Nowadays, it’s becoming common for people to have a sleeping disorder like insomnia. Most of the time, people experience restless nights either due to tiring routines or sometimes the “what if” situations keep them awake. It keeps going on, minutes turn into hours, and the stress of getting up early the next morning makes it more frustrating.
A good eight hours of sleep is essential for everyone to perform better the following day. Sleeping less than six hours increases the risk of heart diseases and mental issues like anxiety or depression. In this article, we’ll explore the proven ways to fall asleep quickly.
Good Sleep Routine
The ideal way to fall asleep quickly is to have a regular sleeping routine. It involves fixing a proper time to start winding up all the chores and getting yourself prepared for sleep. A good sleep routine can be maintained by changing pre-bed habits, going to bed, and getting up at fixed times.
This routine includes stretching, avoiding drinks, not eating oily or spicy foods hours before sleeping, maintaining the optimal temperature of the room, minimizing noise and light, and lastly ensuring the bed and clothes are comfortable.
The Military Sleep Method
The military sleeping method is proven to help you fall asleep in two minutes. Soldiers have different schedules and stressful environments, but this method is best for falling asleep even in noisy places. The step-by-step process of this method is as follows:
- Lie down, close your eyes, and breathe slowly. Relax your facial muscles, starting from the forehead, then the cheeks, and the chin.
- Now relax your neck muscles, relax your shoulders, and let your arms rest at your sides. Take deep breaths to relax your shoulders and all the way to your fingers.
- Relax your chest and the rest of your torso with slow and deep breathing.
- Relax your legs, one by one, starting with the thigh to your toes, and imagine yourself sinking into the mattress.
- Calm your mind and try to visualize yourself in a relaxing scene.
4-7-8 Breathing Method
It is a simple relaxation method that focuses on breath control. It calms your nervous system to switch off the body’s fight-or-flight response and activate the rest-and-digest mode. This method is proven to help you fall asleep in one minute by relaxing your body and mind. The process involves:
- Exhale the air out of your lungs through your mouth.
- Now inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Exhale slowly from your mouth for 8 seconds.
- Repeat the process four times for a relaxing effect.
Visualization Method
Visualization techniques are a proven way to fall asleep quickly. To stop the unlimited thoughts in the mind and to relax, visualization is an ideal method. Imagine yourself in calm scenery, visualize stress leaving your body with slow, deep breaths, and focus on the details of the calm scene you are in. This allows you to feel more relaxed, reduce stress associated with restless thoughts, and helps you to fall asleep fast.
For more effectiveness, you can add elements of aromatherapy, which involves the smell of essential oils, for a more accurate imagination.