Our tips for falling asleep faster
Sleep is integral to our overall well-being; it not only regulates our body and mind. Unsurprisingly, a good night's sleep can influence how we interact with the world by improving mood and concentration. But in our fast-paced world, increased stress and anxiety can prevent people from getting quality sleep. An estimated 30% of Americans are regularly sleep deprived. So how can we fall asleep faster?Â
Manage your environment to fall asleep faster.Â
NoiseÂ
A loud environment can compromise our nightly sleep quality. Noisy neighbors, heavy traffic, and even our house's symphony of creeks, bangs, and rattles can compromise our ability to fall asleep quickly. It only takes ambient sound above 30 decibels to affect rest. For comparison, heavy traffic comes in at 70 dB and an airplane taking off comes in at 100 dB. The World Health Organisation estimates that the human population loses one million years of healthy life due to traffic-related noise.Â
Not all background noise is terrible; white noise contains all frequencies across the audible sound spectrum equally. Scientists have investigated the effect of white noise on humans and discovered evidence that it may, increase sleep quality, improve work performance, and even potentially improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). So consider adding a white noise playlist to your sleep schedule to fall asleep faster.
TemperatureÂ
Our bedroom temperature should also be well controlled. Ambient room temperature can make or break sleep quality and your ability to fall asleep quickly. Did you know that room temperatures above 71°F (24°C) contribute to restlessness and disrupt REM sleep? Furthermore, if your room is too cold, 53°F (12°C) or lower, it can be challenging to fall asleep. The ideal bedroom temperature is around 60-65°F (16-18°C). (3)
Reduce Blue Light Exposure
Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum. It acts as a melatonin suppressor, a crucial hormone in signaling sleep (4). Our smartphones, TVs, computers, and light bulbs emit blue light. Try switching off all electronic devices an hour or two before bed to help mitigate blue light exposure and thus help you fall asleep faster.
4-7-8 Breathing
Controlled breathing is a quick and easy way to regulate our autonomic nervous system inducing a sense of calm. There are many variations of breathing exercises to help you fall asleep faster. However, here is a good example we like at BrainLuxury. There're only three steps to this technique:
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of four. You want to feel your stomach expand outwards here, so take in a good bellyful of air.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven. You don't want to strain; gently hold it in.
- Breathe out through your mouth for a count of eight. Do this with a little force through pursed lips so you can just about hear it.
This would be one complete cycle; aim for three cycles. The key is to keep it relaxed and not forced.
Here you can see how minor changes in your sleep environment and routine can significantly reduce your time to fall asleep. If you consistently implement the same tips and advice, your brain will associate the new changes with falling asleep faster. This is known as sleep association.
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We hope this has helped you on your quest for brain health. If you have any questions about our products, feel free to reach out to our team.
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