I’m In Bed – Now What? 7 Ways to Help You Fall Asleep

Last Updated on 2015-01-10 by Kassandra

My biggest passion in life is to coach others to success, in whatever capacity I can. Lately, I’ve been focused on sleep, and times when you should be awake or sleeping. During this time, I had a friend comment on a post about how they usually find it hard to fall asleep once they’re actually in bed.

I’m truly blessed that it is a rare occasion that this is an issue for me. So I had to do some digging in order to come up with ways that people can get to sleep faster. And in order to create this post for you, I looked to several sources for the information that I’m sharing with you today. Here’s the rub:

• Wiki-How:  6 Ways to Fall Asleep
• Fall Asleep Faster
• 32 Solutions for When You Can’t Sleep

The National Sleep Foundation’s definition of insomnia:  difficulty falling (or staying) asleep, even with the chance to do so. These people can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and may experience one or more of the following:

• fatigue
• low energy
• difficulty concentrating
• mood disturbances
• decreased performance in work or school
• in women – feelings of hostility, depression and anger, higher risk of heart disease & diabetes

Any of these sound familiar?

They did to me. And when a friend of mine said they had difficulty getting to sleep? I knew I had to get some information in their hands to help with their predicament. So for my wonderful friends reading this who have issues getting to sleep once you’re in bed — this post was made specifically with YOU in mind!

1. Tune Out the Noise

   Whether your spouse’s agitating snores, or the cars honking their horns & blaring mariachi music at 0230 … You can tune it out with a relaxing soundtrack. You can get it with a special sound generator, an app for your phone, or even something you play while you’re sleeping … Some even use SleepPhones!

2. Prep Your Body

   You can meditate.
   Write in your gratitude journal.Whatever it is, prep your body for rest. Be quiet. Reduce the stress and tension.One suggestion from this site said you could try curling your toes tightly for a count of seven and then relax. Work through this all the way up your body, hitting each muscle group from your toes to your neck.

3. Take Notes

   Keep a sleep log! It can help you make connections with how your daily routine affects how well you sleep. Every day, you’ll record things like:

   =>  how much caffeine you drink
   =>  when and how much exercise you do
   =>  when you go to bed
   =>  when you wake up
   =>  total sleep time

   Then you can share it with a sleep specialist.

4. Keep Cool

   You are more likely to doze off easier & sleep better when the room is cooler. I’ve been told the suggestion is 65 degrees or lower … But WOW that’s cold for me!

   If you tend to be hot at night, you can try the following:
   => a cooling mattress pad
   => moisture-wicking sheets
   => breathable cotton PJs

5. Relax Right

   If you tend to mull over a day’s events, try journaling about it at least 2 hours before bedtime. This will alleviate that racing mind!

   Right before you fall asleep? You can try this imagery exercise:
   Picture any tranquil scene. (e.g.:  like a day at the beach)

   That’s it! Over time, this routine will help cue your brain to chill out.

6. Treat Your Sleeping Quarters As Sacrosanct

   On one of the sites I was reading, it said to keep your bedroom:  comfortable, warm, free of distractions, place of routine, dark, and pleasant … But if you’re supposed to have the room somewhere between 60.8 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit (16 – 20 degrees Celsius) … That’s super cold for me!

7. Adjust the lighting

   Most people find it better if they’re in total darkness. If that’s not your thing, you can have night lights in the hallway – just not in your room. If it must be in the room, turn away from them. (Or wear a sleep mask with lavender scent!)

And if that’s still not enough? Check out these sites below:

• Wiki-How:  6 Ways to Fall Asleep
• Fall Asleep Faster
• 32 Solutions for When You Can’t Sleep