A Proven Technique to Fall Asleep Faster: An Expert's Guide
Do you know someone who falls asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow? I think we all have a friend like that, and it used to really frustrate me until I learned this technique of how to fall asleep fast. In this video, I'm not just going to tell you; I'm going to get into bed and show you exactly what you can do to fall asleep quicker than ever.
Since I started doing these techniques, the time it takes me to fall asleep, and just about everyone who I've taught these techniques to, they now fall asleep within no time. My name is Sarah Jeffries; I'm a registered nurse with experience in clinical education and sleep therapy. Make sure you subscribe to this channel for more videos like this.
The US Army's Sleep Technique
So you want to learn how to fall asleep in just a few minutes? Well, this sleep technique we're going to go over was reportedly developed by US Army chiefs to help their soldiers fall asleep faster and be more alert the next day. But before I teach you the technique, I just want to say make sure you watch to the end because I'm also going to include six of my top tips that everyone should be doing before going to bed. If you mix these tips with the technique, the results will not only help you fall asleep in no time but will also keep you in a deep sleep for the rest of the night.
I like to break down this physical relaxation to sleep faster technique into two sections: there's the physical side and the mental relaxation.
Physical Relaxation: The First Step to Falling Asleep
Let's begin with the physical relaxation.
Step number one: When you're in bed, close your eyes and focus on relaxing your face. Relax the muscles in your jaw, relax the muscles in your tongue, relax the muscles around your eyes.
Step number two: Take two deep breaths with a slow exhale. Then, relax your shoulders as far down as they'll go, followed by relaxing your arms on both sides, doing one side at a time.
Step number three: Take two deep breaths with a slow exhale and relax your chest, followed by your legs, working from your thighs going downwards.
So, we've now relaxed the entire body.
Mental Relaxation: Clearing Your Mind for Sleep
Now that your body's relaxed, what about your mind? You're probably having a lot of thoughts, and your brain may be working really fast, and that's going to stop you from sleeping. So the next step is mind relaxation.
Step number four: Clear your mind of everything. Don't think about anything that's happened in the day; think about right now. I know that's easier said than done, but what I try and do is just think about nothing. That's the most challenging part of the technique. Every time a thought pops into your head, get rid of it and try and do this for around 30 seconds.
Step number five: Now that your mind is cleared, you can begin thinking of nice, clear thoughts. There are three that you can choose from. The first one is lying in a canoe in a nice calm lake, and there's nothing but blue skies above you. The second thought you can try is that you're in a pitch black room, a nice relaxing black velvet hammock that you're lying in. If that doesn't work for you, go back to step number four and try not to think of anything. Keep repeating in your head, "don't think of anything, don't think of anything," over and over again for about 30 seconds. The whole point of these is to keep your mind clear of everything else. So if you get a thought that pops into your head, squash it into a little ball and throw it away.
I want you to know that these proven sleep techniques do take practice. It might not work the first time or the fifth time, but like anything in life, the more you do it, the better that you'll get. Please just dedicate some time to learning this and keep practicing it, and I guarantee you'll thank me.
6 Tips on Falling Asleep Faster (Plus a Bonus!)
Now I want to go through six of my top tips and one bonus tip that everybody should be doing before going to bed, whether you sleep good or not. Like I said at the start, if you mix these two together, the results should be pretty brilliant. Before I give you these game-changing tips, let me know how you get on with all of these techniques by leaving a comment down below, and also if you've got your own tips, if you want to share them, I'd love to read.
Tip number one: Have a regular sleep cycle. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. You might feel tired at first, but believe me, our bodies love a cycle, and this really helps in the long run.
Tip number two: Blue lights before bedtime. Don't watch TV or go on your phone or go on any devices that produce blue light, as this reduces the melatonin which our bodies naturally make. We need more of it to help us get to sleep. If you need to be on a screen, you can invest in some blue light glasses, and they help block the blue rays from your eyes.
Tip number three: This is a big one for me. The perfect bedroom temperature for sleeping. Having your bedroom at the right temperature. Generally speaking, the colder the room is, the better you sleep, and studies show that a room at 65 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for sleep.
Tip number four: Avoid heavy meals. In the evenings, you need to avoid big meals. Also, avoiding alcohol and caffeine is going to help, and smoking, obviously. Doing all of these things or refraining from doing these things stops your body from being stimulated, and therefore you get a bad night's sleep.
Tip number five: Your bedroom should be for sleeping. Your bedroom should be just for sleeping, so don't work in there and don't eat in there and definitely don't watch TV in there if you can help it. Don't do anything in there but sleep. When you and your body know that the bedroom is just for sleep, it makes a big difference.
Tip number six: Exercise. Exercise helps your body become more tired at night, and you'll be able to go to sleep faster. But I just want to mention I wouldn't recommend exercising two or three hours before going to bed, as this releases a different type of hormone that actually wakes you up. So try and do it during the day.
Bonus Tip: Tip number seven is kind of a bonus tip. Try a white noise or rain sounds too; it can help. I find this doesn't just help me clear my mind but it also prevents me from hearing any sounds that may be happening outside.
Do you feel tired between one and four? Click here where I tell you how to overcome the afternoon slump.
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