Life
20 People Share Their Go-To Method For Falling Asleep As Fast As Possible
"You look so tired!" — Everyone to you, all the time, as if you didn't already know. If you constantly feel drained and need help drifting off at night, you might want to try these methods for falling asleep as fast as possible.
Americans are notoriously tired. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one in three adults don't get enough sleep. And there is indeed a serious (and expensive, I might add) ripple effect. CBS News reported on a study from staffing firm Accountemps, which found that almost 75 percent of us go to work tired — and it estimates that it ends up costing the economy $411 billion every single year.
Yikes.
Why are we so exhausted? Well, let's see. It could be any one of a million things, but more than likely, a combination of multiple things: Family responsibilities. School. Work. Bills. Student loan debt. Relationships. Self-care. We all have too much to do, not enough time to do it, and when we finally get in bed at night to go to sleep, our brains just aren't fully ready to get there too.
If you're in desperate need of some shut-eye but can't seem to get to sleep at night, try one of these 19 methods people swear by on Reddit. You might pass out faster than you expect.
1Make Your Brain Work
One way to get your brain to calm down? Give it a good workout. If you hit the letter Q, you'll be out like a light.
2Listen To A Calming, Mildly Boring Audiobook
Sure, it might be a total snoozefest, but that's the point, right? Don't pick anything with zombies or sword fights or aliens taking over the planet, although all of that sounds really exciting.
3Imagine It's Already The Morning
This method will likely trigger the game we all like to play called, "If I Fall Asleep Now, I Can Still Get 5 Hours Of Sleep."
4Use Your Imagination
You're never too old to play make-believe, and it might just help you drift off to sleep.
5Read Before Bed
Reading is a good way to wind down without the harsh glare of a screen messing with your ability to fall asleep.
6Picture A Calming Breeze Blowing Against You
Picture yourself on an island somewhere... ocean waves crashing in the background... all of your coworkers unable to email you...
7Visualize A Rolling Marble
I dare you to do this and not fall asleep. Go on now.
8Don't Move A Muscle
If you've been told you're a restless sleeper, this one may be worth a try.
9Think Of Everything Turning Off
When it feels like everything else is going to sleep, you'll probably start to feel tired yourself.
10Listen To Podcasts
Listening to a podcast can be just enough work to wear you out and help you doze off.
11Pretend You're Already Asleep
What you think, you become. Think you're asleep, and you shall sleep.
12Tense Up And Then Relax
When you force yourself to squeeze all your muscles and then relax them, it can help you realize that you were actually already holding a lot of stress in your body.
13Watch ASMR Videos
You haven't lived (or... slept) until you've listened to ASMR videos. They give you the tingles and calm you down like nothing else will.
14Slip Under A Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets will help kick your anxiety to the curb so you can finally calm those racing thoughts.
15Condition Yourself To A Trigger
If you can make the connection between a specific action and sleep, when you perform said action, it'll tell your brain, "Hey, it's time to sleep now."
16Stick One Leg Out Of The Blanket
You might actually be doing this to better control your own body temperature — and it works like a charm.
17Try Meditating
According to Sleep.org, mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to your body, plain and simple. Try focusing on your breathing and the sensation of your stomach rising and falling.
18Pop A Melatonin
A lot of people swear by small doses of melatonin before bed — just make sure you read up on it and check with your doctor before you explore the option yourself.
20Rest To The Sounds Of The Forest
The wind, the birds, a gentle rain falling — you can always count on the sounds of the forest to get you to sleep.
