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In Honor Of World Sleep Day, Here Are 30 Tips For Falling Asleep Easily, Shared By Users Of This Online Group
Every morning people who need to go to school, to work or any other commitments wish that they could sleep just for 5 more minutes. Every night we say that tonight we’ll go to bed early so we'll be rested in the morning, but that usually doesn’t happen. But it should, as sleep is very important in order for the human body and mind to function properly.
Sleep deprivation is very common and to spread awareness about its damage, the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society declared the last Friday before the March Equinox as World Sleep Day, first held on 14 March 2008.
This year, World Sleep Day falls on 18 March and to celebrate it properly, it’s obvious we have to have a good night’s sleep. To achieve this goal, Bored Panda went on the internet and picked out the most useful tips for easily falling asleep that are tried out by Reddit users. While personal experience is great advice, we also looked into what the scientists are saying, so you can find that in this article as well.
More info: Reddit part 1 | Reddit part 2 | Reddit part 3
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Don't have children.
Every year, the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society organizes discussions, presentations of educational materials and exhibitions to make people talk about sleep, its importance and the damage that not many people know about if they don’t get those 8 hours a night. This year’s slogan is 'Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World' and if we would like to achieve that, we should follow a few instructions.
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#2
1. Undress
2. KEEP YOUR SOCKS ON
3. Go to bed
4. Hate the living f**k out of your socks
5. OMG these socks are so uncomfortable...I wish i could take them off!
6.Don't take off your socks
7. Hate your socks even more
8. And all your other socks too
9. THESE F**KING SOCKS, ARGH!!!
10. After 5 minutes, take off the socks
11. Enjoy bliss
12. Fall asleep like a happy little angel on a cloud of comfort.
If you are one of those people who enjoy sleeping with socks (a.k.a. freaks of nature), just do the same but with socks off first.
#3
I close my eyes and try to imagine strange and impossible things, the kinds of things that usually happen only in my dreams. Once I'm able to start letting one idea flow seamlessly into another I'm usually already asleep and dreaming.
Dániel Tahin 2 years ago
It works for me. Usually I imagine myself on a very fast motorcycle jumping from roof to roof.
Covid and the whole pandemic messed up people’s sleeping habits so the National Health Service or the NHS, which is the public healthcare system in the UK, gives advice on what can help with falling asleep faster and improving the quality of sleep.
They firstly advise you to get into a daily routine and stick to the same sleeping pattern at all times. It is also important to have a nightly routine of winding down and that can include meditation, reading, and most importantly, putting down your phone or your computer.
#4
Replay a book or movie in your head with you as the hero/villain.
Essentially, tell yourself a story.
#5
i got told to build my dream mansion like in sims, i never make it past the 1st floor
#6
My dad told me this when I was a kid and it worked for me. Close your eyes and try to feel like you're melting into the bed.
Warning: may cause sleep paralysis.
Sometimes people really want to go to sleep because their bodies are tired, but their minds are running on full power. It often is caused by anxiety and worries we have, and it is especially relevant now because the pandemic isn’t even over, and on top of that, the war in Ukraine doesn’t seem to have an end.
The NHS thinks that the most important thing while dealing with these unwanted emotions is to recognize them, challenge them and try to find something to replace them with, “By catching the thought, checking it, and seeing if you can change it, with practice, you can help break the negative cycle.”
#7
The best advice I ever got for falling asleep is to only use your bed for sleeping. Your brain will learn to associate laying in bed with sleep and you'll be conditioned Pavlov-style to conk out shortly after you lay down. If you currently hang out in your bed during the day reading, playing video games, etc try not doing that for awhile and see what changes.
#8
Close my eyes and focus only on my breathing. Certified one way ticket to Zzz land
Try to avoid “having caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or a big meal too close to bedtime” because they can prevent deep sleep and can make it harder to fall asleep. The NHS suggests that regular exercise helps with normalizing your sleep but just be careful about doing anything intense before bedtime as for some people it might have an opposite effect.
The environment in which you sleep also can impact the quality of sleep and the time you fall asleep. It’s best to keep the room not too hot, dark and quiet. If that doesn’t help, you might want to adjust and maybe listen to an audiobook, have a night lamp or have another layer on you. Also, “wearing earplugs, putting your phone on silent and face down (or out of the room entirely), keeping clocks out of view and making sure the room is well ventilated can all make a big difference.”
