If you've ever wearily dragged yourself into bed and discovered that your body won't let you doze off, you know that figuring out how to fall asleep fast can be an elaborate affair. Plus, if you're stressed about having trouble sleeping, just thinking about how important it is to get those ideal seven to nine hours can make proper shuteye feel even more elusive.
You know how it goes: You toss, turn, scroll through Instagram, and repeatedly calculate how many hours remain until it's time to get out of bed. Or maybe you wake up in the middle of the night and don't know how to fall back asleep. Suddenly, the desire to fall asleep faster has become another stressor that's keeping you wide awake.
It's a vicious cycle that so many people know all too well. Nearly one-third of U.S. adults don't get optimal sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sure, that can cause constant fatigue and crankiness, but sleep deprivation can affect you in other ways, too. When you don't snooze sufficiently, you have a higher risk of making mistakes, getting into accidents, and even developing certain chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
We're sure you're ready to drift off with ease, and you've come to the right place. Below, you'll find a few potential reasons why you can't sleep and an expert-approved list of techniques to help accelerate your journey into dreamland. Plus, when you should see a doctor if experimenting with these methods doesn't seem to lead to better sleep.
The average adult between the ages of 18 and 64 needs between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, according to National Sleep Foundation guidelines published in 20151. There's research to suggest that getting enough quality sleep can remove toxins in your brain that build up from, you know, being awake all day, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Getting quality sleep also helps you consolidate memories, restores your brain's ability to concentrate, and rebuilds your muscles, among plenty of other benefits.
Your body has a natural 24-hour cycle, called a circadian rhythm, that dictates when you start to feel tired. Your circadian rhythm actually governs a bunch of processes in your body, including your metabolism and various hormone fluctuations. Still, it's best known as the internal mechanism that clues you into sleepiness and wakefulness. A host of external and internal factors influence your circadian rhythm, including light and temperature, according to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).
Here's how it works: As it gets dark, your internal clock sends a message to your brain, where your pineal gland releases melatonin, which is a significant player in your ongoing rest quest, the NINDS says. "Melatonin is a hormone that is in charge of signaling for sleep," Dianne Augelli, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and an assistant professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, tells SELF. "Basically, it's sending a signal to the brain: 'Hey, it's time for sleep,'" she explains.
The good news is that by tweaking your pre-sleep habits and environment, you might be able to help your body realize what your brain already knows: that you want to fall asleep faster.
Ever feel like once the evening rolls around you have the urge to get a million things done instead of relaxing? Maybe you get anxious about what you haven't accomplished that day and can't stop thinking about it for long enough to actually doze off. Or you might wonder how to fall asleep fast when you're not tired, because you know you need to wind down by a certain time. That's pretty normal. You know what else is normal? Staying up hours and hours after you intended to go to sleep, falling down internet rabbit holes to who knows where-a phenomenon aptly coined "revenge bedtime procrastination."
For your habits to qualify as revenge bedtime procrastination, "your late nights have to reduce your total sleep time, you can't be up late for an external reason (like to tend to a baby or because you're not feeling well), and you have to be aware that staying up will lead to negative consequences," SELF previously explained.
The problem with any of these habits is that they can easily cut into the sleep you need to get each night before your health is potentially affected. That's why having good sleep hygiene is so important. (This is just a fancy term for a set of behaviors and practices that help foster restful sleep, the CDC says.)
Naturally, people tend to start really caring about sleep hygiene when they start having sleep issues, Donald Greenblatt, M.D., director of the University of Rochester Medicine Sleep Center, tells SELF. Once you start looking closely at your habits, you might find out that some of them are actually keeping you up at night. So, try these expert-approved ways to fall asleep fast next time you're stuck counting sheep:
It might be tempting to stuff your sleep into any gaps of time you have, which can include sleeping later and longer whenever possible, but that's counterproductive. Instead, aim for a consistent bedtime and wake time. That helps get you in the routine of getting enough shuteye, so you can eventually fall asleep faster, the Mayo Clinic says.
How? A regular schedule helps your body release natural melatonin-a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle-at consistent times, Beth Malow, M.D., professor of neurology and chief of the Division of Sleep Disorders at Vanderbilt Health, tells SELF. "It's okay to deviate one or two hours on weekends, but I would avoid any more than that," she says. If you're having trouble committing, set an alarm on your phone that alerts you when it's time to prepare for bed, Dr. Malow recommends.
