How to fall asleep fast - Tips for Emotional, Mental and Physical difficulties around sleep.

Hello Everyone,

While doing research on search topics for my website I stumbled upon the fact that there are a lot of inquires for “how to fall asleep fast” and “fall asleep instantly”. And I feel I have enough experience with this topic to provide some helpful guides for those busily running through webpages late into the night checking the time knowing how exhausted you will feel if you do not get some shut eye. I have been there and I have learned a lot over the years on what activities help when this struggle to sleep arises. Follow this guide and try out some of the suggestions listed here.

1) Be gentle with yourself. Having a goal to fall asleep instantly sets you up for not only feeling bad if you don’t reach this goal but also may impact the quality of sleep when you do. While there are some tricks to get to sleep more quickly. Setting up your environment, body and mind for quality sleep may be a better option even if it takes just a little longer. Feeling refreshed and ready in the morning is the goal here and these steps are outlined to do just that.

2) Remove Distractions and Breathe: Take a moment away from your phone, computer, or any other distractions in a low light or no light environment (no blue light such as what it typically emitted from screens). Sit or lay with yourself. And focus on breathing. You are going to intentionally breathe in for a count of 6 and breathe out for a count of 10. Do this for about a minute. This will help you center and focus. When you breathe out for longer than you breathe in this causes your parasympathetic nervous system to activate which allows for more calm and focused attention to your body and mind. If not totally possible due to the noises around you that you cannot control then put in some ear plugs, noise cancelling headphones or another way to get a little break from the noises around you.

3) Notice and Respond, Repeat: If thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations start to become apparent during this process. Please skip to the related section below with tips to try in those specific areas and situations. Repeat steps 2 and 3 once you have addressed those areas to the best of your ability with the time and attention you have in this moment. Move to step 4 once you have done all you feel able to do at this time or if you feel you may be able to get to sleep now.

4) If at this point you are feeling calm and restful. You could lay yourself down in bed and see if you are ready to drift to sleep. Continue to practice this breathing technique (6 in and 10 out breaths) while laying in bed. One trick that has helped me is focusing on my vision during this step… As you stare at the back of your eyelids perhaps you see just darkness, perhaps a hint of shapes or images or patterns they are just there as you allow your breathe to flow. Continue to breathe out for longer than you breathe in counting if you like in your head or just being intentional. In the best case scenario this will be enough to go to sleep. However, if after some time you notice emotional, mental or physical sensations continuing to prevent you from sleeping again skip to the sections below for specific steps you can take and repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 once you have addressed those things to the best of your ability.

PHYSICAL BARRIERS TO SLEEP:

If pain or discomfort is apparent then it makes a lot of sense why sleep is not coming easily to you. Here are some options for addressing the discomfort you are feeling.

• Notice if the discomfort is internal (physical pain in body, upset stomach, fever, etc.. ) or external (the way you are laying, the state of your bed, the state of your room, temperature or other factors)

• If it is external here are some things to try.

  • BED: Remake your bed, change sheets or blankets, change your attire, remove excess clothing, rearrange the pillows or grab new pillows, and your bed and surrounding area.

  • ROOM: Open a window, set up a fan or A/C, adjust room thermostat, remove excessive clutter around your bed.

• If it is internal here are some things to try:

  • Muscle Pain : Take a bath with epsom salt, take magnesium supplement, take a shower, apply a pain-relieving gel, cream or stick, light an incense, set up an essential oil diffuser (see suggested products), ground yourself by sitting or interacting with nature, spend time being comforted by your pet.

  • Dry skin: take a bath or shower, drink water, apply lotion, cream or body oil, apply chapstick, or other creams that are helpful for relief.

  • Upset stomach: make and drink tea, do a small belly massage, try to use the restroom, take an epsom salt bath, do gentle yoga childs pose (helps to release gas).

• Magnesium is good for relaxing muscles. This can be taken as a supplement or in a bath with Epsom salt. The warm water of a bath can also be helpful for aches and pains in your body and general relaxation.

• Certain smells help with pain reduction as well: Lavender, Clary Sage, Sage, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Peppermint are some options to try. You can place a few drops on a cloth or in a diffuser. Some of these are also very pleasant being burned in a careful and considerate way if you enjoy smelling smoky woodsy smells.

