How to sleep well without thinking too much
How to Quiet Your Mind to Get Better Sleep
Can’t put that racing mind to bed? Whether it’s stopping you from quickly falling asleep or staying asleep, there’s no question an unsettled mind can be a major obstacle to slumber.
“It’s one of the most common problems we hear in our sleep clinic, especially among people struggling with insomnia,” says Lawrence Chan, DO, a professor of sleep medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
The problem is more than just annoying. Racing thoughts at bedtime — even if they aren’t anxious or worried thoughts — might contribute to sleep problems in people who have insomnia, according to a study published in November 2021 in the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry . The researchers noted that this is different from rumination, which is defined as obsessive, repetitive thinking that tends to focus on negative content.
There’s a reason many people can’t stop thinking about things before going to bed. Whether you’re exploring a new city or simply plugging away at your routine to-do list, your brain is collecting new information all day long, explains Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Manhattan Beach, California, who specializes in sleep disorders. He is also the author of The Power of When, a book on understanding your body clock and circadian rhythms.
“Not until you climb into bed do you have any quiet time, and all of that information, including your worries, comes flying through the door,” he says.
Anxious thoughts and rumination can also keep you awake, of course. If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night and a racing mind won’t let you get back to sleep, it may mean that something is bothering you more than you’d care to otherwise admit or address, Dr. Breus says. “It’s generally a sign that something stressful is going on in life.”
Whether you’re stressed, excited, or simply replaying your day, use these tips to help quiet your racing mind — before thinking too much at bedtime becomes a habit that’s too intense to stop on your own.
Sleep doctors have been telling you for years to stop using smartphones, laptops, and tablets right before bed for good reason. Not only does the light from electronic screens mess up your melatonin production, which makes sleep physiologically harder to achieve, but smart devices can also heighten anxiety and worry if you’re reading stressful news on it. This habit makes the cycle of ruminating about bothersome or unpleasant news that much worse, Dr. Chan says.
Plus, the apps, websites, and news you’re consuming on such devices are meant (in large part) to keep you and your brain engaged, he adds. “The internet is designed to capture attention so that you spend more eye time on screens, which can be a detriment to sleep,” says Chan.
To protect your shut-eye, switch off your devices one to two hours before bed, ideally, or at least 30 minutes if you can’t swing that.
Just as you schedule time to see friends or get a massage, do the same with your worries. Schedule 15 to 30 minutes a day, at least one to two hours before bed, to write down those worries. In addition, create at least one action item you can do to help deal with the issue. Thinking through those potential stressors earlier in the day should help ease how much you worry about them when your head hits the pillow, Chan says. “Ideal sleep depends on creating routines and schedules, and this is no different,” he says.
3. Create a Routine to Power Down Your BrainMost people assume that sleep is like breathing: Your body will just do it. Not true. Modern-day living has created so much stimulation during the day that brains now operate at warp speed, and if you don’t give yours time to rest, it’ll continue going at that speed at bedtime, says David Brodner, MD, founder of and principal physician at the Center for Sinus, Allergy, and Sleep Wellness in Boynton Beach, Florida.
At least 30 minutes before you go to bed, start your preparations and then do something relaxing like listening to music or reading. Keep it consistent, and you’ll train your body to expect sleep after that relaxation period.
4. Keep a Gratitude ListNow that you’ve dumped your worries, replace the void where those negative thoughts once lived with positive ones by starting a gratitude journal, Breus suggests. The impact of those positive thoughts is greater when you write them down. So try spending a few minutes each night listing three to five things you’re grateful for.
5. Practice 4-7-8 BreathingYou’ve heard how deep breathing can help combat stress, but it can also help you fall asleep. In order to sleep, your heart rate needs to slow down, Breus says, and breathing techniques are one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal.
One of Breus’s favorites is 4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for a count of four, hold for seven, and then blow out for eight.
Do this at least five to seven times to slow your heart rate.
As you lie in bed, tense and relax all of your muscles one by one, starting at your toes and ending at your head. Not only is this incredibly relaxing, as the name implies, but it also forces you to think about the physical parts of your body, directing your attention away from whatever thoughts or stressors you’re fixating on, Breus says.