Naps are glorious-they're an afternoon treat that can help you get through the rest of the day. But if you find that you're more awake at night than you'd like to be, it might be time to let the midday snooze go. If you're committed to naps, though, make sure that they don't exceed 30 minutes each day or happen too late in the afternoon, the Mayo Clinic suggests. Any longer or later than that and you might not feel tired close to bedtime.
Engaging in a little more exercise during the day could help you ease into sleep at night, the CDC says. Experts aren't exactly sure about the physiological mechanism, but according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, exercising does help keep your mood level so your mind doesn't feel so heavy, which sets the stage for deep sleep.
Just note, however, that doing a physical activity too close to bedtime might keep you awake. This is because aerobic exercise can cause you to release endorphins (which make your brain more active) and raise your core body temperature.
Eating a heavy meal before getting into bed may feel satisfying, but that could make it harder to fall asleep, according to the Mayo Clinic. That's not to say you can't eat if you're truly hungry, but eating too close to bedtime can cause gastrointestinal problems like acid reflux, according to Dr. Malow. This can lead to heartburn, and it can be pretty hard to sleep through the night when your chest feels like it's on fire.
Acid reflux is common at night because you're laying down, which boosts the risk of stomach contents coming back up your esophagus (thanks, gravity!). It takes about five hours for your stomach to fully digest food, depending on what you eat, so the Cleveland Clinic recommends having dinner at least three hours before you sleep if you can. (Try to avoid having a large meal and foods that are known to trigger reflux, like chocolate, tomatoes, citrus fruits, peppermint, greasy and fried foods, or spicy foods.)
You can also try elevating your head and upper back by raising your bed about 6 to 8 inches or sleeping with a foam wedge pillow, per the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Popping an antacid when the heartburn comes on can help, too.
Nightcaps might seem like a relaxing way to end your day, but they could be working against you. Yes, alcohol does have an initial relaxing effect, but it can diminish your quality of sleep, and keep you from staying asleep, the CDC says. And, depending on your system, you might want to make sure you time your afternoon coffee so that it doesn't keep you awake at night. As SELF previously reported, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it takes four to six hours for half the caffeine you've consumed to leave your body. This means that after about five hours, you still have another half of your ingested caffeine to metabolize, which can definitely keep you up.
Depending on what keeps you up at night, this might be an excellent opportunity to develop a nightly routine that helps foster sleep. You can try meditation or journaling to help you acknowledge and release any lingering thoughts that are looming over your head. The important thing is to find a mindful and soothing activity that truly makes you feel at ease.
Is there anything more luxurious than truly taking your time in the bath or shower? Research suggests doing so at night can help promote rest: Taking a hot bath within three hours of bedtime helped people fall asleep faster because it lowered their core temperature afterward, according to a 2021 study of 1,074 people published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine2. What's more, a 2019 meta-analysis of 17 studies published in Sleep Medical Review3 found that a hot bath or shower (lasting at least 10 minutes) helped people shorten "sleep onset latency," or how quickly they fell asleep.
Nearly everyone experiences anxiety symptoms at some point, which can lead to sleep-stealing rumination (those racing, worry-filled thoughts that you can't seem to shut off). An anxiety disorder is a bigger mental health issue that may need to be addressed through therapy or medication, but if it's disturbing your sleep, you can try exploring different exercises that ground your body and mind in the moment to promote relaxation.
For example, you can try progressive muscle relaxation (which you can even do in bed!). This simply involves tensing your muscles and relaxing them one body part at a time, SELF previously reported. First, try scrunching and tensing your toes tightly for about 5 to 10 seconds. Then, release them and feel the difference in the sensations. Slowly move up your body, muscle by muscle, to your calves, thighs, and so on. (Find a full list of grounding techniques for anxiety here).
Yes, vigorous exercise before bed might keep you up, but consider grabbing your yoga mat and doing some gentle exercises to help you relax before bed. Why? Static stretching encourages deep breathing, which encourages your relaxation response, SELF previously reported. Looking for a few ideas? We have a 5-minute bedtime stretching routine you can try tonight.
