Ways to fall asleep faster

Banner vector created by macrovector – www.freepik.com

Go to bed early but can't sleep for a long time? Spinning and sorting through a bunch of thoughts, but do not sleep? The article contains some recommendations that will help change the situation. But note that if you experience prolonged sleep problems, you need to seek qualified help from doctors!

 

Why sleep is important

What can lack of sleep lead to? Fatigue, weakness, feeling of lack of sleep, bad mood, anxiety, heart palpitations, sweating, impaired memory and attentiveness, decreased performance – and this is an incomplete list of possible consequences. Doctors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine also note that chronic lack of sleep is associated with impaired cognitive processes, dementia and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

The consequences of not getting even a few hours of sleep can be very serious. Studies show that this can lead to cravings for foods high in carbohydrates and sugar. An experiment was also conducted, during which it was determined that sleepy drivers who had not slept for 18 hours drove the car as if they were drinking alcohol.

Ways to fall asleep faster

Star vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com

 

How to fall asleep faster

1. Do a 60-minute "slowdown"

All day long we are in motion, we work physically and mentally, we perform many actions. Therefore, a sharp drop to a calm “night mode” is quite rough on your brain and body. Trying to sleep without switching is wrong. Therefore, do not work or engage in physical activity when there is one hour left before bedtime. Drop your worries, relax, meditate, get ready for bed.

 

2. Don't go to bed until you feel sleepy

This can be difficult, since it is also a matter of a well-established day and sleep pattern. But going to bed an hour earlier than usual in order to fall asleep just in time is not the best strategy. Especially if you are still full of energy at such a time. Neither the body nor the brain will be ready to sleep, which means that it will be very difficult to fall asleep.

 

3. Take a warm bath or shower

At first glance, this method may seem pointless. But according to doctors from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, physiologically it really works, and allows you to not just relieve tension after daytime activity. After warm water treatments, body temperature drops, which causes a feeling of drowsiness due to a slowdown in heart rate, digestion and other metabolic processes.

Ways to fall asleep faster

Hand vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com

 

4. Practice relaxation techniques throughout the day, not just at night

Meditation, visualization or muscle relaxation will help you relax. But do not wait until night falls, you can and should apply them during the day. And not only when something bothers you. So you will learn to manage your states and apply practices effectively, including before bedtime.

 

5. Use Breathing Exercises

Falling asleep, we often spin for a long time, trying to find the most comfortable position. But it is better to focus not on finding the most comfortable position, but on the technique of correct breathing. By consciously changing the patterns of inhalation and exhalation, you can change your heart rate and blood pressure, which are systems associated with sleepiness. Many experts recommend taking a deep breath through the nose, feeling the gradual movement of air from the larynx into the lungs (for 3-5 seconds), and then exhaling through the mouth 2 times slower.

There are many such exercises. For example, "method 4-7-8". The breath should last 4 seconds, then you should hold your breath for 7 and exhale the air in 8 seconds. Of course, it is not necessary to mark the time on a stopwatch, literally following the technique – counting in the mind is enough. While inhaling, you need to try to feel the air in the lower abdomen.

Another piece of advice comes from Patrick Jane, the protagonist of the hit series The Mentalist. In one episode, he recommended a very simple way to help you fall asleep easier. The technique is as follows: mentally pronounce “one” while inhaling, “two” while exhaling. At the same time, you need to fully concentrate on breathing and counting, driving away any thoughts with an effort of will.

 

6. Manage your thoughts

The idea is to focus your attention on something that will replace the anxious thoughts and worries that keep you awake. The easiest option is a monotonous mental count or the notorious counting of sheep.

A more complex but effective technique is a variant of meditation. Lie down comfortably, close your eyes and relax. Start visualizing scenes from memory (preferably real ones, but you can also create specially created ones) that calm you down. It can be a coniferous forest above the river in the village where you went to visit your grandparents as a child. Fresh, pine-scented air, the quiet sound of splashing water, birds singing, summer... Or a cozy room in the house where you grew up, an armchair, a blanket, an old favorite book with a characteristic smell of pages. It is important that it is really something individual, associated with the necessary emotional states – relaxation, peace, peace, security. All the details are important – put yourself mentally in that situation and be in it completely. No other thoughts should arise.

Ways to fall asleep faster

Background vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com

Source: 4brain.ru