So many people are sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated, and burnt out. Insomnia or sleep deprivation contributes to MANY different health concerns, including an increased risk for cancer, heart disease, depression, anxiety, stroke, diabetes, etc.
According to the CDC, individuals receiving less than 8 hours of sleep per night increase their risk for severe health conditions by as much as 28.8%.
Learning how to fall asleep fast and stay asleep can be very important in reducing your chances of developing a serious health concern.
Why Is It Hard for Me To Fall Asleep at Night?
There are many reasons people have difficulty falling asleep, from drinking caffeine too late in the day to having too much noise and bright lights on.
Also, being in an uncomfortable environment, having a sleep schedule off, or struggling with a mental disorder such as anxiety or depression can lead to sleep problems.
If you are reading this article, you probably lie awake at night thinking about all of the things you have to do, or maybe you are just having a hard time relaxing.
These are everyday struggles for many individuals; learning proper sleep hygiene is very important to help you feel great daily.
Insomnia Disorder
Insomnia disorder is a diagnosis in the DSM-5, a book that mental health professionals use to help diagnose their clients.
Insomnia disorder criteria are dissatisfaction with sleep quality or quantity; sleep difficulty experienced at least three nights per week; and sleep problems that last at least three months. This lack of sleep causes distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other vital areas of life.
One-third of adults report having insomnia symptoms such as:
- Frequent or prolonged awakenings during the night
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Early-morning awakening with an inability to fall back to sleep
What Causes Insomnia Disorder?
Insomnia can begin at any stage in life; however, it most commonly starts during young adulthood.
Insomnia can be situational, persistent, or recurrent, and is typically stress-driven. For example, situational insomnia could occur when the individual has difficulty falling asleep after certain stressful events, and then their sleep returns to normal.
Children who struggle with falling asleep may experience conditioning, where they need a parent to be there for them to go to sleep. This inability to fall asleep can also be caused by inconsistent sleep schedules or bedtimes, which can keep them from falling asleep on time.
Psychological and medical factors can also contribute to insomnia disorder in adults and children.
Poor physical health is a significant cause of increased insomnia in older adults.
Other Disorders That Contribute to Poor Sleep
Worry-prone personalities, anxiety, and depression are a few disorders that can contribute to poor sleep hygiene. If you try all the things below and feel like you may be more than tired, you might have a sleep disorder robbing you of your energy. Many other factors can play a role in sleep quality and quantity, including the following:
- Restless leg syndrome
- Breathing-related sleep disorders
- Narcolepsy
- Parasomnias
Restless legs syndrome occurs when someone feels a frequent urge to move their legs and has sensations down their legs that keep them from sleeping well.
Breathing-related sleep disorders include loud snoring, sleep apnea, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Narcolepsy causes excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, cataplexy (muscle weakness and loss of voluntary control), and sleep-related hallucinations.
Parasomnias cause intermittent awakenings and difficulty falling back to sleep.
Suppose you think you or someone you know struggles with one of these sleeping disorders. In that case, it is best to talk to a mental health professional such as a mental health counselor, psychologist, or other mental health professional to address these concerns.
How To Fall Asleep Fast
The best way to fall asleep fast is to be prepared for bedtime and do the following:
1. Eating Enough Filling Calories
Food does more than keep you full; it gives us the vitamins and minerals we need to repair wounds on our bodies, support our immune system, gut health, mental health, and even help us sleep.
By eating filling foods, you can reduce your chances of waking up hungry in the middle of the night and reaching for a snack.
Eating meals with fat, fiber, and protein is satiating for longer periods.
If you feel like you eat balanced meals during the day, but you still wake up hungry in the middle of the night, try drinking a protein shake before bed every night or eating foods with casein in them. Casein is a slow-digesting protein that can help you feel full throughout the night.
2. Hydration
Hydration is essential when figuring out how to fall asleep fast because sore muscles and headaches can keep you from relaxing and falling asleep.
Dehydration can contribute to muscle cramping and soreness, which can cause discomfort and keep you from falling asleep fast.
It is essential to remember that you need to consume both water and minerals to be hydrated! Electrolytes or minerals are in fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, and salt.
Adding lemon juice to your water will increase its mineral content and help you hydrate faster than plain water.
Electrolytes are minerals that help move water into your cells to hydrate you fully.
3. Be Mindful of WHAT You Eat
Taking into consideration how many calories you consume and what you eat is very important!
Melatonin is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain, the pineal gland, the retina (part in your eye), and the gut.
Light is the main thing that suppresses melatonin production; however, mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, worrying personalities, and poor sleep schedules can contribute to it.
Certain foods contain melatonin, such as:
- Tomatoes
- Olives
- Barley
- Rice
- Walnuts
- Grapes
- Cow’s Milk
- Breast Milk for Infants
Research shows that a mother’s nightly melatonin production can transfer to her baby through breast milk. Similarly, if she supplements, then the baby gets those benefits.
4. Getting Sunshine
Sunlight suppresses melatonin production during the day to undetectable levels, so waking up earlier and getting sunshine can boost your energy and help you go to bed earlier.
Sunlight helps keep your circadian rhythms in check, and it also increases your body’s production of serotonin, which in turn increases your production of melatonin.
Sunlight is also very beneficial for individuals struggling with depression or even anxiety; reducing those symptoms can also help you get closer to figuring out how to fall asleep fast naturally.
