10 great ways to help you fall asleep FAST
No more tossing and turning till 3AM
Text: Shannon T
Ever experienced one of those nights where you’re all snuggled up in your blankets, lights out and ready to get your 8 hours in, only to stay wide awake for the next three hours? Well I have and I highly doubt I’m the only one.
In fact, Singaporeans are found to be the third most sleep-deprived population in a 2014 study, trailing just behind Tokyo and Seoul. More recently in 2018, a sleep survey conducted across 12 countries ranked Singapore second when it comes to sleep deprivation. Studies published by Health Hub and medical professionals draws a close link between Singapore’s hectic work culture and our inability to sleep sufficient hours every day, whether by choice or by obligation.
Start sleeping better and faster with these 10 great ways that will get you in the mood for the best sleep of your life. Read on to find the ones that work best for you.
Rework Your Bedtime Routine
We function better when we follow regular routines, and the same applies to sleeping. Following a fixed bedtime routine each night creates separations between day and night and lets our body know when it’s time to sleep.
Go to bed at the same time every night. Sleep consistency helps your body maintain its natural circadian rhythm, your 24-hour internal biological clock.
2. Avoid blue light
Keep your devices away before bed! Blue light delays the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone that naturally starts releasing into your system around bedtime. Instead, read a physical book or do some journaling with pen and paper. This helps in boosting mood, reduce stress and prepares your mind for sleep.
3. Watch what you eat and drink before bed
Drink some warm milk or hot herbal tea. Milk contains tryptophan and melatonin, which may aid sleep. Chamomile, valerian root, lemon balm, and lavender teas may reduce symptoms of insomnia and stress. Try to avoid drinks that contain caffeine within 4 hours of bedtime. A study showed that eating simple carbs like rice, pasta, white bread, potatoes four hours before bedtime helps with falling asleep faster too!
You might also want to avoid drinking alcohol 3 hours before bedtime. While alcohol is a sedative, it delays REM sleep as your body needs to work to process the alcohol.
4. Optimize your sleeping environment
Depending on the individual, the sleeping environment may affect sleep to varying degrees. There’s more good than harm to invest in a quality mattress, sheets and pillow. Experiment with different mattress firmness to ensure it doesn’t hurt your back. Your pillow should also match your sleep style, whether you’re a back, front or side sleeper.
For optimum sleep, make your room cool, between 16 – 20 degree Celsius. If your room has wide windows, consider getting blackout curtains that will keep out bright lights. Darkness is essential for sleep. Alternatively, you can wear a sleep mask to bed.
5. Calming exercises
Do some stretching, gentle yoga or meditation for 10 – 15 minutes to calm your mind and heart and prepare you for bed. If you’re unwilling to pull yourself out of bed after lying down, try these breathing exercises that can help you achieve the same effects. The whole idea is to get your mind to relax after a long hectic day.
6. Take a warm bath or shower
Our body temperature falls as a part of the natural process of falling asleep. Taking a warm bath or shower helps with the process, especially when during hot and humid nights in Singapore. Try not to take a cold bath though, as that might refresh your mind and make it harder to sleep instead.
7. Make use of (pink) noise
Drown out distracting environmental sounds with calm, relaxing music, ASMR tracks or bedtime stories for adults. You may also want to check out our 101 on pink noise, found to be the best sonic hue for inducing deep sleep.
8. Keep your pets off your bed (or at least off you!)
Don’t let your pet sleep with you if they aggravate allergies or wake you up five times a night. Alternatively, place a pet bed in your room so your pet has a place to sleep near you, but won’t sleep on you.
9. Aromatherapy candles or incense
Scents such as lavender helps in reducing stress levels, improve mood, reduce anxiety and increase sleep quality. Rose, chamomile, geranium, jasmine, sweet marjoram, clary sage and frankincense are also great smelling choices that helps you relax and fall asleep faster.
10. Get up and do something
Get up and do something until you feel sleepy again. The more you think about falling asleep, the more likely you are going to stay awake! Keep your mind off thinking about falling asleep by reading a book or do a repetitive activity such as knitting to catch the Z’s faster.
