Getting a good night's sleep sounds so easy, but it can be so difficult. The next day, after a bad night, is characterized by tiredness and a bad mood. Too little sleep also has negative effects on health and can cause depression, for example. Therefore, it should not be taken lightly if you suffer from long-term sleep problems. (1)
Especially when you can't fall asleep, anger and worry often arise, but what can you do to fall asleep faster at night? In this article we talk about the most important questions around the topic of better sleep. We will also show you which tips and tricks you can use in the future to be able to fall asleep better and, above all, faster.
the essentials in brief
- Problems falling asleep can arise for many reasons. Sometimes these are quick and easy to identify, in other cases it is necessary to consult a doctor.
- A few tastes and smells can help you fall asleep. Examples include lavender and valerian.
- When it comes to children having trouble falling asleep, there are certain things that parents often don't pay attention to, which can, however, help the child to fall asleep faster.
Background: What you should know to be able to fall asleep better
A good night's sleep is essential to perform well the next day. Whether in private or at work, not getting enough sleep is never helpful. Here we explain the most frequently asked questions about falling asleep for you.
What to do if I can't fall asleep at night?
There are some tips, tricks, and home remedies that can help you fall asleep faster. These include, for example, routines, teas or the right room climate. We'll address this below to help you get back to a good night's sleep as soon as possible. Make sure that the same things do not lead to success for every person.
Why can't I fall asleep at night?
There can be many reasons for not being able to fall asleep. There are often easily recognizable reasons, such as eating too much food too close to bedtime or being too active. However, there can also be hidden reasons and sleep disorders , which can often only be discovered and remedied by medical treatment. (2)
How can I fall asleep faster in the heat?
Almost everyone has experienced the effect of heat on sleep in summer. The heat also has an impact on irritability and our sleep. (3)
| Tip | execution |
|---|---|
| darken | Make sure that as little light as possible can enter your room during the day. Use opaque curtains or blinds for this. This keeps the sun out and keeps your bedroom cool. |
| airing | Let fresh, cool air into your room in the morning and evening. This way you can get the old stale air out of your room and it also cools down. |
| air conditioners | There is also the possibility to install mobile air conditioners or fans, but make sure that noises do not disturb your sleep. It is also important that your room is not too cold, otherwise there is a risk of catching a cold. |
If you keep these things in mind, hopefully the temperatures in your bedroom will be more bearable.
What can I do to help my children fall asleep faster?
If your own children cannot fall asleep, it is not only a torture for the little ones, the parents often suffer as well. Children are able to develop their own calming strategies. So if your child doesn't fall asleep right away, try to leave them alone for some time and don't immediately intervene with your own calming strategies.
Children can often develop their own calming strategies and know the best way to fall asleep. (Image source: ddimitrova / pixabay)
These may help you fall asleep faster, but have the opposite effect on your child. However, what can help are evening rituals before going to bed as well as strategies that promote autonomy and emotional availability. (4)
What should I do if I can't fall asleep despite being tired?
Our tips and tricks mentioned later can also help with this point. Try to work out certain evening rituals and routines and do them every night before you go to bed. This shows your body that it's time to go to sleep and the production of melatonin is stimulated. It can also help to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.
Studies show that people who show regularity in their sleep patterns suffer from fewer behavioral psychological deficits. (5) Maintaining good sleep hygiene also has a positive effect on your overall health and ensures that you can fall asleep faster despite being tired.
What can I do if I can't fall asleep because of my thoughts?
On this point, we will give you some tips later on how to make sure that your thoughts do not prevent you from falling asleep quickly and well. What is clearly documented, however, is that you can use certain techniques to ensure that you shut down your thoughts and do not have to torture yourself with worries.
Meditation increases the production of melatonin .
One of these techniques is meditation. With practice, it can help you sort your thoughts and prepare your body for sleep. Meditation also stimulates the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and you get tired more quickly. (6)
Fall asleep better: The 6 best tips & tricks to be able to fall asleep better
We have now clarified the most important questions for you. But how can you come to the practice and what can you do to fall asleep faster? In the following we will show you how you can fall asleep better and faster with the help of tips and tricks.
Try them all out and find out what works best for you. Every person is different and therefore different things always have a different effect on each individual. So don't get stuck on certain things, even though they may not help you at all.
Also, be aware that not everyone can fall asleep and wake up at the same time. There are people who prefer to be active at night and need longer to get out of bed in the morning. Pay attention to your internal clock and don't force yourself to get up or go to bed at certain times when your body is struggling against it.
Tip 1: Fall asleep better with the help of routines
This tip is very individual for each person. For some, using evening routines and rituals helps, for others it makes no sense and doesn't help them. So try this out, you'll quickly find out whether it helps you or not. (7) What these routines look like is also different for each person.
You may find it helpful to have a cup of tea before bed, or read a few pages of a book. However, if you are a person who does not like tea and also does not like reading books, this routine will not make sense for you. It is best to develop rituals for yourself that help you to calm down and prepare you for sleep.
Tip 2: Fall asleep better with the use of home remedies
There are certain things you always have at home, and some of them can make it easier for you to fall asleep better and faster.
| home remedies | use |
|---|---|
| teas | A cup of tea before bed can not only help you prepare for sleep, if you drink certain types of tea in the evening, they can also make you tired more quickly. The following varieties are particularly suitable: lavender, valerian, chamomile and lemon balm |
| aromatic oils | The use of certain aromatic oils has a similar effect to tea. Certain smells make you tired more quickly and make it easier for you to fall asleep. Pay attention to the quality of the oils. You can spread these around your bedroom using a diffuser, or put a few drops on your pillow. Lavender, valerian, hop and stone pine oils are particularly suitable. (8th) |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | Mix a few drops of apple cider vinegar with lukewarm water and drink this mixture just before bedtime. Especially if you ate something too heavy in the evening, the apple cider vinegar will help ease the feeling in your stomach. |
| warm milk with honey | A well-known trick to sleep better. You can integrate the drink into your evening routine and prepare yourself for sleep. Make sure the milk isn't too hot, otherwise the good stuff in the honey will be destroyed. You should also attach great importance to the quality of the honey. |
Try it out here and see what you have at home. You don't have to buy expensive teas or aromatic oils right away, work with what you have at home.
