve stress, tension and anxiety to help you fall asleep fast. Apps like Headspace are a good place to find sleep-friendly guided meditations.
Sleep hygiene is a set of practices and behaviors that help improve both sleep quantity and quality. Good sleep hygiene can help you fall asleep fast, poor sleep hygiene — not so much. To practice good sleep hygiene, consider setting the following habits to improve your bedtime routine.
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
Establish a calming bedtime routine (take a warm bath, read a book instead of checking Instagram, etc.)
Optimize your sleep space to be dark, quiet and cool — temperatures between 60 and 67 degrees F are ideal for sleep
Limit daytime naps
Curb your screen time — put away your devices 30-60 minutes before bed
Shelgikar suggests keeping a "worry journal" if you're one of the millions of people who battle a racing mind at bedtime. As its name implies, this is a notebook you keep by your bed to write down the seemingly endless stream of thoughts that bombard your brain as you try to settle down. Whether you're worrying about your family, your job, or No. 16 on your to-do list, a brain dump on paper before bed can help clear your mind and make way for sleep.
Perry adds, "When your thoughts won't let up at night, it helps to confront them gently." Noting that she's also a fan of keeping a notebook by one's bed table, Perry says, "It's like giving my brain permission to let go."
She adds, "If you wake up in the middle of the night, [and racing thoughts reappear], don't lie there getting frustrated. Get up, do something calming and return to bed when you feel drowsy again."
"Overhauling your lifestyle can also work wonders for sleep," says Perry. "Regular exercise, even just a brisk walk, helps regulate your body's clock, and paying attention to diet is just as important. It's all about creating a rhythm your body can trust."
There are just a few things to keep in mind:
Aim to hit daily exercise goals, but avoid exercising too close to bedtime. While exercise can be a powerful sleep aid, timing matters — late-night workouts can be too stimulating, so you might consider hitting the gym earlier in the day.
Eat a well-balanced diet, but be careful about your pre-bedtime choices. Eating heavy meals closer to bedtime can cause a host of issues with sleep. So, too, can caffeine and alcohol. If you want to fall asleep fast, try to eat your last meal a few hours before bed, mind your caffeine intake in the afternoon and late evening and skip the nightcap.
Even the best sleepers may find that they have difficulties falling asleep from time to time. No one is immune, and a restless night or two is generally not a cause for concern. However, Shelgikar says that prolonged periods of increased sleep latency may be.
More specifically, she says, "Insomnia is defined as a chronic disorder if it happens at least three nights per week for at least 3 months." If this is where you find yourself and interventions like those outlined above don't work, it may be time to see your doctor or consult a sleep specialist.
Perry adds, "If poor sleep starts impacting your daily life or feels unfixable, it's worth talking to a professional. Sleep disorders are common, and the right guidance can help you get back on track."
Unfortunately, there is no one-and-done technique for falling asleep quickly. People are different, and so are their sleep issues. That said, interventions like box breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, cognitive shuffling and improved sleep hygiene can help.
If you wake in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep, get out of bed (move to another room if you need to) and engage in some type of mundane activity (i.e., crossword puzzles or reading by dim light). Once you feel sleepy, return to your bed and try again.
There are plenty of over-the-counter sleep aids that might be helpful. If you reach the point where you feel you need one, it's probably best that you speak to your doctor first.
To stop your mind from racing at night, keep a journal by your bed and do a brain dump of sorts. Write down your worries and the to-do list items you're concerned about forgetting. With your thoughts safely recorded on paper, you likely find that sleep comes more easily.
While research is ongoing, evidence suggests that milk, fatty fish, tart cherry juice and kiwifruit have sleep-promoting effects.
Chelsea Perry, DDS, owner of Sleep Solutions and a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine
Dr. Anita Shelgikar, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
