30 Natural Ways to Fall Asleep Fast and Stay Asleep

If you’re like many people, falling asleep fast and staying asleep all night is a skill you haven’t quite mastered. You’re certainly not alone, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). They report that more than 1 out of 3 adults do not get enough sleep.

Similarly, Consumer Reports indicates that 27% of people surveyed either had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. A shocking 68% of people said that they struggled with getting enough rest at least once a week. That breaks down to 164 million sleep deprived people in the United States.

We spent about $41 billion per year on sleep remedies in 2015. That number is expected to jump to $52 billion by this year. Not every solution is a good one; sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. But if you’re looking for natural ways to fall asleep, we can help.

1. Create and Stick to a Sleep Routine

Your body is equipped with a circadian rhythm, which is its own regulatory system. It acts as an internal clock that helps your body feel alert during the day and get tired at night. These physical, mental, and behavioral changes follow a daily cycle to keep your body in balance.

It’s up to you to keep your circadian rhythm in check, and you can do that by keeping a sleep routine. Try waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day. That might be all you needed to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

Many smartphones already have the capability of setting alarms for waking up and bedtimes. Check your alarm clock settings to set your bedtime alarm. If you can keep those times consistent on the weekend, that is even better, but we understand that life still needs to happen.

2. Turn Off the Electronics

The National Sleep Foundation reports that 90% of people admit to using electronic devices before going to bed. This is a problem because televisions, cell phones and tablets can all have stimulating effects that make it harder to go to sleep.

When you use one of these devices, your body’s circadian rhythm is delayed. This happens because of the short-wavelength blue light that these devices emit. Using them before bed can also reduce the amount of REM sleep you get, making you feel even more tired the next day. Limit your screen time before bed to minimize the effects of blue light.

3. Start Journaling

Are you someone who finds it hard to “shut their brain off” at night? Having a lot on your mind can certainly keep you awake at night, no matter how bad your body needs serious sleep. If this is a problem for you, journaling may help.

When you journal, you’re taking all of those thoughts and getting them out of your mind and onto the paper. This can help you think more clearly during the day, but it can also help you clear your mind at night and prepare you for sleep.

4. Avoid Caffeine

Although coffee is considered a morning beverage for most people, there are those who drink it at night. Any caffeinated drink before bed can wreak havoc on your ability to get to sleep fast and stay asleep. That includes hot chocolate, soda and energy drinks. Most decaf coffee still contains three percent caffeine, which is something to keep in mind, when choosing your evening beverage.

It might take some adjusting, but your mind and body will thank you if you can eliminate any caffeine before bed. Try to stop consuming caffeine at least six hours before you plan to turn in for the night.

5. Try CBD Oil for Sleep

CBD oil may provide relief for those who find it hard to fall asleep fast and stay asleep. At Receptra Naturals, our Serious Relax + Lavender Tincture (link here) could be the solution you’re looking for.

We use only natural and organic ingredients in our CBD hemp extract for rest, which is formulated the added benefits of chamomile, linalool and valerian root to optimize the time you spend recharging with a good night’s sleep.

CBD oil works with the body’s natural endocannabinoid system to restore balance (homeostasis) throughout the body. Your body’s sleep / wake cycle is part of that balance.

6. Pray or Meditate

If stressful thoughts are keeping you awake at night, prayer or meditation may help. Both of these activities have shown to relax the body and help the mind calm down. It can also enhance your body’s own natural melatonin levels.

Why does it work? Dr. David Spiegel of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine has an explanation. He says, “Praying involves the deeper parts of the brain: the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex…These parts of the brain are involved in self-reflection and self-soothing.”

7. Adjust Your Bedroom’s Temperature

When you fall asleep, your body’s temperature goes down. If you keep your bedroom too warm, you may find it hard to fall asleep. You may want to try for a room temperature between 60 and 67 degrees F, according to Sleep.org.

Keeping your room cool helps your body cool down faster, which can help you fall asleep faster. Try different temperatures until you find what works for you.

8. Get Enough Exercise During the Day

Exercise has been associated with better sleep at night for years, and for good reason. The two actually influence each other in that when you don’t sleep well, your daytime activity levels seem to be much lower. Depending on your normal activity level, taking a walk or doing yoga in the evening may be enough to help your body come to a quiet place.