7. Maintain a Consistent Sleep ScheduleGoing to bed and waking up at the same times each day is one of the pillars of sleep hygiene — those guidelines sleep docs recommend for ensuring a good night’s sleep. It helps the mind, too. “If you try to go to bed early, when your brain’s not ready to sleep, it will focus on other things,” Breus says, which keeps the brain excited and awake.
What to Do if You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night1. Get Out of BedAs counterintuitive as it may seem, climbing out of bed after about 20 minutes of worrying is the tried-and-true advice sleep doctors tell everyone they help and one of the hallmark steps of therapy for insomnia.
If you spend time in bed worrying, your brain will begin to associate the two and not be able to sleep, Chan says. You’ll create a vicious cycle for yourself, whereby your bed increasingly becomes a space where it is difficult for you to sleep.
Instead, get out of bed and do something calming, such as reading a book, doing light chores, or journaling. As soon as you start getting sleepy, head to bed. “The goal is to increase your sleep efficiency, meaning that when you’re in bed, you’re sleeping,” Chan says.
2. Slow That Heart RateYou may have used the 4-7-8 breathing technique or deep muscle relaxation before bed. Now try them again, as your goal is to not only lower that heart rate but also take your mind away from your thoughts, Breus says.
3. Write Down Your WorriesKeep a notepad and pen by your bed to scribble down worries that are at the front of your mind, Dr. Brodner says. This isn’t the same as pre-bed structured worry time, since you’re not creating solutions; you’re just getting your worries out of your head so your mind can rest.
This tip may be controversial, but a much-loved movie or TV show can take your mind off whatever is bothering you and potentially help you relax, says Breus.
Now, we know what you’re thinking: Yes, TVs emit blue light, which can mess with your melatonin production and make it harder to nod off. But unlike smartphones and tablets, which you hold close to your face, TVs are usually positioned “so far away that you’re not getting as much blue light as you think,” says Breus. Plus, most people aren’t actually watching TV as much as listening to it with their eyes closed, and blue light can’t penetrate closed eyelids.
Note, though, that most sleep guidelines recommend against TV in bed, including some experts from Sleep Foundation.org, so if listening to the TV isn’t helping you sleep, don’t do it.
It’s also worth stating that everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time. But if restless nights become the norm, rather than an occasional occurrence, tell your doctor.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of insomnia, there are ways your doctor or a sleep specialist can help.
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8 Sleep Experts on What to Do When Your Mind Is Racing -- Science of Us
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Some nights, it’s like you can’t get your brain to shut up long enough for you to fall asleep. You’re mentally reviewing the day you just completed while also previewing the day ahead; sometimes, your mind may even reach way back into the archives and pull up something embarrassing you did back in high school.
So fun!
Racing thoughts can be a sign of a serious mental health condition like anxiety. But these nights also happen to everyone from time to time — and once we’re too old for bedtime stories, it’s not always clear what to do. There’s no one solution that will work for everybody, of course, so instead, we’ve rounded up suggestions from eight sleep experts. At the very least, it’s something to read next time you can’t sleep.
“The absolute prerequisite for sleep is a quiet mind. Think of something else, rather than what’s worrying you — something with a story to it. It can be anything of interest, but of no importance, so you can devote some brain energy to it without clashing into the real world and going straight back to your worries.
I fly a lot, so I imagine I have my own private jet and how would I arrange the furniture on it. If you’re someone who likes going to music festivals, what would your lineup be?” — Neil Stanley, sleep expert
“Thinking about sleep and wishing for it to happen is a recipe for staying awake. This is where paradoxical thinking comes in. If you give yourself the paradoxical instruction to stay awake instead, you’ll be more likely to fall asleep. If you can be comfortable with the idea of remaining awake, then the performance anxiety and frustration that are associated with trying to sleep have nowhere to go and your arousal level drops.” — Colin Espie, professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford
“If 20 minutes has gone by as the mind races and is unable to relax back to sleep, it’s best to get out of bed.
