Health & Life

The Unheard Method of Sleeping Faster

Darkness helps the brain process information that it's time to sleep, triggering the release of sleep-supporting hormones. Having too many lights on in the room or staring at a screen for too long before bed can slow down the production of these hormones and make it difficult for you to fall asleep. To avoid this, it's important to keep your bedroom as dark as possible and turn off all electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime.

Administrator

6 January, 2024

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Avoid placing a glow-in-the-dark clock in the bedroom. Knowing it’s 3 a.m. and still being awake doesn’t help. It only makes you more worried and harder to fall asleep.
Avoid installing a TV or gaming console in the bedroom and try not to bring your laptop to bed. The brain needs to identify the bedroom as a place for quiet and rest, not work and play.
Turn off your mobile phone or at least set it to “do not disturb” mode. If you place your phone on the bedside table, the temptation to check emails, Facebook, or the time will keep you awake.

2. Ensure a comfortable pillow and mattress

If you find your bed uncomfortable, it’s no wonder you struggle to fall asleep. Consider investing in a new mattress, choosing one that is firmer or softer depending on your preference. Or you can try flipping the mattress as the underside is usually less lumpy. Those with neck or back issues may find it better to use a memory foam pillow as it molds to the shape of the body and provides necessary support.

If buying a new mattress seems a bit too much, you can consider purchasing new bed linen. Look for bed sheets made of high-quality fabric and choose a duvet cover according to personal preference. If you like cool, crisp bed linen, go for Percale fabric. If you like warm and cozy bed linen, go for flannel fabric. If you like luxurious bed linen, go for Egyptian cotton fabric.
Wash bed sheets at least once a week as many people sleep better when the bed linen is clean and fresh. Also, try to develop the habit of making the bed every morning. A neatly made bed stimulates sleep more than a messy one.

3. Create a light aroma in the bedroom with essential oils.

A little something like a teaspoon of essential oil can help relax the body and send the mind to dreamland. According to multiple studies, lavender is the number one scent that promotes deep sleep and helps people fall asleep faster. Choose a high-quality lavender essential oil and use it in one of the following ways:

Drop a few drops of essential oil onto a piece of fabric and tuck it under the pillow. Dilute a few drops of essential oil in a small amount of water and put it in a diffuser in the bedroom, or use lavender room spray to iron the bed linen. If possible, you can ask someone to give you a relaxing massage using lavender essential oil. Alternatively, you can place a lavender sachet under the pillow.
If you don’t like lavender, there are other relaxing and soothing scents that you can try to support your sleep. Bergamot orange essential oil, clary sage, vanilla, and lavender are all excellent choices.

4. Make the bedroom a quiet zone.

Noise that annoys or distracts is a big obstacle to falling asleep. You should try to keep the bedroom as quiet as possible by closing the main door, windows, or asking your housemates to turn off the TV. For unavoidable noise, such as snoring or loud parties upstairs, you can try wearing noise-canceling headphones. At first, you may find them a bit strange or uncomfortable, but as you get used to it, you won’t notice or care about the outside distractions.

Another option is to purchase a sound machine or app that generates white noise, which is a device that produces random sounds at various frequencies to mask other noises. White noise can be quite hard to listen to, so many machines produce “colored” noise, which sounds softer and more like the sound of a waterfall or gentle rustling leaves.
You can also buy a CD that plays relaxing or even nature sounds. Play the CD to have background music while you sleep. However, try not to fall asleep with earphones on, as they can be uncomfortable or tangled while you sleep.

5. Create a suitable sleeping environment

If you have a rough and worn-out mattress, confidently dispose of it if you don’t want an uncomfortable, cramped feeling that can make you sleep poorly. Even small changes to the bed can make you sleep better, such as using cotton bed sheets because they don’t cause itching. Another small trick is to use a satin pillowcase instead of cotton because it will give you a comfortable, cool, and smooth feeling when you rest your head to sleep. The ideal room temperature for sleeping is between 26-28 degrees Celsius. The room should ensure good air circulation.