Remember, as the sun goes down, your pineal gland begins to pump melatonin into your bloodstream. When you keep any lights on, even if it's just a seemingly small bit of light emitted from your iPad screen while streaming your favorite TV show, it can interfere with this melatonin signaling and make it a little more challenging to fall asleep fast, SELF previously reported. And even if you do feel knocked out, there's also some evidence that the variances in TV light throughout the night can keep you from getting quality sleep.
We've already discussed how light from your phone can interfere with melatonin production, but we haven't addressed how scrolling through your phone, reading new coronavirus updates, checking email, or chatting with your friend in Hong Kong can keep your mind active.
Dr. Malow suggests turning off your phone and other devices a full hour before bed to help you wind down. You can also set your phone to go into sleep mode or get a screen for your computer that blocks blue light, she says. Some people also find it helpful to wear blue light-blocking glasses in the evening to reduce eye strain, too.
If you find that racing thoughts or mindless phone use is to blame, consider switching it out for a good book before bed.
While you're at, get rid of all light sources where you can. "If we have too much light at the wrong time, it can tell your body to wake up and stay awake," Dr. Augelli explains. "So we have to be careful about the timing of our light consumption."
Perhaps you can get curtains that block street light or get a door stopper to prevent light from coming in through the gap. If you can't control the amount of light in your room, think about getting an eye mask to help ensure it's as dark as possible in your sleeping environment.
Much like light can keep you awake, sounds-like from your TV or your loud neighbors-can keep you up longer than you'd like. If ambient sounds are an issue, try to use a fan or white noise machine to help alleviate that. The consistent whir of a sound machine can help soften the impact of other erratic noise that could keep you awake, the CDC suggests. If that doesn't help, earplugs are another option to consider.
Light gets a lot of credit for encouraging your circadian rhythm to do its job, but temperature also plays a role. As SELF previously reported, a room that's between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit tends to be most people's sleepy-time sweet spot. If you can't regulate the temperature in your room, consider switching up your bedding or sleeping in lighter (or heavier) pajamas to get your ideal sleep temperature.
Even if you're having trouble sleeping, quit checking the time. This will make you feel more anxious (and awake, if you're using your phone), which only makes it harder to fall back asleep. If you find yourself doing this often, try turning the clock away from you or keeping it out of reach so you're not tempted to watch the time pass, the Cleveland Clinic suggests.
If you're tired but can't sleep, it's natural to move around in bed to bide your time. But this isn't very productive. More often than not, tossing and turning leads to frustration that works against falling asleep faster. Instead of huffing and puffing, try getting out of bed and leaving your bedroom for about 20 minutes to do something relaxing, the Mayo Clinic suggests. Read, listen to soothing music, or engage in another calming habit until you're feeling more tired, then climb back into bed and give it another try.
There are so many reasons why you might have trouble falling asleep fast (and staying asleep once do nod off). But there's a difference between tossing and turning due to lifestyle factors you can change and feeling tired or not sleeping because of a sleep disorder, like insomnia, narcolepsy, or sleep apnea.
If you're dealing with disturbed sleep for more than a few weeks, it might be time to work with your doctor to see if there are underlying health issues at play, the Mayo Clinic says, especially if sleep deprivation is severely impacting your quality of life.
The Cleveland Clinic suggests tracking your symptoms-say, by keeping a sleep diary-and letting your doctor know about what's going on as soon as possible. This is particularly important if you already have a medical condition or if you snore, as it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which you intermittently stop breathing while you sleep, Dr. Malow says.
When you see your doctor, they might conduct a physical exam or run certain lab tests to try and figure out if a health problem might be affecting your ability to fall asleep, according to the Mayo Clinic. They also might have you keep a sleep journal and fill out a questionnaire to assess your sleepiness and wakefulness. If your doctor suspects you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, they may connect you with a specialist or sleep center for further evaluation, including a comprehensive sleep study.
Whether or not you're dealing with short-term disturbed sleep, insomnia, or another health problem, it's important to pay attention to your sleep quality. Restful sleep makes it a little easier to deal with the challenges and curveballs that come with being alive and staying healthy right now. Remember: Lots of people struggle with sleep, so be patient with yourself.
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