Without looking at your phone or any other screen devices, go to another dimly lit room where you keep a notebook. Write down the thoughts that are keeping you awake. Finish with the words, ‘It can wait until tomorrow.’ Then, go back to bed, focus on the breath, and mindfully relax into those words, giving yourself permission to yield to sleep.”— Jenni June, sleep consultant
“Spend a maximum of 20 minutes just getting everything out of your head and onto paper every day. It’s a therapeutic way to see that you probably don’t have loads to worry about, rather just a few reoccurring things. You can then see which worries are hypothetical (i.e., what if I make a mistake at work and lose my job) or ‘real’ worries (e.g., I made a mistake and have lost my job). For the real worries you can then make an action plan/problem-solve and for the hypothetical ones, learn to let them go.
” — Kathryn Pinkham, National Health Services insomnia specialist
“Deep breathing … acts as a powerful distraction technique, particularly if paired with counting. You want to aim to breathe out for longer than you breathe in, and pause after breathing in and out; so you might choose to count for three when you breathe in, then pause and count to five when you breathe out, then pause. Really focus on your breathing and counting, and if your mind wanders off, just take note of that and return your attention to the exercise. You may need to do this for ten minutes or so.” — Christabel Majendie, sleep therapist
“Try not to struggle or ‘try harder’ to overcome the sleeplessness or get rid of unwanted thoughts, as this can worsen insomnia.
One successful approach to overcome this negative cycle is to instead learn to observe and accept these struggles, using mindfulness strategies to help.” — Jenny Stephenson, director of HappySleepers
“Getting more sun exposure in the midmorning can help readjust the brain’s internal clock and make it easier to fall asleep later that night. In my book, I write about how sun exposure is now a key part of many professional athletes’ travel schedules, and seen as a way of preventing jet lag. Non-athletes can do similar things. Someone who can’t seem to fall asleep at night may want to try getting as much exposure to natural light in the morning, essentially prepping themselves to fall asleep when they want to.” — David K. Randall, author of Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep
“The great era of tinkering with sleep aids was popular in early modern Europe. Here are a few of my favorites:
• Put some blood-sucking leeches behind your ears. When they bore holes in the skin, pull them out and place a grain of opium in each hole. (From 16th-century French physician André du Laurens.)
• Kill a sheep, and then press its steaming lungs on either side of the head. Keep the lungs in place as long as they remain warm. (From 16th-century French surgeon Ambroise Paré.)
• After the evening meal, eat lettuce, drink wine, and rub an ointment made of the oil of violets or camphor on the temples.
Dissolve a mixture of poppy seeds, lettuce seeds, balsam, saffron, and sugar and cook it in poppy juice. Then listen to pleasant music and lie down on a bed covered with the leaves of fresh, cool plants. (From 15th-century philosopher Marsilio Ficino.)” — Benjamin Reiss, author of Wild Nights: How Taming Sleep Created Our Restless World
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How to sleep? Restoring the regime in 8 steps — Group of companies "Prosveshchenie"
If the question: "Are you getting enough sleep?" If you answer: “Where?”, then here are some tips on how to organize a good night's rest and make up for chronic sleep deprivation.
Agree, it is impossible to effectively cope with work when the strength is at the limit and there is only one thought: to sleep. The good news is that you can learn how to get enough sleep and overcome fatigue! We tell you how.
If someone suddenly forgot, let us remind you: healthy sleep is the key to the successful functioning of the whole organism, including the fruitful work of the brain. A few good habits will add vigor and improve well-being. Isn't this what teachers, parents, and schoolchildren need so much? And to everyone who lives in this world. nine0005
Organize the right place to sleep
The bedroom is the basis of rest, so it should be free from everything that can interfere with a restful and healthy sleep. Maintain order and get rid of unnecessary things and garbage.
Control the temperature. Ideal for the bedroom - 18-22 degrees Celsius.
Get as dark as possible. Turn off all electronic devices before going to bed.
You can use special sleep masks, for greater effect, you can put a couple of drops of lavender essential oil on your wrists, pillowcase or pajamas. nine0005
Don't skimp on a comfortable bed and mattress. Buy bedding made from lightweight, breathable fabrics and wash it at least every two weeks.