5. Limit Caffeine Consumption
If you are trying to figure out the best daily routine, it is best to consume caffeine earlier and no later than 3 pm.
Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon makes it disappear and keeps it from reducing your melatonin production.
Nighttime caffeine consumption of 200mg decreased melatonin production.
Caffeine consumption can also increase cortisol production, our primary stress hormone, which is naturally produced in the morning to wake us up.
A study showed that, under stress, caffeine consumption increased cortisol levels and was significantly higher in women than in men. Women, unfortunately, are already more prone to mood disorders such as stress and anxiety. Keeping caffeine to a minimum is essential for long-term health and reducing the risk of heart disease. (Lovallo et al., 2006)
6. Sleep Supplements
In addition to improving your natural sleep cycles and eating foods that contain melatonin, you can also supplement to help you get to sleep much faster!
Many supplements can help improve sleep hygiene when trying to fall asleep fast without using ZzzQuil every night.
Here are some of the most common sleep supplements:
- Melatonin
- Magnesium
- Chamomile
- Passionflower
- Lavender
- CBD
Melatonin
As mentioned above, melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in your body when you have enough minimal serotonin light. In addition, other nutrients help support our natural melatonin production, such as vitamins B6, B12, and Folate, as well as the minerals Zinc and Magnesium.
Since melatonin is something your body naturally produces, you can buy melatonin for kids. However, shallow doses are best to avoid giving them any nightmares or grogginess in the morning.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral and an electrolyte required for hydration. It is used for over 300 different body processes, including blood sugar balance, sleep, bone remineralization, hormone balance, and more.
If you are taking melatonin at night and have a hard time falling or staying asleep, supplement with magnesium to help you relax.
Research showed that the combination of melatonin, magnesium, and vitamin B was beneficial for mild and moderate insomnia. (Djokic et al., 2019)
Chamomile
Chamomile is consumed as a tea, essential oil, or herbal extract to induce relaxation and sleep. In addition, it helps with muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, hemorrhoids, rheumatic pain, etc. There are two common varieties of chamomile, German Chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita) and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile).
Chamomile has anticancer benefits by inducing apoptosis (cell death) in specific cancer cells, along with promising inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth.
Essential oils are a great tool to use when you have pill fatigue and want something that works fast.
Passionflower
Passionflower is a perennial plant that helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, thereby helping with insomnia. It comes as an extract, a sleep supplement, or tea.
Lavender
Lavender is a purple flower with therapeutic benefits, including reducing anxiety symptoms and insomnia. It is inhaled as an essential oil, or it can be taken as a tea, an extract, or even a capsule.
CBD
CBD is cannabidiol that helps with inflammation, anxiety, and insomnia. It does not have any hallucinogenic effects despite common confusion, and it does not show up on drug tests.
7. Get Enough Exercise
When someone completes an aerobic workout, the serotonin (a happy neurotransmitter) mechanism is similar to that of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). (Wipfli et al., 2011)
Serotonin is a precursor to melatonin; doing things to increase your happiness via serotonin helps increase your melatonin.
Exercise is effective at tiring your body and mind, helping you fall asleep more easily at night.
8. Meditating
This one is not necessarily as “fast” as some other methods because it needs to be done regularly. However, it is something you can do at the moment to reduce stress and anxiety, helping you fall asleep or return to sleep more easily.
Using meditation to help you sleep can be an easy and affordable way to fall asleep faster, especially if you are on a budget.
9. Put Away All Electronics
Keep your cellphone in the other room and turn your phone to silent or silence certain notifications if you don’t feel comfortable having it completely silent.
Blue light from cell phones, TVs, or even ceiling lights can suppress your melatonin production.
Also, your brain cannot shut off if you are messaging people on social media or researching topics on your phone.
10. Create a Cool Environment
Turn the air down and use cooling sheets on your bed to help you sleep easier and stay asleep. Studies show that a cool room temperature is essential for sleeping more comfortably. Also, cortisol raises your body temperature in the morning, so keeping your room cool will keep you from waking up sweaty.
Summary
There are many ways to improve sleep hygiene, including diet and lifestyle changes.
When trying to fall asleep fast, using a supplement, minimizing light exposure, and eating foods rich in melatonin can help you get better quality and quantity of sleep.
References:
Djokic, G., Vojvodić, P., Korcok, D., Agic, A., Rankovic, A., Djordjevic, V., Vojvodic, A., Vlaskovic-Jovicevic, T., Peric-Hajzler, Z., Matovic, D., Vojvodic, J., Sijan, G., Wollina, U., Tirant, M., Thuong, N. V., Fioranelli, M., & Lotti, T. (2019). The Effects of Magnesium – Melatonin – Vit B Complex Supplementation in Treatment of Insomnia. Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences, 7(18), 3101–3105. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2019.771
Lovallo, W. R., Farag, N. H., Vincent, A. S., Thomas, T. L., & Wilson, M. F. (2006). Cortisol responses to mental stress, exercise, and meals following caffeine intake in men and women. Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, 83(3), 441–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2006.03.005
Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular medicine reports, 3(6), 895–901. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2010.377
Wipfli, B., Landers, D., Nagoshi, C., & Ringenbach, S. (2011). An examination of serotonin and psychological variables in the relationship between exercise and mental health. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 21(3), 474–481. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01049.x
