5 simple ways to help you sleep quickly

On average, it takes a healthy adult about 10-20 minutes to fall asleep. If you often toss and turn, some relaxation techniques combined with healthy sleep habits can help your body fall asleep more easily.

Relax before bed

Going to bed right after working or using electronic devices can cause the brain to not have time to “cool down”. Experts recommend spending about 30-60 minutes before bed to relax, helping the body and brain prepare for sleep. You can read a book, listen to soft music, take a warm bath, write in a diary or do light stretching movements to help your body gradually enter a state of rest.

One of the methods recommended by many experts is progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). The practitioner gently squeezes each muscle group in turn for a few seconds and then completely relaxes, starting from the feet, legs, thighs, abdomen, shoulders, arms, and facial muscles. This technique helps reduce muscle tension, creates a feeling of relaxation and supports the process of falling asleep.

Regulate breathing

Breathing slowly and deeply can reduce heart rate and activate the parasympathetic nervous system – a mechanism that helps the body relax and prepare for sleep. One of the popular exercises is the 4-7-8 method: inhale through the nose for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds and then exhale slowly through the mouth for 8 seconds. Doing this a few times can reduce the feeling of restlessness before bed.

If you find it difficult to do the rhythm correctly, just inhale and exhale slowly and evenly at the appropriate pace. It is important to maintain a steady breathing rate instead of holding your breath for too long.

Visualize the relaxing scene

Thoughts about work, study or life problems can keep the brain active after going to bed. To reduce this condition, close your eyes and imagine a peaceful scene such as a beach, forest, field or any place that brings a sense of relaxation.

Concentrating on visualizing that scene can help the mind relax and dispel stressful thoughts. Some people also find it easier to sleep when combined with nature sounds or soft instrumental music.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a method of focusing on your breathing and what is happening in the present instead of letting your mind constantly think about the past or future. Studies show that practicing mindfulness regularly can reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and shorten the time it takes some people to fall asleep.

If you’re just starting out, spend about 5-10 minutes before bed observing your breathing. When you notice your mind wandering or your thoughts wandering, return to focusing on your breathing.

Don’t try to force yourself to sleep

The more you worry about not being able to sleep, the more stress hormones your body secretes, making your brain more alert and making it harder to fall asleep. If you’ve been lying in bed for about 20 minutes and still haven’t fallen asleep, you should get out of bed and do some relaxing things like reading a paper book, listening to soft music, or practicing breathing. When you start to feel sleepy, go back to bed. This habit helps the brain gradually associate the bed with sleep, thereby limiting the situation of lying for a long time but not being able to sleep.

If it regularly takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, lasts for many weeks or causes fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and affects work and daily life, the patient should see a doctor. Persistent difficulty sleeping may be related to chronic insomnia, anxiety disorders, sleep apnea, or other medical conditions that require treatment.