Do not skimp on sleep
The best way to prevent excessive fatigue and lack of sleep is to devote seven to nine hours of sleep a day. We already foresee sad comments: “But notebooks won’t check themselves!”. They will not check, you are right, but your health is the most important thing that you have, and at the same time your loved ones and, by the way, students. nine0005
Keep in mind that it takes between ten and thirty minutes for a person to fall asleep, so set aside at least eight hours of your time for proper rest.
Review your diet
Include foods rich in minerals and vitamins in your diet: carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, seafood.
Some foods will need to be reduced, especially a few hours before bedtime: avoid foods high in fat, give up coffee and alcoholic beverages. nine0005
A balanced diet with enough protein and complex carbohydrates will not only improve sleep, but also give energy to the body throughout the day. And remember about water - you need to drink at least two liters a day!
Learn to fall asleep faster
Count how many hours of precious sleep you lose while lying in bed with a smartphone in your hands. Here are some tips to help you fall asleep faster:
- Take a hot bath or shower before bed. nine0044
- Do not read or eat in bed.
- Try to relax and not think about how to fall asleep as soon as possible.
- Do not look at the clock when you fall asleep.
- Organize your evening ritual.
This will facilitate the preparation of the body for sleep, and will also help to maintain a sleep and wakefulness schedule.
Think about what brings you pleasure, makes you calm and relaxed? A warm bath, a good book, art, yoga, meditation will all lift your spirits and make you feel better. Introduce such leisure into your evening, create your own ritual, and this will help you go to bed in a more calm and relaxed state. nine0005
Don't sleep too much
We all understand that lack of sleep leads to fatigue and irritability. But did you know that sleep can be too much?
An adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep, and if you sleep more than nine hours, this may indicate some health problems.
Too much sleep increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, headaches and even depression.
To understand how much time you need to sleep, try organizing yourself a “sleep vacation” (remote work, which some organizations are now switching to, helps us): go to bed at the same time, but get up on your own without an alarm clock. nine0005
After a couple of days, the regime will normalize, and you will be able to understand how much sleep you need in order to feel better.
Sleep during the day
If you are tired, there is nothing wrong with taking a nap during the day. Taking a nap at lunchtime will save you evening hours that you can devote to your hobby. Many experts recommend a short daytime nap (no more than thirty minutes) so that it does not affect the duration of the night's rest. nine0005
Sleep comes first
Sleep can seem like a waste of time, especially when there are so many things to do. But being rested and alert are the benefits that make sleep so important!
Giving priority to sleep means reducing daytime fatigue, removing nervous strain, and improving mood. Healthy and full sleep will give you energy for the whole day and will allow you to be more productive, as well as reduce the risk of various diseases. nine0005
Reducing fatigue and improving overall health will come naturally with the adoption of useful and healthy habits.
If you're getting enough sleep but still feeling tired for no apparent reason, it's a good idea to see a doctor, as this could signal serious health problems.
video tutorial, tips and proven methods
Everyone knows how important healthy and full sleep is for every person. And not only its duration, but also its quality. But what to do if it is 3 a.m. on the clock, and there is no sleep in one eye? Rather, read simple and effective life hacks that will help you fall asleep in just a minute. Well, at least two! nine0005
Tatyana Shamanina
Tags:
Valeria
Healthy sleep
dream
Insomnia
good sleep
Shutterstock
Good sleep is very important. Without it, it is impossible to feel good. The body and brain will not be able to fully function. Many people have no trouble falling asleep, but some have difficulty falling asleep quickly and don't know how to fall asleep quickly.
Let's hurry to help! nine0005
Contents of the article
We offer a complete list of tips on what to do if you can't sleep at all, and show a proven video instruction that answers the question of how to fall asleep quickly. And, of course, we deal with the main causes of insomnia.