• Though not all may be open to the use of cannabis or hemp extracts. I find listing this option may be just the answer you are seeking if you are open to this option. CBD specifically is not psychotrophic (no hallucinations) and provides pain relief on a full body or specific target area. A variety of creams can be purchased legally and safely from a general store such as Fred Meyers, Walgreens or online. Should you live in an area with Weed dispensaries you can purchase Cannabis with combined effects. Ones with a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of CBD to THC can complement each other for pain relief and relaxation with only a slight psychotropic effect. You know your body and seeking advice from an experienced budtender in combination with moving forward slowly with this option to test out your experience can lead to some really amazing outcomes.

• Herbal teas can also be of benefit to reduce stomach pain and increase relaxation. Ensure you choose teas without caffeine. Some herbs to try are Lavender, turmeric, ginger, chamomile and fennel. They have pain and inflammation reduction effects.

• Listening to nature or rain noises or light melodic or classical music. Or even healing frequency music can help to create an environment for sleep to come easily and naturally. Spotify, YouTube or another platform could work for this.

• Your bed and bedroom environment needs to set the tone for sleep. If you can see lots of clutter and mess right before you go to sleep this will impact your quality of sleep and comfort as you doze off or wake each morning. This includes picking comfortable sheets, pillows, and blankets.

• If you get too warm in the night or too cold. This means you need to find ways to improve your sleeping area. Getting pillows and sheets that breathe. The fabrics and stuffing in your space matter for your comfort. Invest in the comfort of your sleep area as you spend a huge portion of your time there.

EMOTIONAL BARRIERS TO SLEEP:

A reminder to yourself that you are stronger today than yesterday and that everything that has happened before this moment you have survived to this point. In a moment of emotional turmoil finding a small space to have compassion, awareness, and love for yourself can be very healing. Some ways to help move through an emotional barrier are

- Listen to music that helps to express the emotion you are feeling if you are feeling stuck in an emotional spiral. Or choose music which is uplifing and helps you bring clarity to the situation. Songs with melody without words can help to either quiet the mind or get your thinking unstuck to move through the inner conversation more quickly. Classical, nature sounds, instrumental music or drumming can all be helpful.

- Journaling or art can help to move the emotions out of your body and into that chosen activity. Journaling can also be used to write out any upcoming activities that may be causing distress, making a plan so you don’t have to keep all that information inside your head. Art can be as simple as taking pen and paper and just drawing the way you feel.. Let your pen move with the thoughts you are having it doesn’t have to look like anything in particular and this activity isn’t about judging the final product. Just being present in the process..

- Smells can transport you to other times and places and create comfort when emotional struggles arise. Lavendar and Clary Sage are some good options.

- Grounding with an animal or nature.. Spend time petting your dog or cat or touching a house plant or watching your fish or even sitting outside in the yard on the ground for 5 minutes. During this time, put the phone down.

- Ashwaganda, Valerian Root, Melatonin, Tryphophan are all natural and helpful supplements to consider when other options aren’t working for you or if you need a solution sooner rather than later. With any supplement research it, talk to a doctor or note any good or bad effects.

MENTAL BARRIERS TO SLEEP

- Write out your plan for tomorrow for how you can get the best jump on the day. If a specific situation is causing discomfort. Then write out or speak out exactly what you plan to do tomorrow along with how you can respond to the “what if” scenarios you may be making in your head and reasonably and objectively assessing how likely is that actually to happen. While resting know that your brain is actively taking that information to prepare you for tomorrow once you set the intention which will help to allow that peace of mind to settle in. You can even tell yourself my intention now is to sleep and allow my mind and body to heal and be ready for tomorrow.

- Talk with someone close to you or make a plan to talk about the issue you are experiencing perhaps they have a solution that you cannot see in your current state. Or can provide a perspective shift that improves how you feel regarding the situation.

- If a specific person or situation continues to bring you mental and emotional discomfort day in and day out. Spend sometime thinking about what could improve this relationship, if the relationship is worth mending and if there is anything you could to do to improve this situation. If it is related to work. Start asking yourself questions about your work life balance and what things are within your control and out of your control to manage.

