The most prevalent sleep disturbance, insomnia, is reported by up to 30% of individuals as a short-term problem. However, if you've been lying awake at night wondering how to get to sleep quickly, it can be having a bigger impact on you than you think.
In addition to being irritating, difficulty falling asleep can also make it more difficult in the future due to anxiousness. How can this domino effect be stopped in order to get some sleep?
1. Use the military approach
The military method is a technique that emphasizes deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and mental imagery. Here is a quick sleep technique used by the military.
Take a seat on your bed.
starting with your face, contract your muscles, then let them relax as you inhale deeply and slowly.
Continue doing this down your body until you are at peace.
Be mindful of this. Then, visualize a quiet scene, such as reclining down in a boat on a placid lake or slowly swaying back and forth in a pitch-black room.
If it doesn't work, tell yourself again for 10 seconds, "don't think," and then try again.
Don't give up if you have problems emptying your thoughts straight away; the military approach becomes easier with practice. This method should enable you to fall asleep faster and faster over time.
2. Employ the 4-7-8 Technique
Using the 4-7-8 approach, you concentrate on counting to get distracted from anxious sensations. Here's how to use the 4-7-8 approach to fall asleep more quickly.
Relax your tongue and place it on the roof of your mouth when you are lying in bed.
Exhale slowly through your lips, being sure to thoroughly empty them.
Inhale for four seconds via your nose.
Seven seconds are spent holding your breath.
Spend eight seconds exhaling.
Do this at least four times more.
The traditional yoga technique of pranayama is the foundation of the 4-7-8 method. According to research, pranayama can reduce anxiety and put you into a tranquil condition, which can speed up your ability to fall asleep.
3. Attempt to keep awake
Unexpectedly, striving to stay awake is a tactic for trying to fall asleep quickly. Although staying up late isn't ideal, with an unscheduled all-nighter you won't get any more sleep if you worry about it. Contrary to popular belief, striving to remain awake might actually help you feel less anxious about trying to sleep.
When doing this, try not to check your phone or turn on any bright lights. Instead, attempt:
consuming water
Using ambient illumination while reading a book
Challenge yourself to maintain awareness (in your dark bedroom)
Taking your thoughts away from the current work might offer your brain the break it requires for you to quit counting sheep because falling asleep is an instinctive process.
4. Diminish Your Technology
Picture of a phone perched on some pillows
Nowadays, using the internet before bed is more of a given than a question because of how commonplace contemporary technology is. though it It might be difficult to put your technology away, but staring at a screen right before bed can make it harder to sleep.
Many electronic gadgets create a blue light that mimics sunshine; although this is useful before your morning coffee, it can be detrimental to your ability to fall asleep.
Consider turning down your technology if you can't entirely put your devices away for an hour before bed. Reduce your screen time by:
- Taking in music
- Listening to a soothing podcast
- playing a recorded book
Check your device's settings to check if there is a night mode if you find it difficult to put the screen away at night. Typically, this will warm up the colors on the screen and lessen the negative effects of blue light on sleep.
5. Don't Stress If You Don't Sleep Right Away
Can you really fall asleep in under five minutes? Many individuals make the error of attempting to nod off nearly immediately, but getting from being fully awake to dozing off isn't always as simple as switching a switch.
Instead, begin to unwind around an hour prior to the night. Establish your bedroom gradually to promote sleep by doing the following:
- turning down the lights
- calming down your body
- cooling down the bedroom
- playing background music