Insomnia - the main causes and ways to overcome it
Why does insomnia occur? There are several main reasons, from pregnancy to stress. To win the battle with the disease, you first need to establish the root cause of sleep disturbance. There are different ways to fall asleep quickly, and if you are worried about insomnia, you should use them. nine0005
Irregular sleep schedule and techniques to restore it
Constant changes in work schedule, periodic lack of sleep on weekdays or oversleeping on weekends - all this causes sleep problems. Try to go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day, even on weekends.
If you usually wake up at 7 am, then on rest days, get up no later than 8-9 am. This will help your body establish sleep patterns and regulate your circadian rhythm (internal clock). The body will feel sleepy and energized only at certain hours. This advice usually helps those who do not know how to fall asleep quickly without drugs - it is effective and efficient. nine0005
THIS IS INTERESTING
Valeria and other stars who have the status of mothers of many children
Singer Valeria is the mother of three adult children who were born in marriage to producer Alexander Shulgin. But the heirs practically do not communicate with their abusive father. The singer's sons - Artemy and Arseniy - got married one after the other. The wedding of the elder took place in Switzerland, only the closest relatives of the couple were present. The younger celebrated a grandiose event in a big way - all secular Moscow was invited to the celebration (except for father Alexander Shulgin).
Valeria's daughter is building a personal brand under the pseudonym SHENA. nine0005
1 of 7
Unhealthy Diet
Before you start wondering what to do about insomnia, analyze your diet. He is also responsible for the quality of sleep, for how quickly you fall asleep at night.
- Refined carbohydrates. Studies have shown that eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates, such as white bread instead of whole grains, can make insomnia worse.
- Alcohol. Some people think that drinking helps you sleep, but it doesn't. On the contrary, alcohol reduces the quality of sleep and causes daytime sleepiness. Plus, alcoholic drinks disrupt the circadian rhythm, which causes insomnia. nine0044
- Caffeine. Many people use caffeinated drinks as a tonic. Of course, they work, but at the same time they disturb your sleep. So do not drink coffee and other drinks a few hours before bedtime.
Stress
Insomnia can be caused by hyperactivity, a condition where your brain simply cannot relax.
In an excited state, the body cannot psychologically prepare for sleep. To relax, do not stay up late with work projects and try to let go of all disturbing thoughts. How to quickly fall asleep and sleep? Avoid stressful conditions during the day, complete work tasks, leaving time for rest in the evening. nine0005
Depression or anxiety
About 50-80% of people who experience depression and anxiety report sleep problems. Depression worsens insomnia, and insomnia worsens depression. Anxiety also disrupts sleep, and poor sleep is a direct path to anxiety. All this resembles a vicious circle. How to fall asleep quickly in this state if you can't sleep? Of course, effective help is needed to cope with insomnia
Pregnancy
Insomnia during pregnancy is common. In fact, up to 78% of pregnant women cannot sleep properly. Most often, sleep problems begin in the third trimester.
A number of factors contribute to this:
- Hormonal changes
- Physical discomfort
- Frequent need to use the toilet
Although insomnia during pregnancy is a common problem, it, according to doctors, disappears immediately after childbirth. But expectant mothers have to apply methods and techniques on how to fall asleep very quickly in order to have a good rest and sleep at night. nine0005
Some diseases
Many diseases cause sleep disorders. For example, apnea. This is a condition in which a person suddenly stops breathing during sleep. According to scientific data, 38% of people with sleep apnea suffer from insomnia. Another common ailment that causes insomnia is restless leg syndrome. A neurological disease causes discomfort in the lower extremities and knocks down the sleepy mood.
What other health problems do not allow you to fall asleep quickly and cause insomnia:
- Hormonal and thyroid disorders
- Neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease
- Acid reflux or indigestion
- Chronic pain
falling asleep simply will not occur.
Certain drugs
Insomnia is a side effect of many common medications. In order to fall asleep quickly, they take medicine. And it can have the opposite effect. The main groups of drugs that cause sleep problems:
- Antidepressants. Some anxiety and depression medications can interfere with healthy sleep patterns.
- Medicines for high blood pressure. It is believed that alpha-blockers reduce the time of REM sleep, and beta-blockers reduce the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
- Steroids. Steroids, including those used to treat arthritis, can interfere with sleep. So it is better to use them in the morning.
