How To Fall Asleep Quickly

We’ve all been there; tossing and turning, revisiting all the mistakes we made throughout the day, putting together our mental checklist for tomorrow, and constantly checking the time and thinking, “If I fall asleep now, I’ll get 7 hours sleep.”

Now 6.

Now 5.

Falling asleep can be challenging, even in the best of circumstances. If you’re wondering how to fall asleep instantly, or just how to make yourself fall asleep in general, you’re not alone, and there are a few things you can do to help get your head in the game when it comes to bedtime.

Your Bed

One of most important aspects of being able to fall asleep faster is your bed. Mattress brand aside (though we may be partial), you want to make sure you’re creating the most welcoming sleep experience for yourself. Choosing the right accessories for your bed is the best way to accomplish this.

Sheets: First, you’ll want to look for cool, well-fitting sheets. For maximum breathability, go with lower thread count sheets made from natural fibers. Cotton blends like percale or jersey sheets are usually great options to get the maximum breathability while you sleep. If loose sheets are a distraction—no one likes to get up to fix their sheets in the middle of the night—you can also look into sheet fasteners to help keep everything in place.

Pillow: Next, find a pillow that best suits your personal sleeping habits. Typically, back and stomach sleepers will need a thinner pillow, while side sleepers tend to do better with firmer pillows. You don’t want to spend precious moments wrestling a pillow into the right shape.

Your Bedroom

Another important aspect of falling asleep quickly is the atmosphere in your bedroom. Some sleepers are easily distracted by any sort of light, so black-out shades can be a life-saver when it comes to bedtime. Plus, these can help keep your room cool!

Pro tip: if your room is too dark to see that pile of clothes in the corner you still haven’t gotten to, you’ll feel much more relaxed as your head hits the pillow.

While some people need absolute silence, others can actually be distracted by the absence of sound. Keeping a fan near your bed can add a soothing hum while keeping air moving. However, a lot of people use white noise machines, or apps on their phones, with different options for background sounds to help them fall asleep faster. Whether your style is rhythmic ocean waves or a consistent purr, there is something out there for you.

Your Routine

The more and more our devices become part of our lives, the bigger impact they have when it comes to how to fall asleep fast. Whether it’s your phone, Kindle®, laptop, or TV, the bright lights from your electronic devices can be disrupting. Try to limit your use in the hour before you go to bed to help you relax.

Good old fashioned physical book reading, about an hour before you want to fall asleep, can help make you feel drowsy. Just make sure to choose a book that isn’t too exciting; save the page-turning thrillers for earlier in the day. This is a really good opportunity to catch up on your educational reading, or to read one of your old favorites again.

A work favorite around our office is Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit Of Less by Greg McKeown. It’s just the right mix of interesting enough to read, but not so exciting that you’ll accidentally stay up all night reading it.

Your Mind

The last aspect of being able to fall asleep quickly is your personal comfort and mind set. In order to get to a calmed mental state, a warm shower or bath can help rinse off the day and slow your thoughts down.

Guided meditation can also help quiet the mind. If you’re not so great at relaxing and focusing on your own, use a guided meditation app to help achieve the peace of mind you’re looking for. The effects of taking just ten minutes to meditate can translate directly to your ability to fall asleep.

By now you should be ready to implement some of these tips on comfort, atmosphere, and mind set, and are ready to fall asleep fast. Don’t forget to do your research on what kind of pillow will work best for you, and please feel free to reach out to our team for additional insight on how to achieve your best sleep.