CAN YOU FALL ASLEEP IN 5 MINUTES?

If you’ve ever wondered how to fall asleep faster, there are a number of techniques to try. From breathing techniques such as the 4 7 8 method and using reverse psychology, to going back to basics and getting the right equipment, we’re going to look at the various techniques you can add to your sleep routine so you can fall asleep in five minutes or less.

UTILISE BREATHING TECHNIQUES 

Breathing patterns can affect the way we feel. For example, rapid, shallow breaths can create a sense of anxiety, while slow, deep breaths can promote calmness. By changing the pattern of our breathing, we can encourage relaxation and sleep. As such, many people swear by 4 7 8 breathing as a sure-fire method for getting to sleep.

This 4 7 8 method is pretty simple. First, place the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind your upper teeth and keep it there throughout the exercise. Now, exhale completely out of your mouth while making a whooshing sound.

4: Close your mouth and inhale through your nose to a count of four.

7: Hold your breath for seven counts.

8: Exhale slowly out of your mouth to a count of eight, making the whooshing sound. Repeat.

TRICK YOUR BRAIN

Falling asleep is made even more difficult when the brain is busy. Whether you’re thinking about what you need to buy at the supermarket tomorrow, or something crushingly embarrassing you did ten years ago, this quiet time in bed seems to always be the time your brain wants to go over it all. If you want to know how to fall asleep fast, it may be time to trick your brain.

Oddly enough, using reverse psychology on the brain can help some people beat insomnia. Also called paradoxical intention, this method of telling yourself to stay awake can indeed help you fall asleep faster. When you have insomnia, pushing yourself to fall asleep can make sleep harder to come by. Instead, it can help to tell yourself you are trying to stay awake.

INVEST IN THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT 

Finding the right level of comfort and support is essential for sleep. If you want to fall asleep in five minutes, it’s going to be near impossible if you’re uncomfortable. Choosing the right bed is an important part of the process of finding sleep fast, which is where TEMPUR comes in. With its wide range of beds and mattresses, TEMPUR has an option to suit everybody.

An adjustable bed provides you the ability to fine-tune your sleeping position, allowing you to find just the right level of comfort and support. A Zero-G adjustable bed from TEMPUR could reduce the pressure on your spine, relieving muscle tension while improving circulation to provide a deeper state of relaxation.

GO BACK IN TIME

Back before the advent of electricity, humans used to go to sleep when it was dark and get up when it was light. Today, with light at the flick of a switch and screens in every room, it can be all too easy to get distracted, keeping our brains active when they should be winding down.

Cutting down on screen-time in the hours before bed can be helpful. But, if you want to enjoy a night of restful, quality sleep, you may want to try turning your bedroom into a sleep cave. Utilise blackout curtains or a sleep mask to block out light, remove all screens from the room, and turn down the temperature to fall asleep faster.

TRY NATURAL THERAPIES

Those who have trouble sleeping may consider natural therapies to help them to fall asleep faster. Relaxing sounds or sleep music can help lull some people to sleep, as can chamomile tea, St. John’s wort, passion flower, valerian and Californian poppy. Essential oils are also popular, either used in an air diffuser, massaged on a specific part of the body, or spritzed on a pillow. Some relaxing scents to try include lavender and bergamot.

Overall, it’s about finding what works for you. Trying each method for a week or two should help you find out which works best. It could also help you to find out how diet and exercise affects sleep in these posts: Does exercise really affect your sleep? and How your eating habits affect your sleep.