Treating insomnia - two methods that work
Insomnia is trouble falling or staying asleep that lasts more than one or two days. About every third person on the planet faces sleep disorders. Insomnia is especially common in older people.
They often wonder what to do to fall asleep quickly. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to correct violations. The main symptoms of insomnia:
- You lie in bed for a long time at night and cannot sleep
- You wake up several times a night for no reason
- You wake up early in the morning and cannot go back to sleep
- You feel tired after sleep
- You cannot sleep during the day even if you feel tired
- You are irritable and not concentrated during the day.
How to fall asleep with insomnia without drugs? We share two proven methods.
Sleep hygiene
Good sleep is the right attitude. To fall asleep, you need to exclude any hyperactivity before bedtime. Sleep hygiene will help you with this. Thus, you will learn how to fall asleep quickly with insomnia without medication. Follow the steps:
- Every day, an hour before bedtime, turn off all gadgets and tune in to relaxation.
For example, light an aroma candle and put on a steam eye mask. - Do not exercise 4 hours before bedtime.
- Do not watch TV an hour before bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine a few hours before bed.
- Do not take medicines that contain caffeine before bed.
- Do not eat before bed and do not snack in the middle of the night.
- Avoid alcohol at night. nine0044
- Do not smoke before bed.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an excellent remedy for insomnia. The method consists of two parts - stimulus control and sleep restriction.
How does stimulus control work? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy goes beyond the basic principles of sleep hygiene. The goal of the first part is to eliminate or control the factors that cause insomnia. Here are the basic principles of stimulus control:
- Wake up at the same time to regulate your circadian rhythm.
This is one of the tricks on how to fall asleep quickly, it is easy to do at home. - Go to bed only when you feel like it. It is important to distinguish between fatigue and drowsiness. Fatigue is a state of low physical and mental activity. But fatigue in and of itself is not a wake-up call.
- Set your sleep time. Stick to the schedule yourself or with the help of special applications. nine0044
- Stay out of bed if you don't plan to sleep. How to fall asleep quickly, and what is the fastest way? Go to bed only when you are drowsy. No need to read, watch TV or eat in bed.
How does sleep restriction work? At first glance, it sounds illogical. In fact, sleep restriction really helps, and there are no questions about how to fall asleep quickly in one minute after a course of cognitive behavioral therapy. But, according to doctors, it is better to practice it under the supervision of a therapist or psychiatrist. Sleep restriction includes several steps:
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First, you analyze your sleep during the week and write down in a diary how much you sleep on average.
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For example, you sleep an average of 6 hours every day. At the same time, you need to get up, for example, at 8 in the morning. It turns out that you should go to bed 6 hours before the time of awakening, namely at 2 o'clock in the morning.
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One week after the start of therapy, add 30 minutes to sleep. That is, during the 2nd week you should fall asleep no longer at 2 am, but at 1:30. nine0005
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At week 3 of therapy, add another 30 minutes and fall asleep at 1 am. Add 30 minutes each week until you reach 8 hours of healthy sleep.
During therapy, the doctor must correct your steps and monitor the dynamics. Remember - the first few weeks you will feel tired.
VIDEO INSTRUCTION: Fall asleep quickly using Dr. Andrew Weil's breathing exercises
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How to fall asleep quickly without drugs and sleep well
Don't know how to fall asleep quickly? Let's talk about the most effective methods!
Do the breathing practice
The most popular technique is called "4-7-8".
The method helps to calm down and relax before going to bed. Don't know how to fall asleep quickly at night - try this fastest way:
- We place the tip of the tongue behind the upper front teeth.
- We exhale air through the mouth and make a whistle. nine0044
- Close your mouth and inhale air through your nose, mentally counting to four.
- We hold our breath and mentally count to seven.
- Open your mouth and exhale quickly, mentally counting to eight.
- Repeat this cycle three more times.
Buy blackout curtains
How to fall asleep quickly during the day? Easy! Replace light tulle with thick blackout curtains. Bright light affects our internal clock, so falling asleep during the day is much more difficult. Draw the thick fabric curtains and keep the sun out of the room. Darkness increases the feeling of drowsiness, as it causes our body to produce melatonin, a hormone necessary for healthy sleep.
