How to Fall Asleep Fast?
Try the Military Method and Snooze in Under 2 Minutes
women following military method, Credits: pexels
The military is known for pushing people to their mental and physical limits, and this technique is no different.
Fortunately, fall a sleep faster you don’t have to be in a bunker for it to work.
Method
Fully relax all your facial muscles, including your jaw, cheeks, eyes, and forehead.
Lower your shoulders as far as you can.
Relax the muscles in your arms, from the top down to your fingertips.
Breathe out, feeling all the other muscles in your body relax, starting with your chest and then down to your legs.
Spend 10 seconds imagining a relaxing scene to clear your mind.
Use The 4-7-8 Breathing Method to Mellow Yourself to Sleep
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You can use it both to relax when you’re feeling anxious and to fall a sleep faster. It’s based on pranayama, a traditional yogic breathing technique.
The counting serves as a distraction from the anxieties at bay , and regulates your oxygen intake. This helps kick your parasympathetic nervous system into gear to chill you out and bring on the calm.
Method
Place your tongue behind your front teeth, resting against the roof of your mouth.
Slowly exhale through your mouth to empty your lungs, and then close your lips together.
Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
Release this breath through your mouth over a count of 8 seconds.
Repeat this cycle at least four times.
If the counts are a bit too long for you to start with, make them slightly shorter and build up. After all, the aim is to be relaxed, not gasping for air.
Imagery Distraction Technique
a man in a beautiful place, Credits: pexels
Your mind often replays those anxiety-inducing moments from earlier that day just as you’re trying to doze off. With the “imagery distraction” technique, you can create positive vibes only situation.
The concept here is that if you let your imagination run wild, your brain will be distracted from those worries.
Method
Think of a scene or memory that makes you truly happy and calm. Maybe you’re on vacation, exploring your favorite destination.
Start focusing in on it.
Consider the smells around you — freshly baked cake, flowers
Focus on the details and feel the nuances. Might be hard initially but you will get the hang of it eventually.
Listen to Soothing Music
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A variety of research shows that listening to certain music, especially classical, can improve sleep quality and help people fall a sleep faster.
If classical music really isn’t your jam, don’t panic: You can find a whole list of contemporary songs online. So pick your favorite music and sleep your night away!
Choose Your Left Side for Happier Digestion
man sleeping on left side, Credits: pexels
Sleeping on your left side it thought to help with digestion by taking advantage of gravity to help food move through the different sections of your colon. Since there’s evidence that digestive issues and sleep are related, this might make your body happy and more able to find sleep.
A great way to get into the groove of side sleeping is to hug a pillow.
Follow These Good Bedtime Habits
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Switch off all screens- phone, laptop
Do bedtime yoga regularly. It can improve your sleep and help if you’re feeling stressed or anxious.
Writing down your worries in a journal just before sleeping is also proven to help you get to fall a sleep faster.
Take a warm bath or shower
Skip the coffee and sugary foods 6 hours before bedtime.
Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
women relaxing, Credits: pexels
A relaxation technique based on tensing specific muscle groups throughout your body.
Dr. Edmund Jacobson developed PMR in the 1920s as a way to help his patients manage anxiety. He theorized that by physically tensing and then relaxing their muscles, people would at the same time relax their minds
The method is widely used and often paired with other meditation techniques, like breath work and visualization.
How to do it
Contract the muscles in your feet. Try curling your toes and the soles of your feet.
Inhale deeply and hold both your tensed muscles and breath for between 5 and 10 seconds.
Exhale all at once while quickly releasing the muscles. Imagine the tension flowing out.
Rest for about 20 seconds before moving on to your calves, and so on with each area of muscles up your body.
This isn’t necessarily the quickest option, since it will take up to a half-hour once you’ve worked on a variety of muscles. But research shows it can be especially helpful when you’re all wound up with anxiety and can improve overall sleep quality.
Use These Products to Enhance Sleep Quality
women with eye mask, Credits: pexels
White noise machine. It’s proven to encourage higher quality sleep.
Cozy socks. Wearing them to bed can reduce the time it takes to nod off by almost 8 minutes.
Essential oil diffuser. Lavender and citrus oils, specifically, have a sedative effect, promoting deeper sleep.
Eye mask. Total darkness encourages the production of melatonin.
Weighted blanket. The pressure of these blankets (ideally weighing between 5 and 30 pounds) helps relax the nervous system. They were developed to help calm people with autism and sensory disorders.