6 Ways To Help You Fall Asleep Faster

Most people are extremely grateful when they are able to fall asleep shortly after their head hits the pillow. But the reality is, many of us struggle to get off to sleep without tossing and turning. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help you to get to sleep without having to lie in bed for too long.

1. Darkness Before Bed: Our bodies react to bright light and darkness differently by orchestrating functions within our bodies to prepare for rest or activity. When in darkness, our bodies get the signal that it must be night time, and we begin to release hormones such as melatonin that promote tiredness. Dimming or turning lights off completely before you are ready to go to bed can help give your body the signal that it’s time for sleep.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: The desire to stretch before you get into bed is your body’s way of gently relaxing the muscles. You can practice these progressive muscle loosening techniques by tensing and releasing muscle groups for about 5 seconds at a time and then releasing and resting for 30 seconds.

3. Breathing Exercises: Slow, light and deep nasal breathing can have profound effects on the way we feel. Breathing techniques can lower blood pressure and slow heart rate; effects that are beneficial to sleep onset. Particular attention has been paid to a breathing technique called 4-7-8 breathing. This technique involved breathing in through your nose for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds, and slowly exhaling through your nose for 8 seconds. This practice can make it much easier to ease off to sleep.

4. Mindset: Having gratitude and an optimistic outlook have both been correlated with better sleep. Whilst this relationship is complicated and not always something that can be assessed objectively, it does appear that positive changes in sleep quality occur in those who are more positive and express more gratitude.

5. Warm Bath/Shower Before Bed: During sleep, our bodies need to cool down about 1 degree Celsius for optimal rest. To help this process along before we get into bed, warming the body pulls your blood to the surface where it then loses heat readily. This can help facilitate faster sleep onset.

6. Seek Medical Attention: If you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or constantly feel tired when awake, you may have a sleep disorder. If you suspect this may be you, you should seek the advice of your family doctor and/or a sleep specialist. They can help make a clinical determination as to whether common sleep disorders such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea or restless legs syndrome are present. They will generally recommend having a sleep study, where wires will be attached to your body, and the signals monitored during your sleep. Sleep studies can determine the presence of a sleep disorder, which will then provide guidance on treatment options. For example, a common sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea, will often be treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS), positional sleep devices and/or weight loss.

Using these tips can help you fall asleep faster and get more rest. With more information about the importance of sleep coming to light, these tips may be an important key to boosting your general wellbeing.

Sove CPAP Clinic is a leading, independent and comprehensive provider of Respiratory & Sleep Disorder services with a network of clinics nationwide. We provide eligible patients with access to bulk billed sleep studies, Respiratory/Sleep specialist consultations and sleep apnoea treatment services.*

Speak with your doctor or contact Sove CPAP Clinic on 1300 76 29 39 or email info@thecpapclinic.com.au . * Medicare criteria apply