It may take some time before you start to notice some real changes in your sleep patterns, but don’t give up. Before long, you’ll reap the benefits of better sleep if you stay consistent.

9. Don’t Take Naps

If you’re not sleeping at night, you may be tempted to snooze during the day, which is a problem. This is especially true if your naps are two hours long or longer. Making long naps a routine can make them harder to break, just like any other habit.

Napping can cause other problems in your life too, such as weight gain, symptoms of depression and limited physical activity. That doesn’t mean you should push through, even if you can hardly keep your eyes open. Just be aware of napping regularly.

10. Consider Changing Your Diet

People often like to snack on foods that are high in carbs right before bed, which may affect their sleep patterns. On the contrary, foods that are high in fat may do just the opposite.

A balanced diet has many benefits for sleep. For example, a diet that’s high in fiber and low in sugar may help you fall asleep faster. Your diet can also reduce heartburn and indigestion, which might be keeping you up at night.

11. Listen to Soothing Music

Listening to quiet, calm and relaxing music may significantly improve the quality of sleep you get. It can also help you fall asleep faster.

Music has a direct effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. This system helps your body relax and get ready to go to sleep. Listening to just 45 minutes of soothing music before bed may help you fall asleep faster, sleep longer and wake up less. You may also find that your sleep is more restful.

12. Make Sure You Have a Good Pillow

People get very attached to their pillows, which is understandable. Having a good pillow for sleeping is very important. It can impact your comfort level, support your neck and keep your temperature well-regulated.

If you sleep on your side, consider investing in a firmer pillow so you have enough support. According to Harvard Health, the type of pillow you get is a matter of personal preference. But it can have a dramatic impact on your comfort and your sleep.

13. Consider Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy has been used to improve sleep quantity and quality for centuries. This term refers to the use of essential oils, and there are many that can help you get a better night’s rest. Among them are:

• -Lavender
• -Cedarwood
• -Bergamot
• -Lemon
• -Ylang-Ylang

Aromatherapy works because of the impact essential oils have on your central nervous system. In addition to improving sleep, they may reduce stress and even relieve pain. This method is considered one of the oldest ways to promote a good night’s rest. Receptra’s Relax Body Oil has a soothing vanilla lavender scent that may help your body easy into a more restful state.

14. Try Sleeping on Your Side

You probably have a favorite sleeping position, but did you know that it could be the culprit behind your sleep problems? Experts believe that the best way to get quality sleep is to sleep on your side.

Sleeping on your stomach can cause problems in your back and neck that can lead to pain. If you sleep on your back, you may also experience back problems. As you know, any type of pain is not likely to result in better sleep.

15. Visualize Positive Things

Stress and worry and not conducive to a good night’s sleep. But it can be hard to escape them when you’re in bed, alone with your thoughts.

To combat this, try to visualize something positive in your life that brings you joy. It might be a vacation you took with your family or a sunrise you enjoyed with your partner. This type of visualization can help to replace those worrisome thoughts and hopefully, lull you to sleep.

16. Consider Supplementation

We mentioned CBD for sleep earlier, but did you know that there are other supplements that can help you sleep better too? You may also want to try:

• -Melatonin
• -Magnesium
• -Valerian Root (included in Receptra Rest CBD tincture)
• -Magnolia Bark
• -Jujube

If you do decide to try a supplement, it’s best to stick with one at a time. That way, it will be easier to determine what works best for you.

17. Try a Sleep-Enhancing Breathing Technique

One such technique is called the 4-7-8 method, and it can help you calm your mind and body before you fall asleep. The steps are simple, and it has been shown to be effective.

There are other breathing techniques that might work just as well. You might want to try abdominal breathing, reciting a mantra or using the body scan method.

18. Sleep in a Dark Room

The light you’re exposed to all day long acts like a cue to keep your body awake and alert. But at nighttime, darkness helps to trigger it to fall asleep. If you’re a person who doesn’t like your bedroom to be completely dark at night, it might be time to rethink that stance.

Darkness increases your body’s natural stores of melatonin, which is important for quality sleep. You may want to invest in dark shades or blackout curtains to keep your bedroom as dark as possible while you sleep at night.

