10 Ways to Fall Asleep Fast

 
If you recall the 2002 film, Insomnia, you would remember Al Pacino’s character suffered from the sleep disorder that took a toll on both his physical appearance and mental stability.

Globally, millions of individuals suffer from insomnia, some without even realizing the existence of their symptoms until years later. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation can lead to a myriad of negative physiological effects, including hallucinations, memory loss, headaches, hand tremors, increased blood pressure, increased risk of diabetes, and obesity.

There are means, however—granted we are not a Hollywood cop caught amidst a psychological thriller of murder and manipulation—that may help you hit your slumbers faster for a better night’s rest.

Here are 10 ways how:

1) Curb the Caffeine

Yes, everyone who has been telling you to kick the caffeine is correct. As the most widely used psychoactive drug worldwide, caffeine consumption is notorious for keeping you up at night. A previous study reported the negative effects of caffeine to include shortened total sleep time, prolonged sleep latency, and changes in duration of light and deep sleep1. Another study reported that coffee consumed close to bedtime can cause delayed onset of sleep, independent of total caffeine consumption throughout the day.

2) Exercise Regularly

Not only will you enjoy the aesthetic perks of a flatter tummy, but large epidemiological surveys have shown that the therapeutic and sleep promoting benefits of moderate, regular physical activity are well-accepted by the general public. However, it has been suggested that the beneficial sleep effects of exercise may only occur when it is conducted close enough to sleep to stimulate an ideal thermoregulatory sleep response but not too close to bedtime to have an altering or disruptive effect. General sleep hygiene recommendations have been to exercise 5–6 hours before bedtime but not closer than 3 hours.

3) Silence Your Phone

Who are you texting at night anyway? Unless it is an absolute emergency, get off your phone during bedtime. A recent study of Japanese adolescence found that the use of mobile phones for calling and sending text messages during sleeping hours are associated with shorter sleep duration, poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and insomnia symptoms. Sleep disturbances have also been associated with watching television, surfing the Web, and playing video/computer games at night.

4) Change Your Diet

It never gets old—softening your physical ailments by adjusting your diet is one of the most accessible measures you can control. Foods that are rich in magnesium and potassium (such as bananas) can help relax overstressed muscles that will get you snoozing quicker. Additionally, tryptophan is a compulsory ingredient for the body to produce serotonin, the neurotransmitter best known for inducing feelings of calmness and drowsiness. Foods rich in tryptophan include poultry (turkey and chicken), seafood (shrimp and fish), dairy products (milk and yogurt), and nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, and walnuts).

5) Abstain From Nicotine

You may think taking that extra smoke at night will help you relax, but in fact, the exact opposite is true. Sleep disturbances and insomnia complaints during times of nicotine withdrawal have been reported in up to 39% of cases. Furthermore, sleep disturbances and changes in REM sleep are common in depressive patients; and the presence of depressive symptoms has been associated with lower nicotine abstinence rates.

6) Keep Cool

Some evidence suggests that a trigger for sleep onset is the evening decline in body temperature, which is primarily mediated by increased peripheral skin blood flow for heat dissipation through dilation of blood vessels. Clinically, an association between impaired temperature downregulation and sleep has been demonstrated in several groups with sleep difficulties, including insomniacs, depressed patients and older individuals. While the professional recommendation is to keep the room between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, it is more important that the temperature is set at a level most comfortable to your needs.

7) Avoid Alcohol

The practice started with the armed forces in the defense line who suffered from sleeplessness, but the growing myth that a glass of alcohol before bed can lead to rapid sleep induction has now spread to the general masses. Although the initial wave of drowsiness may appear indicative of a quicker sleep time, alcohol is actually metabolized rapidly by the body; thus, lowering blood concentrations and often resulting in withdrawal symptoms thereafter. In fact, one previous study examining the effect of alcohol on sleep demonstrated that that drinking alcohol before bed decreased sleep duration and efficiency and increased the frequency of wake-ups during the night. These results were independent of any family history of alcoholism.

8) Turn Off The Light

Make sure not to doze off with the bedside lamp on after some nighttime reading. Research has demonstrated that exposure to electrical light between dusk and bedtime can strongly suppress melatonin levels, a hormone that hits its peak when a person is asleep. After observing healthy subjects who were exposed to room light or dim light for eight hours preceding bedtime, it was found that room light disrupts melatonin signaling and thus, may potentially impact one’s sleep-wake cycle.

9) Practice Breathing Exercises

Not only can deep breathing exercise help shift the mind away from worrisome thoughts, but it is good meditation practice to quiet the mind and calm the central nervous system. The key is to breathe—using your abdomen (not your chest)—through your nose for three seconds, then breathe out for three seconds. Also remember to concentrate on breathing technique and count rather than dwelling in your anxieties.

10) Relax

If your muscles are tense, your mind is alert, and you’re lying in an uncomfortable position, there is obviously minimal chance you will fall asleep with ease. Forget about yesterday’s problems and tomorrow’s worries and focus on the present. The important thing now is to get a good night’s rest so you are capable of tackling any challenge that may be thrown your way in the future.

 
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Amy Wong, MS

Amy Wong, MS, is a medical writer and conducts traumatic brain injury research at St. Michael’s Hospital, a large academic institution located in Toronto, Canada. She holds a Master’s of Science from the University of Toronto under the department of Pharmacology. Her studies pertained to the selective field of neuropsychopharmacology examining the biological implications of post-stroke depression. Outside of brain injury research, Amy is also involved with cancer research at the University Health Network. Currently, she is examining both genetic and environmental factors that influence individual susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma risk.