4 Tips To Fall Asleep Faster

Do you struggle to fall asleep at night? Feeling restless, frustrated, and exhausted? Or worse yet - thinking about WORK while in bed?! You must be a masochist (kidding)

All scenarios are fairly common amongst people across the nation.

Literally millions of people each year find themselves in the same boat. 

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to help yourself drift off to the only respite you have in life left, sleep.

And in this article, I'll discuss just that. But first, let's briefly explain why sleep is the fundamental pillar of fitness, health, and wellbeing.

Why Is Sleep Important?

The benefits of sleep are well-documented. I mean, we've only been doing it since millennia - literally. 

Getting a good night's sleep can improve everything from your mood to your heart health. 

In fact, sleep is just as important for physical fitness as diet and exercise. This should be a clear signal to anyone trapped in "hustle culture" - make time to sleep and get good sleep at that.

When you're tired, your body struggles to perform at its best. You may feel sluggish and have trouble concentrating (here's looking at your SDR's that like to prospect late into the night.)

Your reaction time slows, and your coordination suffers. You're also more likely to make mistakes, which can be dangerous if you're playing a sport or operating machinery. 

Sleep deprivation can also lead to weight gain. This is because lack of sleep disrupts the hormones that regulate hunger, causing you to feel hungry even when you're not.

Have you ever noticed how you eat more whenever you sleep less? Probably not, but it's happening. Compound that with poor food choices, lowered self control & a sugary or salty diet - and boy do we have a recipe for disaster.

All in all, sleep is the primary, fundamental pillar of your fitness, health, and wellbeing plan.

Here are my 5 best tips to improve your sleep:

Reduce Screentime

It's no secret that we're a nation of insomniacs. Everywhere you look - you'll see a screen. With blue light seemingly seeping in from every window or screen in or out of our homes, it's no wonder that 1 out of every 3 Americans are sleep deprived.

And while there are many factors that can contribute to sleepless nights, one of the most common is increased screen time before bed. 

The bright blue light from screens inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate our sleep cycle. 

As a result, it's no surprise that reducing screen time before bed is one of the best ways to improve your sleep. 

Turn off the TV and put away the phone an hour before bed.

Making a conscious effort to reduce your screen time can help you get the restful night's sleep you need.

So here's a rule to follow - Put the phone/laptop/TV away from your bedroom. Keeping these things out the bedroom will better help you maintain the habit of all tech down an hour before bedtime.

Create A Pre-Bed Routine

According to the National Sleep Foundation, creating a pre-bed routine is one of the best ways to improve your sleep. 

But what exactly is a pre-bed routine? And how can it help you sleep better? A pre-bed routine is simply a set of activities that you perform in the hours leading up to sleep. 

By establishing a regular pre-bed routine, you can signal to your body that it's time to start winding down for the night.

This, in turn, can help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. 

So what should you include in your pre-bed routine? That depends on what works for you, but some good options include reading, taking a bath or shower, and writing in a journal. 

The important thing is to find activities that help you relax and clear your mind before bed. 

With a little trial and error, you're sure to find a pre-bed routine that works for you and leaves you feeling rested and refreshed.

My Pre - Bed routine is the following: All tech off, brush teeth & floss, facial lymphatic massage, light a stick of incense, set my google home to a 428Hz playlist and drift off into dreamworld. Feel free to try any of these things before bed and let me know how it goes!

Bedtime Meditation!

Anyone who has ever laid in bed wide awake, mind racing, knows how frustrating sleeplessness can be. That was me months after my first brother passed away. It took me months to settle into what felt like a normal sleep cycle but even that wasn't ideal. But over time, this along with the aforementioned tips above helped me out. I like to call this "Bedtime Meditation."

Essentially the idea is to simply "observe" the thoughts that pop into your head and allow them to pass.

When we're trying to fall asleep, our minds can suddenly become very active, filled with worries and concerns that prevent us from relaxing and drifting off to sleep. Or if you're the neurotic type - worry about what could happen and other various catastrophic scenarios that will probably never happen.

While it can be tempting to follow up with these thoughts, and create an entire story, that shouldn't really be the goal.

Instead, it may be more effective to observe the thoughts dispassionately and let them pass by like clouds in the sky. 

This will definitely take some practice, but over time - you may find it easier to quiet your mind at bedtime and finally get the rest you need.

Ah, Caffeine!

There are many potential causes of sleeplessness, experts say that one of the most common culprits is caffeine.

Most people know that coffee is a major source of caffeine, but it's important to remember that this stimulant is also found in other foods and beverages, including tea, soda, and even some chocolates. 

The thing is, caffeine stays in your system for quite some time before it becomes less active and allows you to actually relax.

So if you're trying to wind down before bed, it's best to avoid all forms of caffeine in the final six hours leading up to sleep.

Better if you could cutoff all caffeine consumption before noon - but I get how boring those zoom calls, and who wants to fall asleep during a work meeting while "recording meeting in progress."?

Final Thoughts

Have you tried any of these tips to fall asleep faster? If not, what’s stopping you? 

With just a few small changes to your bedtime routine, you could be snoozing like a baby in no time. 

And if all else fails, there's always CBD gummies, but you didn't hear that from me. 😉

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