ONGOING SOLUTIONS:

• It is important to remember some solutions are a change of lifestyle and some are more of a quick fix in the moment. If you often have emotional, mental or physical difficulties that impact sleep. Taking the time to make lifestyle changes may be your best bet in the long run for relaxing sleep. If you notice the same kinds of thoughts, mood patterns or same physical pain day in and day out. Then there are areas of your life that are in need of some extra love and attention. This could be talking to a professional or close friend, making a bedtime routine, scheduling self care time, journaling and writing down the results of the changes you make or changing other aspects of your life and work.

• Slow release melatonin (this is a hormone your body produces to enter you into a sleep cycle). It works well and quickly giving you a long night of sleep. I would not suggest taking this if you only have a few hours to doze off as it can linger in your body for awhile after taking it.

• Valerian root has worked well for me in times when I needed to relax and I could use it for shorter stints of sleep rather than melatonin. Magnesium in the form of Espom salt or a supplement also has a pain reducing and relaxing effect, especially on days when I just ache all over from a hard day at work.

• Copal Resin using charcoal burner creates a wonderful woodsy, camping smell and feel within your home. Reminding you of any camping or outdoor adventures you may have had. For me these are positive moments in my life and this smell helps me to feel connected to nature.

• Listening to healing music. There are playlists on youtube for sleeping quickly using healing frequencies.

  Due to the nature of this post. I find it important to remind you to do your own research and if you like talk with your doctor especially if you are on any medications or have complex medical issues. None of these options are a guaranteed solution and often a combination of these things as well as your own intuition and guidance will help you find the answers. If none of these suggestions work well for you then a professional in a field of choice may be a better place to start. I’m hopeful that either through natural and medicinal professionals or traditional western medicine or some combination of both you may find answers to the sleep issues that keep you from being the best version of yourself.
  

Journal or draw to help get your thoughts on paper and out of your head. This also can help you track self care routines or write a plan for an upcoming event or activity that is causing distress.

Supplements can help to relieve pain, anxiety and depressive reasons for difficulties during sleep. Make sure to do additional research to ensure these options are a good fit for you.

If you prefer a route without supplements natural herbal teas can provide many similar benefits.

A comfortable bed can make all the difference with sleep. Choosing cotton, high thread count sheets will help to wick away moisture and keep a comfortable temperature through the night.

Blue light can cause hormonal shifts in your body. We see blue light on our phones, screens and computers. Picking lighting without blue light for the time right before bed will help to allow your body to naturally produce the hormones needed for sleep. It also is helpful in reducing eye strain.

Epsom Salt is a form of magnesium that can dissolve in bath water. Making it an enjoyable, pain relieving and relaxing experience.

Grounding to nature is important. You can do this by getting outside in nature and touching the ground with your feet or spending time with animals that spend time outdoors. If those are not always an option for you getting a grounding mat or grounding crystals can help.

Doing something creative can help to express emotions which may be harder to put into words. A few scribbles and focusing attention on this creative activity may be just the activity to mellow out any troubling energy you may be carrying.

CBD found in hemp plants can help with managing pain. In a cream form then you can apply it specifically to the areas that need it. Please do additional research to see if this is the best option for you.

Weighted blankets can have a cooling effect while still providing a heavy and cocooned feeling while sleeping. Many people find relaxation in the weighted stimulation provided during sleep.

Though meditating may feel like the last thing to do when attempting to sleep. This practice before sleep or during the day may help to allow yourself the ability to let go of the difficulties of the day so you can get a restful night sleep.

Sometimes self care books can have a place in starting the habits that are needed to improve your sleep long term. Here are some books that have good reviews for attending to these issues.

Smells can help to relieve anxiety, pain and take us back to a simpler time. Here are some options of smells to improve your sleep and relaxation

If you enjoy burning incense then one of these options may be of interest to you for a natural outdoor and woodsy feel.

Sound plays a role in quality sleep. Natural sounds like running water, birds chirping, thunder can help to break the thought patterns and allow you a rest from your thoughts.