Tip 3: Fall asleep better with the help of meditations and a diary
As mentioned earlier in this article, many people find it difficult to let go of their thoughts and drift off to sleep. Here are some ways to sort those thoughts and stop mulling over all sorts of things. One of these methods is meditation. There are many different ways to meditate.
There are countless guided meditations available on the internet. There are also apps in the app stores that show you how to start meditating and how to make it a habit. Meditation has been shown to help calm your mind and make you tired. (6) There is also the possibility of using different breathing techniques to calm the body and prepare it for sleep. Again, there are many guides to be found on the internet.
Meditation and other practices can help you fall asleep faster. (Image Source: Pexels / pixabay)
Another thing you can do to organize your thoughts is to write them down. It is best to always have a notebook and a pen on your bedside table and whenever your thoughts are racing through your head, you write down whatever is going through your head.
Even if they can often be very unrealistic thoughts, write them down, nobody will read these thoughts except you. This tip is also very helpful if you often think about your tasks for the next day and it keeps you from sleeping. Write them down in your notebook and you can be sure that you won't forget them the next day.
Tip 4: Fall asleep better without electrical devices
It doesn't matter if it's a TV, laptop or smartphone. These devices emit a light that inhibits the formation of the sleep hormone melatonin. (9) Make sure you stop using electrical devices at least an hour before bedtime. Rather spend this time with other things that we show you here. This way you will be able to rest more quickly and you will become tired more quickly.
In addition, you are often kept awake longer by the consumed media because you are upset or worried about the things you have seen. So avoid reading or watching the news just before you go to sleep. This can help you calm down and not brood over what is going on in the world. Most of the time the messages are negative messages, you shouldn't record them before going to bed.
Tip 5: Fall asleep better with the right room climate
Perhaps you would not have thought that this point affects your sleeping behavior, but it is quite clear that the indoor climate can also have a positive or negative effect on your sleep. People sleep much better in clean rooms and sleep quality increases. (10) So try to keep your bedroom as clean as possible. Roughly tidying up your bedroom could also be a part of your evening routine, so your sleep will definitely improve.
The right room climate and the right temperature in the bedroom promote a good night's sleep. (Image source: PublicDomainPictures / pixabay)
The room temperature also plays an important role in restorative sleep. Here you should try out what is best for you and at what temperature you can fall asleep the fastest. Ideally, the temperature in your bedroom should be between 16°C and 18°C. Studies have shown that people sleep longer and better in cooler rooms than in rooms with a higher temperature. (11)
Tip 6: Fall asleep better with the right amount of exercise
At this point, there is something to consider in order to get the positive effects of exercise on sleep. It is important not to practice sport too late. Otherwise, the body is in an active phase and does not think about going to sleep soon. However, exercise is highly recommended during the day, as this is how the body uses energy and you are more tired in the evening. Regular exercise generally contributes to a good sense of well-being and thus also has a positive effect on the quality of your sleep. (12)
Conclusion
Ultimately, it is important for you to fall asleep faster, which tips and tricks you use to do this is irrelevant. Try them out and you'll see what works for you. Some of the tips may not immediately have a positive effect, but don't give up too easily.
Especially with things like meditation or evening rituals, it may take some time before you notice positive effects. Also, don't try to compulsively use anything that doesn't feel right to you. Just because something works for other people doesn't mean the same thing for you.
References
- Hippius, H.; Janzarik, W.; Mueller, C.; Wiegand, Michael H. (1995) Sleep, sleep deprivation and depression
- Acker, Jens G.; Cordi, Maren J. (2019) Sleep problems in general practice: From screening to initial therapy - Update 2019
- Zulauf, N.; Passek, K.; Bendels, MH; Quarcoo, D.; Oremek, GM (2019) The impact of heat in climate change on testosterone
- Schlarb, AA; Achterberg, K.; Brocki, S.; Ziemann, A.; Wiater, A.; Lollies, F. (2017) Sleep-Related Parenting Behavior and Childhood Sleep
- John M Taub (1978) Behavioral and psychophysiological correlates of irregularity in chronic sleep routines
- Ravindra P Nagendra, Nirmala Maruthai and Bindu M Kutty (2012) Meditation and its regulatory role on sleep
- Julie E Johnson (2010) A Comparative Study of the Bedtime Routines and Sleep of Older Adults
- Karadag, Ezgi; Samancioglu, Sevgin; Ozden, Dilek; Bakir, Ercan (2017) Effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality and anxiety of patients
- Durand, D.; Landmann, N.; Piosczyk, H.; Holz, J.; Riemann, D.; Voderholzer, U.; Nissen, C. (2012) Effects of Media Consumption on Sleep in Children and Adolescents
- Clare, PY Fung; Alice, HY Hon (2019) How to provide an optimal environment for tourists to manage their sleep? The roles of sleep amenities, sleep environment cleanliness, and sleep atmosphere
- Valham, Fredrik; Sahlin, Carin; Stenlund, Hans; Franklin, Karl A. (2012) Ambient temperature and obstructive sleep apnea: effects on sleep, sleep apnea, and morning alertness
- Schlarb, AA; Schwedler, V.; Feichtinger, P. (2012) Late evening sports, sleep, sleep hygiene and psychological well-being in adolescent soccer players