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Avoid fast carbohydrates at night
The food you eat in the evening affects sleep. Many studies show that a high-carb, low-fat dinner reduces the quality of sleep. And eating low-carb, high-fat meals in the evening helps you fall asleep. If you suffer from insomnia and you don't know how to fall asleep quickly, review your menu.
Go in for sports
A life hack on how to fall asleep quickly at night without sleeping pills is to go in for sports in the morning, not at the end of the day. Physical activity is very beneficial for healthy sleep. Get regular exercise to increase your serotonin production and lower your cortisol levels. If this becomes a habit, then the question “how to fall asleep quickly in 1 minute” will be a thing of the past. nine0005
Visualize pleasant memories
Instead of thinking about problems and work issues before bed, imagine yourself in a place that makes you happy.
The place can be real or fictional, the main thing is that you must completely immerse yourself in your fantasies, as you immerse yourself in a dream. A simple technique that helps to effectively deal with accumulated fatigue will occupy the mind with good thoughts. Now you know how to fall asleep quickly at night without sleeping pills at home. nine0005
Life hacks for falling asleep quickly
- There are prayers that are read at night to avoid insomnia. We are serious! There is a prayer to fall asleep quickly. Believers believe that it helps in moments of painful reflection and emotional unrest before going to bed. Turning in prayer allows you to find peace of mind.
- The secret technique of falling asleep quickly will help you fall asleep in a couple of minutes. It is designed for American pilots to fall asleep quickly in any position and recover in a short period of time. The basis of this technique is maximum physical relaxation in which you need to turn off all thoughts and not think about anything.
The technique is effective, you can master it after a period of training. nine0044
Evgeniya Bereza
clinical psychologist
“Quiet, full sleep is one of the important signs of a person's mental health. If you toss and turn in your bed for hours, do not understand how to fall asleep quickly, and feel overwhelmed in the morning, this is a reason to contact a psychologist or a somnologist, a specialist dealing with sleep problems.
It is important to analyze in each case what exactly is the cause of insomnia. Without identifying the cause, it is impossible to eliminate the symptom and figure out how to fall asleep quickly. If chronic pains prevent you from falling asleep, and you lie in bed and try to imagine "something pleasant" or read advice about "sports in the morning" - this is unlikely to help you. Therefore, a full and comprehensive examination is necessary. nine0005
If your insomnia has not yet reached catastrophic proportions and is simply the result of an irregular sleep schedule, then self-discipline will help you.
You may have to work with procrastination, or even with perfectionism, when working thoughts do not let you go even before going to bed. You need to learn how to switch your focus of attention, there are many psychological techniques for this, but it is better to contact a specialist so that he will tell in detail how the techniques work to fall asleep quickly. nine0005
There are people who simply cannot fall asleep on an empty stomach, hence those notorious trips to the refrigerator at 12 at night and the rustling of sweets throughout the house. And indeed, many will eat a chocolate bar and fall asleep immediately. But in fact, this is more of a ritual than really helping carbohydrates. This ritual can be successfully replaced with any other. To fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night, try drinking a glass of water and massaging your ears. Why not a sleep habit? You will see that over time, it can crowd out your nightly trip to the refrigerator from your life.
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If you are depressed, you need the help of a specialist, otherwise you most likely will not be able to break this dangerous vicious circle of "insomnia-depression-insomnia" to finally fall asleep quickly. The less you sleep, the more depressive you become, and the less likely you are to recover your sleep. The solution must begin with the elimination of the cause of anxiety, with editing techniques, regular therapy, and only then come to a gradual step-by-step solution to the sleep problem. nine0005
Nowadays, it is very difficult to maintain sleep hygiene, when the only time "for yourself" is exactly the hour before bedtime, when we all get into social networks or read the world news for the day. But if you teach yourself to put your gadgets aside at least 30 minutes before bedtime, set yourself a strict sleep and wake up schedule, and learn two or three relaxing breathing techniques and meditations, then insomnia can recede quite quickly - you will quickly fall asleep, sleep well and get enough sleep.