#9
Can't stress how much a good mattress makes a difference. Even when I wasn't earning too much, it was the best investment I made. Also reducing any stimulants close to bed such as sugar and caffeine.
Kindlovinghumble 2 years ago
Amen to this! When you have a lumpy or uncomfortable mattress your body feels it even subconsciously making it so you don't/won't sleep as good. Mattresses are expensive but remember you spend something like 25+ of your life sleeping so it's worth it! (Plus even more TRYING to fall asleep)
#10
reading a book
The Alchemist 2 years ago
But then suddenly it's 3:27 A.M and you have no idea how that happened
#11
I think the biggest thing for me falling asleep when I couldn't was to not fight it. I would just let myself get up, walk around, do whatever I wanted to do/felt stressed about and then slept after.
I found that I ended up sleeping faster, and better, once I got things off my mind.
Ed Brandon 2 years ago
I think a "reset" - get up, do something else for a bit - then try again is a good idea. But stressing about something that keeps you awake is usually precisely because you can't actually do anything about it in that moment.
The last thing that the NHS points out is that if you are lying in bed with eyes wide open and don’t feel sleepy at all, it’s best to get up and do something relaxing such as reading a book or listening to calm, quiet music until you feel sleepier.
We would like to know if you have ever tried out any of the methods mentioned by redditors or by the NHS specialists. Maybe you have some tricks of your own? Let us know in the comments!
#12
No caffeine in the afternoon.
No screen time after 9 (or a couple hours before you want to go to sleep).
Exercise during the day.
If all else fails, NyQuil and weed.
#13
I do a little writing in order to get any negative feelings out of my mind and onto paper. Then I pick a book (paper, not e-book) and read until I start nodding off. Works every time.
#14
At night, put your phone on a charger outside your bedroom. This 1) keeps you from staying up all night on your phone and 2) makes you get up in the morning to turn off the alarm.
#15
I find it much easier if I'm physically tired, so I guess do some strenuous exercise during the day and take it from there
#16
Slowly count backwards from 100. Chances are you'll get tired by 50..
#17
I think the big thing for me was to get into a habit and doing the same thing. Being in front of a screen like my cell phone never really bothered me in terms of being able to fall asleep so I will usually be in bed on it for a while. What really does it for me is that I sleep with ear plugs. I can be awake, reading, talking to the GF, etc, but once I put my ear plugs in it's like my body knows it's sleepy time.
Ed Brandon 2 years ago
Also not fun with tinnitus, and makes it worse. Also totally pointless if there's no noise anyway.
#19
Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day and avoid stimulants or alcohol.
Barring that, diphenhydramine.
#20
An hour before bed, take a shower and dry yourself with a fluffy towel. (Note: from this point onward, NO SCREENS) Sniff a bit of lavender essential oil. Otherwise, another soft-smelling scent will do. Small amounts! Don't wanna overstimulate. Go lie in bed, notice your body and relax it one muscle at a time, all the way to your neck, jaw, lips, eyes. Breathe. Like, a lot. Not fast and crazy, but just pay attention to your breath for a while as you continue to relax. Zzz.
Kindlovinghumble 2 years ago
A sleep doctor said this same thing. Also, imagine going over one part of your body at a time, starting with your head, eyes, then work down and relax each part in your mind. You won't believe how tense some parts were when you do this.
#21
I just let my mind wander. I try to focus on visual things rather than my internal dialogue just because I feel like talking in my head will keep me awake.
#22
Pull out one of my college textbooks that I should be reading and my eyes will instantly start feeling heavy.
#23
For me the solution is to just close my eyes and don’t move. After a few minutes I “automatically” fall asleep. Music often helps, as your brain has something to occupy itself with.
Kindlovinghumble 2 years ago
I remember in college I stayed at a friends place w/ some of my girl friends. We all crashed in the same room. All of a sudden at 7am we hear waves crashing (not a big deal, kinda soothing) but then freaking WHALE sounds! My friend had one of those sound soothing things (they had JUST come out) and that was her alarm! Apparently doesn't work well bc She was dead asleep while the rest of us were dying laughing bc the whale sounds were hilarious!
