Nothing is worse than being very tired but being unable to go to sleep. You just find yourself lying there, wide awake, knowing you need to go to sleep but unable to. This time is referred to as sleep latency. Those with longer sleep latency may have  trouble getting the adequate amount of sleep that they need. Longer sleep latency can be seen in those with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and any other disorder that can impact one's ability to get good sleep.  Continue reading to find out how to go to sleep quickly.

How falling asleep works

As we go through our day, we naturally get more tired. We have a sleep drive that builds up the longer that we are awake so by the end of the day our sleep drive, or sleep pressure, is high. The higher the sleep pressure is, the faster we will go to sleep. There is also an internal sleep rhythm, or our circadian rhythm. The rhythm varies from person to person and represents the time when our body and mind start relaxing and winding down for the day. This internal rhythm influences when we go to sleep.

Some individuals may experience this earlier in the evening, and are known as morning birds because they go to sleep early and wake up early. Others may feel this pull to go to sleep later in the evening, and are known as night owls because they go to sleep later and wake up later.

The circadian rhythm is mostly influenced by genetics, as well as behavior and environment. Light exposure is the single greatest determinant of our circadian rhythm, and determines how quickly we are able to fall asleep and wake up.

How long should it take to fall asleep?

When you lie down in bed, chances are you won't fall asleep quickly or right away. You have to be really tired in order to close your eyes and instantly fall asleep. If you do go to sleep very quickly, then either you have really high sleep pressure and/or, you are most likely sleep deprived.  However, if you do not have any sleep issues, then, like most people, you will fall asleep within 10 to 20 minutes. If it takes you 45 minutes to fall asleep, and that's normal for you it's not necessarily a problem. 

If we don't get enough sleep in one day, then naturally we try to get even more sleep the next day. This may not always be the best move because it won't make us fall asleep any faster. After we have had a lot of sleep deprivation, then we may be more inclined to have more caffeine or take naps.

But this goes against building up our sleep pressure and helping us fall asleep quickly the following night. So, if you do have a night where you do not get the adequate amount of sleep that you need (7 to 8 hours of sleep) then that does not mean the next day you do whatever necessary to try and stay awake. Try to maintain your normal routine, and get into bed slightly earlier to try and balance out the two evenings of sleep.

How you can begin falling asleep faster

Don't overthink sleep

One way that you will ruin your ability to fall asleep is by overthinking going to sleep. If you want to go to sleep fast, then you can all put a lot of pressure on yourself to fall asleep fast. This will just be counterproductive towards your sleep afterwards. You shouldn't think about sleep at all if sleep is something that you would like to do.

You just have to listen to your mind and body, because they will tell you when they are tired and would like for you to beginning going to bed. Now it's important that once you received the signs, that you proceed accordingly, instead of trying to bite through them and stay awake. This can send mixed signals to your brain where feelings of tiredness do not immediately lead to sleep, which can make it very difficult to fall asleep. 

Keep a regular schedule

Toddlers are not the only ones who need to be sleep trained. Everyone needs a sleep routine because it helps your brain recognize when it is time to go to bed because you do similar activities every single day leading up to bedtime. In addition to doing the same thing every day, you should be doing activities that help induce relaxation. This includes reading a book, taking a bath, spending time with family, having a nice cup of relaxing decaffeinated tea, and anything else that you can do to help feel relaxed.

Getting out of bed in the morning is important too, especially on the heels of the pandemic. So many schedules were interrupted and moved into just one environment, that it became very common to stay in bed later and increasingly throughout the day. However the only thing that your bed should be used for is sleeping in sex.

Any other activities can negatively impact your brain's ability to associate being in the bed with going to sleep. If you work in the bed, then your brain thinks that it needs to turn on and get ready to work every time you get in the bed. If you just relax in bed without falling asleep, then your brain thinks that it's time to just hang out but not necessarily that it's time to go to sleep. Associations and your brain are very important.

Be mindful of screen time

All electronics with an LED screen can affect the time that you spend sleeping. Also, what you are watching can also impact your sleeping ability. Content can lead to feelings of anxiety, fear, disturbances, and other negative feelings that are antagonistic towards sleep. Anything that activates the brain as it is time to go to bed can prolong sleep onset.

One way to combat these disturbances is to put your devices down in about an hour or two before going to sleep. Also, if you can turn on a setting that reduces the amount of blue lights that are emitted from the screen, this can also help with sleep. Blue light can reduce the release of melatonin in the brain which is responsible for telling the rest of your bed that it is time to go to sleep. Therefore, it should be avoided before bed when you need that release of melatonin in order to go to bed.

Reduce your stress

Stress and anxiety are major causes of sleep onset delay. Using relaxation techniques is a good way to help you wind down before bed. Mindfulness meditation, for example, can improve sleep quality in decrease daytime disturbances and those with chronic insomnia. There are other types of meditation or relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery.

These two exercises can relax the mind and create an environment, mentally, that is more conducive to falling asleep. If meditation is not your thing, then also playing some type of music can be a good distraction that can help you fall asleep. Something that is soothing and relaxing, and does not over stimulate the brain is be perfect background noise to help you fall asleep.

Be mindful of your diet

What you eat can impact your ability to go to sleep. Certain foods can impact our Sleep Quality and sleep duration. For example, spicy foods can make conditions such as heartburn worse oh, and would be a bad choice of food to eat late at night. Dairy products can also cause some intestinal disturbances that can make sweet very difficult and uncomfortable. 

Caffeine and high sugary foods and drinks are also substances that can be counterproductive towards sleep afterwards. Caffeine is found in coffee and chocolate and is specifically used to help keep people awake. It takes a long time for caffeine to exit the body, so most people should avoid it going into the early afternoon if they are hoping to fall asleep quickly.

Although there is quite the list of items to avoid before bed, there are actually some really good foods and drinks that you can enjoy before bed that can help you go to bed early. Eating more plants, fiber, and foods that are rich in unsaturated fats and proteins can curb your appetite, regulate your blood sugar throughout the night, and reduce inflammation while also ensuring that you are getting adequate nutrition.

Alcohol can also be disruptive towards sleep, even though after drinking it, it seems as if it is helping you fall asleep. It actually is disrupting your sleep architecture as alcohol inhibits the ability to enter rapid eye movement sleep (REM).

Try melatonin or sleep aids

Melatonin is a light-sensitive hormone that is released by the pineal gland in the brain after the retina of the eye senses low light. Exposure to light, such as the sun rising in the morning, turns off the release of melatonin and induces the release of cortisol, the stress hormone that is the first thing released in the morning. Your body naturally makes melatonin, but sometimes it does not make enough, and you need a little extra boost.

This is where melatonin supplements can be a very helpful sleep aid that can reduce sleep latency. It is a great option for people with delayed circadian rhythms, or night owls, but it should be used in moderation. Also it should be used in conjunction with positive sleep hygiene behaviors, because melatonin cannot help with poor sleep hygiene.

Before starting anything, it is important that you speak with your physician to make sure that melatonin treatment is appropriate for you and figure out which supplement Brands they suggest.

Melatonin is not a regulated hormone, therefore it is important to choose a melatonin brand that is regulated by some agency. This will help ensure dosing accuracy as well as any sort of accountability to make sure that you are actually taking what it is that you need.

If all of these tips have failed to help you get better sleep, then it may be time to just talk with a sleep health professional. Please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep health quiz, and speak with a sleep health professional at our facility.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-fall-asleep-fast/