19. Try a Warm Drink Before Bed

Since you’re giving up caffeine at night, you may find that it helps to enjoy a warm drink before you turn out the lights. There are several that might be beneficial, such as:

• -Cherry juice
• -Warm milk
• -Chamomile tea
• -Golden milk
• -Peppermint tea
• -CBD sleep tea

A drink that contains tryptophan is highly recommended because it’s converted into melatonin and serotonin in the body. Both can help you get better sleep.

20. Try to Stay Awake Instead of Trying to go to Sleep

Perhaps you’ve been trying to force yourself for sleep so long that it’s now become a habit. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work, and it’s more likely to contribute to your sleep problems. This is because it only contributes to any stress you might currently be under.

Paradoxical intention is a method that may allow you to get some shuteye after all. Instead of trying to force yourself to go to sleep, try to force yourself to stay awake. You may just find that this method of “tricking” your brain helps you catch the Zs you’ve been after.

21. Ignore the Clock

If waking up in the middle of the night is your problem, try ignoring your clock. Checking it has been known to contribute to the anxiety you feel about having woken up in the first place. In turn, this can make it harder for you to go back to sleep.

You may need to make some changes in order to keep yourself from clock-checking. For example, move your cell phone or alarm clock across the room so they aren’t quite as accessible.

22. Try the Military Method

The Military Method is a sleep technique that the U.S. Army uses to help soldiers fall asleep in less than ideal situations. It involves relaxing all the muscles in the body and clearing the mind of clutter.

It can take some practice and time, but as many as 96% found that it worked for them after about six weeks. The key is consistency.

23. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is another technique that you may find to be effective. This involves a process of tensing the muscles in your body and then relaxing them.

Using PMR may be a great way to help you unwind at the end of the day and release all of that pent-up tension. Once your body lets it go, sleep may come naturally.

24. Take a Warm Bath or Shower Before Bed

You might have to change up your hygiene routine by taking a warm bath or shower before bed instead of in the morning. This has been shown to help people fall asleep much faster, and it may contribute to helping you stay asleep too.

A warm bath is very relaxing, but it can also cause your body temperature to drop afterward. This could get you even more ready to drift off into dreamland.

25. Wear Socks to Keep Your Feet Warm

It may sound like an odd suggestion, but wearing socks to bed might help you go to sleep faster. This has to do with the way the socks can help you regulate your body’s temperature, which we know now is very important.

When your feet are warm while you sleep, this results in vasodilation. It releases heat through your skin, and it also aids in lowering your overall body temperature. As a result, the brain is signaled that it’s time to go to sleep.

26. Practice Yoga

If you have never practiced Yoga before, now might be a great time to start! The goal of Yoga is to release tension and stress that accumulate in your body during the course of the day.

Yoga is very gentle, so it’s appropriate even for those who typically don’t exercise. Incorporating even 15 minutes of it a night may help you get the sleep you’ve been lacking.

27. Try a Counting Technique

Counting sheep is considered one of the oldest sleep tricks in the book. Recent studies show that it might not be as effective as we once thought. But that doesn’t mean we need to discount the idea of counting completely.

https://youtu.be/je7oTyZIhvk

Instead of counting sheep, try simply counting down from 100 or a number of your choosing. It might work because you’re bored, but you may find that it is very effective!

28. Make Sure to Use the Bathroom

It should always be part of your bedtime routine to use the bathroom before bed. If it’s not, you may find yourself trying to drift off in spite of having a full bladder.

Your body should allow you to sleep for six to eight hours without you waking up to use the bathroom. But if it doesn’t, don’t forget tip number 21!

29. Consider Investing in a More Comfortable Bed

If your bed is ten years old or older, it could be contributing to your sleep problems. Having a comfortable mattress is so essential to a good night’s rest.

If you wake up sore every day, or if your mattress is no longer firm, it might be time to invest in a new one. You’ll thank yourself later.

30. Avoid Drinking Alcohol Excessively

In one study, one drink was shown to cause sleep problems. People who consumed alcohol moderately saw a decrease in sleep quality by 24%. Those who drink heavily may find that the quality of their sleep is impacted by close to 40%.

If a nightcap has become part of your routine, it’s best to skip it. The benefits you’ll experience from making this change may be experienced almost immediately.

Better Sleep Can Start Right Now

At Receptra, we are committed to providing you with quality CBD oil products that promote a good night’s rest. Our Serious Rest + Chamomile Tincture is available to lull you into dreamland.

Would you like to know more about CBD oil and sleep? Please contact us or visit our shop to place your order.