6. Avoid electronic devices

Before going to bed, most people surf the internet to check social media or entertain themselves. Phones, TVs, and computers attract us. They keep our brains awake and alert. So, to sleep better, you need to say goodbye to your beloved phone. Avoid these devices before going to bed because the light from them significantly disrupts sleep quality. Resist the urge to browse the internet if you’ve been awake many nights because it only worsens your insomnia.

Avoid browsing on your phone before sleep as it keeps our brains awake and alert.

7. Say no to stress

An important way to sleep is to banish anxiety from your mind. The sound of rain and soft music can help you fall asleep. If you are a worrywart, avoid thinking about what happened during the day. You should also avoid imagining scary or violent things. If you find yourself too distracted, play a melody and immerse yourself in the music.

8. Change sleeping positions

Sleeping positions are crucial if you want a good night’s sleep. Make sure to keep your back straight and the pillow not too high or too low. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, and you can try placing a pillow between your knees to keep your hips balanced.

9. Deep muscle relaxation

Deep relaxation of the muscles can help relieve tension. These movements help stimulate muscles throughout the body and are often recommended for treating insomnia.

Before starting the exercise, practice the 4-7-8 method below. During that time, you can imagine the tension leaving your body.

The deep muscle relaxation steps include:

Raise your eyebrows as high as possible for 5 seconds. This can help tighten the forehead muscles.
Widen your smile to create pressure on your cheeks. Keep it for 5 seconds, then relax and release.
Rest your muscles for 10 seconds.
Squint and close your eyes for 5 seconds. Then relax.
Rest for 10 seconds.
Tilt your head back slightly to comfortably look up at the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds, relax the neck, and lie back on the pillow normally.
Rest for 10 seconds.
Continue to relax the remaining parts of the body from the chest, shoulders, arms, legs to the feet.
You can fall asleep despite not completing the deep muscle relaxation steps.

Practice regularly, every night including holidays and weekends, to be able to fall asleep quickly.

10. Create conditioned reflexes

Set a bedtime and repeat this habit for 30 days, after which your body will feel tired and know when it needs rest. If certain clothes make your body uncomfortable, change into whatever makes you feel comfortable.

11. Control your diet

Limit the amount of food consumed in the evening as it can make you feel full and not sleep well. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine before bedtime as they can disrupt sleep. Instead, you should take a warm shower, cleanse your body, relax, and drink a warm glass of milk.

When unable to sleep, do not lie in bed anymore, but sit up and play a brain teaser game like sudoku (without using a phone) until you feel tired, then stop and go to sleep.

12. How to fall asleep in 1 minute

These methods can focus on your muscles and help you fall asleep quickly. Some ways to fall asleep in 1 minute include:

– 4-7-8 breathing technique

This is a combination technique of meditation and visualization. To start practicing, place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth. Keep your tongue there throughout the entire breathing cycle.

The 4-7-8 breathing cycle is done as follows:

Let your lips part slightly and make a whooshing sound as you breathe out through your mouth.
Close your lips and inhale gently through your nose. As you inhale, silently count to 4.
Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
Exhale through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, for 8 seconds.
Complete the cycle with 4 complete breaths. Your body may feel tired and go to sleep earlier than expected.

However, there is no need to focus too much on the breathing cycle. Practice natural breathing and do not think too much. Practice regularly, every night, even on holidays and weekends to be able to fall asleep quickly in 60 seconds.

The quickest way to fall asleep in 60 seconds

13. Some tips to fall asleep quickly

If you have tried these methods and still cannot fall asleep within 2 minutes or less, you may need to change your sleeping environment. Some ways to fall asleep faster include:

Put your clock where you can’t find it.
Take a warm bath before going to bed.
Open all windows to ventilate and cool the bedroom.
Wear socks when going to bed.
Practice gentle yoga poses for 15 minutes to soothe insomnia.
Keep your phone away from the bed.
Use fragrances that are good for sleep. You can diffuse peppermint, lavender, chamomile, lemongrass, etc., in the bedroom for relaxation.
Have an early dinner to avoid stimulating digestion when sleeping.

Sufficient and good-quality sleep plays a significant role in supporting and restoring health. Therefore, if you experience prolonged difficulty sleeping or insomnia even though you have tried supportive sleep methods, seek medical help for appropriate treatment.

Wishing you a good night’s sleep!