Tips to fall asleep faster and stop rolling around in bed

Here’s some food for your thoughts: have you noticed that, in order to fall asleep, we need to pretend to be sleeping? It turns out that the time that passes between turning off the lights and actually falling asleep can start to get longer and longer. That is why so many people come to the Persono Blog looking for tips to sleep faster.

This is one of the most repeated request from our followers. And now your time has come!

First of all, get to know about sleep latency

Sleep latency is the time it takes for a person to fall asleep – the time between turning off the lights and falling asleep. 

Among experts, there is a consensus that this time should be less than 30 minutes. This is so important that sleep latency is considered one of the biggest indicators of sleep quality. 

The idea is that if sleep takes a while, the person should get up and go do another quiet activity until the urge to go to bed returns. Rolling on the mattress indefinitely can increase bedtime anxiety, which ends up hampering rest even more.

But, on the other hand, falling asleep too quickly is not necessarily a good sign. If this happens rather frequently, it could point to a type of hypersomnia disorder, such as narcolepsy. 

Tips for falling asleep faster tonight

As sleep can’t wait, the tips you will read below are focused on helping you rest today. We want you to be able to sleep faster tonight.

As always, Persono’s tips are based on science, ok?

1. Bet on the natural power of passion fruit

Is it stress that keeps you from sleeping? Passiflora (passion fruit) tea is a great ally of quality sleep. And no, you don’t need to have it hot (something unthinkable on hot days).

Extracts obtained from Passiflora incarnata are considered sleep-inducing – they increase the duration of time asleep and deep sleep (non-REM 3). This, together with the plant’s soothing capacity, makes it perfect for those who want to fall asleep faster.

Other infusions that also help with falling asleep are lemon balm tea, Erythrina mulungu tea and valerian tea.

2. Wear socks in winter and cool your feet in summer to fall asleep faster

This one is worth knowing about when temperature is your enemy.

In winter, wearing socks or going to bed with a hot water bottle on your feet increases vasodilation, which in turn lets the brain know that it’s time to sleep.

In summer, cooling the lower limbs helps control body temperature and induces sleep more quickly, as we naturally get colder in preparation for sleep. 

3. Practice relaxation

Falling asleep when you are stressed is much more difficult. Luckily for us, there is no shortage of breathing techniques or guided meditation options which help you fall asleep faster, slowing down thinking and bringing the brain to a point of quietness that allows you to rest. 

4. Aromatherapy

The aroma of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is scientifically proven to be an ally in the treatment of insomnia and in improving sleep quality.

Scents like chamomile, bergamot, ylang ylang, basil, juniper and sweet marjoram also have effects for a good night’s sleep.

5. Use the light to your advantage

Light is only the enemy of sleep if used at night. Sunbathing, preferably in the morning, helps regulate melatonin production, helping you fall asleep faster and better.

At night, fully disconnect from electronics and dim the lights to a minimum at least half an hour before going to bed. This will help release the sleep hormone, which is triggered by darkness.

6. Don’t keep watching the clock

This works both at the beginning of the night and when you wake up in the early hours.

Obsessively controlling how long it takes you to sleep, or checking the clock every minute, only increases nighttime anxiety and disrupts sleep. Scientifically proven.

7. Keep an eye on what you eat and drink, especially at night

You can’t go to sleep fast when you drink coffee at night or have a very heavy dinner. 

While caffeine and sugar are stimulants that keep you from sleeping, heavy (greasy, spicy and seasoned, among others) foods have a slower digestion, which makes it difficult for the body to lose temperature before sleep. 

Tip: Alcoholic drinks don’t help you sleep, contrary to what many people believe. They are sedatives, but sleep and sedation are not the same thing.

8. Practice positive visualization to fall asleep faster

Positive visualization is projecting fun and happy memories in your head when you lie down, remembering moments and places that make you feel good. This relaxes and calms the mind.

This active positivity hampers intrusive thoughts of worry and trouble, which are why many people struggle to fall asleep. It even works for people with chronic sleep problems.

9. Avoid napping as much as possible

People who take too many naps or nap for too long have a much lower quality of sleep than those who don’t.

If sleepiness and tiredness get the better of you and siesta is unavoidable, remember the perfect nap rules: no more than 30 minutes (including an alarm), during the day (as early as possible) and in a silent environment.

10. Have a routine and regularity at bedtime to fall asleep faster

We said that we would share tips for you to sleep well today, but we have to include this one as well. Having a routine for sleeping time, called sleep hygiene, gradually ‘teaches’ your brain when it’s time to start relaxing and getting ready for bed.

The more used it gets, the faster you fall asleep. It’s like training for a sport, which requires time, patience and dedication, but little by little it starts to bring results. Just as a football player trains his penalty shootout, you can train your sleep. 

Good night. Quickly!

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