#24
Try to stay awake. Reverse psychology.
#25
Sleep With Me Podcast
#26
Drink a glass of milk before you go to bed. My friend did a science fair project on it in middle school (according to her research it works!)
#27
No electronics or screens about an hour before laying down.
Kindlovinghumble 2 years ago
I will say, this one is so true! We have a tv in our armoire in our room. I hate when I come to bed and see the doors open bc I know my husband is getting ready to watch tv. I'm not a bedroom tv person but he is. I sleep better bc I don't watch it while he does and he tosses and turns most every night.
#28
Meditating is a good way to both clear or strength the mind against wondering before bed. It's hard at first but gets easier over time. If you can also simulate the feeling of drifting off to sleep in your mind..the feeling you get when you're really tired and just can't help but fall sleep sitting at your computer, you kind of focus on that feeling and let it take you away and you're out.
Mary Jeffries 2 years ago
There are some great guided meditations that really help me fall asleep.
#29
Try to exert yourself throughout the day. For e.g. take stairs instead of an elevator. Do those things in such a way that you don't waste your work time. Go for a run in the morning and play or go for a run after you get from work. Basically get tired at the end of the day. That way the exercise is better for your health and you will get the best sleep of your life.
Richard Chesher 2 years ago
The very best technique is a trick I got from an episode of the Mentalist. Lie down, close your eyes, concentrate on your breathing. When you breathe in think One. When you breathe out think Two. You'll be sound asleep very quickly.
#30
Quit caffeine.
I did about a year ago and rarely have sleepless/bad nights anymore. I mean, I have medications and therapy for bipolar which is tied to insomnia as well, and I'm sure those are helping.
But those were helping other aspects of my life for years and still I'd go days and days without real sleep.
Quitting caffeine made all the difference in the world.
What do you think ?
Mr. Jones 2 years ago
I used to have really bad bouts of insomnia. And when it happened, it would raise my anxiety levels and I would stress out and toss and turn all night. Then one night it dawned on me that even if I could not sleep, no one was expecting me to be anywhere but in my bed. So even if I couldn't sleep I wasn't obligated to anyone or anything during that time. Now if I can't sleep, I just lie in bed and enjoy the solace and usually that ends up putting me to sleep.
Aliquid 2 years ago
I would have to say "Shut up" to all the people who say "I just do this, and it works"... good for you, aren't you special. If you find it easy to fall asleep, then you can't relate to or help those who have a hard time. The posts that are helpful are from people with the message of "I used to struggle falling asleep, but this helped".
Amanda Reicha 2 years ago
Yeah. I have a circadian rhythm disorder, seizures, and anxiety attacks that show up at random. I can't keep any type of set schedule, especially sleep. I need to listen to music or books to prevent night time seizure triggers. Exertion from daily activities done too quickly or being too active in a day can trigger a seizure or anxiety attack. I will listen to someone who's been through what I deal with medically on a daily basis and says they have found a way to sleep better.
Load More Replies... Mr. Jones 2 years ago
I used to have really bad bouts of insomnia. And when it happened, it would raise my anxiety levels and I would stress out and toss and turn all night. Then one night it dawned on me that even if I could not sleep, no one was expecting me to be anywhere but in my bed. So even if I couldn't sleep I wasn't obligated to anyone or anything during that time. Now if I can't sleep, I just lie in bed and enjoy the solace and usually that ends up putting me to sleep.
Aliquid 2 years ago
I would have to say "Shut up" to all the people who say "I just do this, and it works"... good for you, aren't you special. If you find it easy to fall asleep, then you can't relate to or help those who have a hard time. The posts that are helpful are from people with the message of "I used to struggle falling asleep, but this helped".
Amanda Reicha 2 years ago
Yeah. I have a circadian rhythm disorder, seizures, and anxiety attacks that show up at random. I can't keep any type of set schedule, especially sleep. I need to listen to music or books to prevent night time seizure triggers. Exertion from daily activities done too quickly or being too active in a day can trigger a seizure or anxiety attack. I will listen to someone who's been through what I deal with medically on a daily basis and says they have found a way to sleep better.
Load More Replies... 
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