All the tips and tricks on what to do to fall asleep quickly - from exercising in the morning to changing your diet and giving up coffee - are great. But you need to understand that long-term habits are not so easy to break. Therefore, I strongly recommend not to drag out insomnia to a chronic condition, but to contact a specialist as soon as possible, who will help you form new patterns of behavior, thanks to which you will learn to fall asleep easily and wake up rested.
It is important to remember that a person who does not get enough sleep gets tired faster, is always irritable, gains weight more easily, gets sick more often and after some time is on the verge of a nervous breakdown from lack of sleep. Therefore, you should not take sleep lightly and laugh it off with the phrases "let's sleep in the next world", sleep, like food and water, is a thing of paramount importance for our body. Take care of it right now, without putting off going to the therapist on the back burner, then you won’t have to figure out what to do to fall asleep quickly - sleep will normalize, and health will improve along with it.
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Drugs that help you fall asleep quickly
How to fall asleep quickly in 5 minutes - some people start counting sheep or elephants, and this helps. Some cannot sleep without medication and buy sleeping pills. To fall asleep quickly with sleeping pills, you need to follow the instructions for the drug and take it immediately before bedtime. A doctor must write a prescription for strong sleep medications - you cannot try strong drugs without consulting a specialist, as this can be life-threatening. However, in some cases, the selection of drugs is simply necessary: drugs are needed to quickly fall asleep for both an adult and a teenager. nine0005
Let's talk about the most popular substances in sleeping pills that help you fall asleep quickly.
- Melatonin. When it gets dark outside, the brain releases the hormone melatonin. The hormone regulates the sleep-wake cycle, telling the body that it's time to sleep.
If the brain does not produce enough melatonin, then the person no longer knows how to fall asleep quickly, if you do not want to sleep at all. Sleeping pills containing melatonin come into play. They tend to be most effective for people with sleep disorders, but most often these drugs are sold by prescription only. They are prescribed by doctors in the case when the question is how to fall asleep quickly if you can’t sleep. nine0044 - Valerian root is a fairly common ingredient people use to improve sleep and relieve anxiety. Valerian is available in pharmacies in different formats: tea, capsules, tinctures and tablets. It does not help everyone, but it may turn out to be exactly the remedy that is needed for a child or an adult to fall asleep quickly.
If your doctor has prescribed sleeping pills for you, you need to understand that this is a short-term solution. Although they provide an answer to the question of how to fall asleep quickly, the drugs have not only a positive, but also a negative effect.
Most sleeping pills are addictive and have negative side effects. Here are some of them:
- drowsiness or dizziness during the day;
- confusion;
- memory problems;
- balance problems.
Sleep music for insomnia - how to choose
If you have insomnia, can you do without pills? Of course. One of the successful methods of treatment is music. There are special programs that use music to fall asleep quickly.
Pleasant melodies and sounds affect the nervous system and prepare the body for sleep. Those who listen to 45 minutes of relaxing music before bed fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and wake up less in the middle of the night. Music slows down your heart rate and breathing, lowers your blood pressure, and even relaxes your muscles. Music, in order to fall asleep quickly and sleep peacefully, should be pleasant and quiet. nine0005
Rhythmic or melodic?
When choosing music, you need to consider your personal preferences.
It turns out that there are lullabies not only for babies, although they are a sure and proven way if the question is how to quickly fall asleep to a child. Selected melodies help to cope with insomnia and adults. Favorite and familiar tracks will probably help you relax. But do not forget - melodic pieces are also ideal.
Music to fall asleep quickly can be different. The best is one that matches the rhythm of 60 to 80 beats per minute. Usually these are classical, jazz or folk melodies - the right music will help both a teenager and an adult fall asleep quickly. Quiet and calm music can be muffled all evening to help an adult fall asleep quickly. nine0005
Why insomnia is dangerous
On average, a healthy adult should sleep 7-9 hours a day, and those who wonder how to fall asleep quickly with insomnia and get enough sleep often experience serious lack of sleep. Poor sleep is the cause of many diseases.
