How to Fall Asleep Faster: 6 Easy Tips Backed by Science

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for overall health and well-being, yet many of us struggle with falling asleep. Whether it’s due to stress, poor sleep habits, or even an overactive mind, the inability to fall asleep quickly can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are scientifically backed strategies that you can incorporate into your bedtime routine to help you fall asleep faster.

Understanding Sleep and Its Importance

Before diving into tips, let’s first understand why sleep is so crucial. During sleep, your body performs several vital functions, including repairing tissues, consolidating memories, and regulating hormone levels. The average adult needs between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but sleep quality is just as important as the amount of sleep you get. When your sleep patterns are disrupted, it can affect both the quality of your sleep and your ability to fall asleep.

One of the primary reasons we struggle with falling asleep is due to the disruption of our circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock. This clock is influenced by external factors such as light, temperature, and activities we engage in before bed. When our circadian rhythm is out of sync, it can lead to difficulties falling asleep, waking up during the night, or feeling unrested even after hours of sleep.

Our first sleep tip to fall asleep faster is probably the most overlooked and underrated:

1. Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule

One of the most effective ways to fall asleep faster is to align your sleep-wake cycle with your circadian rhythm. A consistent sleep schedule reinforces your body’s natural rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up at the right times.

Studies show that maintaining regular sleep and wake times, even on weekends, can improve sleep quality and make falling asleep quicker. A study on circadian rhythm disruptions found that an inconsistent sleep routine could affect both the ability to fall asleep and to stay asleep.  Aim for a bedtime and wake-up time that allows you to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep and try to stick to it every day.

Additional Practices to Help You Fall Asleep Faster

2. Practice the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique

One of the most effective ways to prepare your body for sleep is through relaxation techniques. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a simple exercise that helps calm the nervous system and reduce stress, making it easier to fall asleep.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
2. Inhale quietly through your nose with your mouth closed for a count of four.
3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
4. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, making another whoosh sound at a count of eight.
5. Repeat this cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
   

The rhythm of this breathing pattern helps lower heart rate and relax the body, signaling to your brain that it’s time to wind down. It’s not necessarily 4, 7 and 8 seconds – it is more important to maintain the 4:7:8 ratio.  This technique was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, a pioneer in integrative medicine, and has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and sleep.  

3. Limit Blue Light Exposure Before Bed

Blue light from screens—such as smartphones, laptops, and TVs—has been shown to suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. This disruption can delay sleep and some people are more sensitive to blue light exposure than others.

Research suggests that limiting screen time at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed can significantly improve sleep quality. One study found that exposure to blue light in the evening suppresses melatonin secretion, delaying sleep. The results of another study link blue light exposure to reduced sleep quality by reducing the ratio of deep sleep. If you must use your devices, consider using a blue light filter or wearing blue light-blocking glasses to reduce the impact on your circadian rhythm.

Read also: The Importance of our circadian rhythm

4. Create a Relaxing Pre-Sleep Routine

A bedtime routine that signals to your brain that it’s time to unwind can help you transition from the busyness of the day to a restful state that can initiate faster sleep onset. Activities like reading, listening to music, taking a warm bath, or practicing gentle stretching and meditation can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for promoting relaxation.

Establishing a relaxing pre-sleep routine helps signal to the brain that it is time to wind down and sleep. By creating a consistent pre-sleep routine, you condition your body to know that it is time to relax, making it easier to drift off when your head hits the pillow.

5. Optimize Your Sleep Environment

Your bedroom environment plays a huge role in how quickly you fall asleep. Research suggests that factors like room temperature, light levels, and noise can significantly affect your ability to sleep.

• Ideal Temperature: The optimal sleep environment should be cool. Most studies suggest a temperature of around 65°F (18°C) is ideal for promoting deeper sleep.
• Darkness: Light inhibits the release of melatonin, so try to make your room as dark as possible. Consider using blackout curtains or an eye mask.
• Noise: For many, silence is key, so if you live in a noisy area, white noise or earplugs might help block out disturbances.

By adjusting your bedroom to suit your sleep needs, you can create an environment that encourages faster, more restful sleep.

Read also: 12 Tips on how to fall asleep right now

6. Be Mindful of What you Eat and Drink

What you eat and drink in the hours before bedtime can either help or hinder your ability to fall asleep. Two common culprits are caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate, etc.) is a stimulant that can keep you awake. Due to it’s long half-life, it can be difficult to predict the impact caffeine can have on your sleep. For some, caffeine can stay in your system for up to 8 hours.  It may take some trial and error to determine your caffeine cut-off time for it not to impact your nighttime sleep. Alcohol may initially make you feel drowsy, but it can disrupt your sleep cycle later in the night resulting in poor quality sleep that leaves you feeling tired in the morning.

On the other hand, foods high in magnesium (such as leafy greens, nuts, and seeds) and tryptophan-rich foods (like turkey, nuts, and bananas) can promote the production of serotonin and melatonin, which help to regulate your sleep.  Supplementing your diet with magnesium may improve sleep quality, particularly in individuals with insomnia.

Conclusion

Falling asleep faster isn’t always easy, but adopting the right habits and environment can help tremendously. By using scientifically backed strategies such as establishing a consistent and calming bedtime routine, practicing deep breathing, limiting screen time, optimizing your sleep environment, and paying attention to your diet, you can improve your ability to fall asleep quickly and enjoy deeper, more restorative sleep. Start with one or two of these tips tonight, enjoy a better night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed!