These are 38 tips on how to fall asleep fast and sleep better. This list is constantly updated with the valuable help of our readers (thank you guys and gals) so check back from time to time to see what new ideas are included.
There are some lucky people that seem to already have learned how to get to sleep fast and sleep for a long time and some of the luckiest ones fall asleep the instant they put the head on the pillow.
The rest of us have to go through many minutes or hours of simply looking at the ceiling before being able to fall asleep. Testing lots and lots of sleeping positions, trying to have a clear mind, even counting sheep are useless tips on how to fall asleep fast if the person suffers from insomnia, sleep apnea or any other sleeping disorder so it is best to determine the causes and then start treating it.
Now, to learn how to make yourself fall asleep fast, you need to know what are the reasons why you can’t fall asleep.
Why can’t I fall asleep?
Besides sleeping disorders, there are many others elements that simply stop people in getting their deserved sleep. But this time is something that they are fully responsible for. I am talking about bad habits like:
– thinking at all the problems they have, all the debts, work problems, health issues, instead of concentrating on falling asleep.
– remembering something bad that happened to them, how someone insulted them or any other memory from the past that should stay in the past.
– getting into bed with one thought in mind: “I will have one of those nights when I can’t fall asleep. Off, I wish I could sleep fast like my boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife. They are so lucky”. This just the type of attitude that is keeping you awake and keeps the sleep at a distance.
– going to bed full of stress after a hard day at the office or with the kids would keep you nervous and unable to sleep.
After a morning wake up and a lot of hours at work, we all want to just go home, take a shower, eat and enjoy a relaxing sleep. If you are one of those unlucky ones that crave for some sleep and most of the times you don’t get it, read the followings indications on how to fall asleep fast and apply them.
Important! This is an on-going list of ways to fall asleep fast and it will be improved in time until it has all the ways that people can use to fall asleep, so if you have a suggestion or some tips on how to fall asleep fast that would fit in here, just leave a comment bellow and your tip will be included on this page. Thank you!
You should use pills only when necessarily and make sure they are natural pills. If your doctor prescribed sleeping pills, that doesn’t mean you have to take them every night, without even trying to get to sleep naturally, without all those pills. Even if those pills help you sleep fast, you will be soon become addicted to them and you will be forced to take them every night, for the rest of your life.
In some cases, these sleeping pills create such an addiction that if the person in cause wants to have an afternoon nap, will have to take the sleeping pills in this case too. It is best learn to how to fall asleep fast naturally so why not give it a chance and read the tips below on how to fall asleep at night.
If you experience sever problems in falling asleep, sleeping pills may help you but also keep in mind that you have to be careful when administering them and always respect the prescription your doctor gave you. If you are willing to make some change in your lifestyle and in your daily routine you are surely to get your well deserved sleep soon.
How To Fall Asleep Fast – 37 Tricks To Fall Asleep Fast
1. Self Hypnosis.
If you haven’t yet tried this, you’re really going to love it! Who knew you didn’t need pills to fall asleep fast? All you need is a self hypnosis audio to listen to and you’ll sleep like a log, each night.
2. Just do it.
Click here to fall asleep fast every night
The best and simple tip on how to fall asleep quicker is to try to fall asleep. Some determination can really do miracles. Just think of all the good things that you will be able to do the next day if you only could learn how to fall asleep faster.
Imagine doing those things and feeling great about yourself, and just realize that you need to be rested if you want to have a great day tomorrow. Don’t try to put pressure on yourself! Just think of the end results that you will get if you could fall asleep faster tonight.
3. Read a peaceful book.
Or a boring one. They both work for me. But do this until you go to bed because the idea is to fall asleep fast and not to read 100 pages in bed and then go to sleep. The moment you feel tired, put the book down and put your head on the pillow. This is the answer if you wanted to know how to fall asleep when not tired.
4. Get rid of distractions.
A simple yet effective tip on how to fall asleep very fast is this : put all the magazines, the remote control, fliers, books or any distraction away from the bed because this way you won’t be tempted to use them and you can fall asleep faster.
5. Have sex!
This is one of those activities that once completed require recovery so a good night sleep is the best solution. Men are usually the ones who feel really tired after this, so if you are a man, try it. Who said that learning how to fall asleep fast should not be fun?
6. Avoid coffee.
Don’t fill you body with caffeine during daytime because you will feel the effects at night. Too much caffeine is both harmful for your health and sleep. You can also avoid having a coffee late in the afternoon as this will interfere with your sleep too.
7. Avoid drinking too much alcohol before sleep.
Boozing your body is not helping you sleep faster but will give you some well deserved headaches. Night sweats from alcohol are very common today when people abuse their bodies and drink too much.
8. Cut down on sweets.
One of the hardest tips on how to fall asleep fast without pills is to limit the amount of chocolate or candies that you eat. All that sugar will keep you very energized and unable to sleep.
9. Turn the lights off.
This is a no-brainer but so many people try to fall asleep with the night lamp on and is not a miracle they don’t succeed. This will, in most cases, be the answer to the how to fall asleep faster question that one may have. Some people can and prefer to sleep with the lights one, but, most of us can’t do that. We sometimes tend to forget that we sleep better without any lights on, so we need to remember ourselves that. If you have trouble sleeping even with the smallest sign of light peaking through your curtains, try using an eye mask.
10. Don’t waste time in front of the PC.
Avoid staying in front of the computer till later in the night if is not necessary. All that bright light coming from the computer won’t help you to fall asleep faster.
11. Exercise.
This is great for your health and is inducing sleep too. By exercising you will also reduce stress and you will have greater chances of falling asleep faster. This works for a small part of people, but the next tip is exactly the opposite of this one.
12. Don’t exercise close to bed time.
Most people will feel energized if they work out before bedtime and this will stop them from falling asleep. Because of the adrenaline that is created when we workout, we feel alive and a boost of energy fills our bodies and that is why you should not workout before bedtime unless you know that this will make you sleepy. If I start doing this, I can’t fall asleep too soon, and that’s why I exercise early in the morning. But, who knows how you will feel after this. Just try it and see.
13. Pamper yourself with a nice bath.
A warm bath can give us the answers to how to fall asleep faster. So, have a warm bath. You will feel relaxed and the sleep will come naturally. You should take a bath with 1 or 2 hours prior to going to sleep, because the steam and that hot water will make you sleepy about 1-2 hours after the bath has been taken.
Use bath oils to create a relaxing atmosphere or dip into a bathtub full of bubbles. Look for a bubble bath that smells like your favorite flowers or like bubble gum if you want a quirk moment.
Click here to check some bath oils or here if you want a tub full of bubbles.
You should always try this for a couple of nights and see how it works best for you. Maybe you can take a bath and go to bed right after that or maybe you need to have a warm bath with 4 hours before going to bed. Who could know what makes you feel better? Special thanks to Maria who pointed out that some people will sleep better if they take a bath with more than 3 hours before sleep time. I think this also represents one of fastest ways for children to sleep. Try to give your child a bath prior to sleep and see if it makes him sleepy.
14. Ssst!
Make sure that is quiet in the bedroom. Noise can disturb your sleep and if it continues, you may have a sleepless night. A white noise machine will cover all the unwanted sounds and replace them with what they call a “smooth sound of rushing air”. Here you will find some models and reviews to help you better decide.
15. Count sheep or anything else.
I know that this is one of well know ways to fall asleep faster, but it does work in some cases, so it’s worth a try. You can count your breaths, the breaths of your bed mate or any other thing that relaxes you. Try not to focus on counting. Sleeping will be piece a cake if you do this.
16. Close your eyes gently and act sleepily.
You probably know the old “fake it till you make it” rule, and this is a great time to use this to your own benefit. Lots of times I pretended to be asleep just to scare someone and while I waited to perform the prank with my eyes closed I ended up falling asleep.
17. Think of your hobbies.
How to fall asleep faster? Just imagine yourself doing something that you like. I, for example, I think of cleaning my closet, decorating the house etc. Think what works for you and be creative.
18. Have a light dinner.
An easy to follow tip on how to fall asleep really fast is to avoid having big meals before getting into bed. It takes a couple of hours or more to digest the food and you risk staying awake if you eat more than you need.
19. Drink a cup of hot tea.
I use Chamomile tea and it works. See what works for you and use it. Go the natural way and avoid teas that contain caffeine or have stimulating effects.
20. Be comfortable.
Did you know that wearing comfy pajamas might be a great answer to the question how to fall asleep fast and easy? If your top is too tight you are sure not to fall asleep anytime soon.
21. Have a good mattress.
Not too soft or too hard, big enough to allow you to move easily.
22. Avoid afternoon naps.
You will risk sleeping way too much in the daytime and you won’t be able to sleep at all at night.
23. Listen only to ambient music.
It might sound a bit dull at first, but if you have patience you will see the results. On Amazon you will find thousands of MP3s or audio CDs with the proper type of music. Click here to check their products yourself and learn how to fall asleep fast tonight.
24. Have your sweet one in mind.
Another tip that will help you fall asleep fast is to think at your loved one. This will definitely relax you and you can fall asleep faster.
25. Pray.
Focus on what you pray and don’t let your thoughts to run away. Think of all the things you are grateful for and you will feel relaxed and stress free.
26. Sing your favorite song in your head.
Think at the clip, at the singer, at the dance. But feel relaxed and wait for the sleep to come. Use this and you won’t ever ask yourself how can you get to sleep quickly.
27. Say no to noisy clocks.
One of the good ways on how to fall asleep fast is to avoid having clocks in your bedroom. You won’t be tempted to look at the time and you will fell less pressure. The second solution will be a silent, no tick clock, like these here.
28. Do some stretching while in bed.
Think at what a cat does before going to sleep. The cat will do some really good stretching before she goes to sleep, and the question is how does this thing help the cat? Well, by stretching like, the cat is relaxing her muscles and getting ready to get some sleep. Cats can teach anyone a thing or two about how to go to sleep at night quickly. And this may help you too.
29. Watch horror movies. Just kidding!
Don’t watch horror movies before getting to bed. You will think at them all night and no wonder you won’t be able to fall asleep fast. You need happy thoughts, not the The Texas chain saw massacre.
30. Practice deep breathing.
Plain simple trick on how to fall asleep faster than ever.
31. Have a pet with you.
They are great sleeping pills for their owners. They can give you a positive boost of energy and make you sleepier after you play with them. You could learn a thing or two from them on how to fall asleep fast.
32. Use aromatherapy.
This will relax you and create a good atmosphere in your bedroom, just perfect for sleeping. Here you will find tons of products.
33. What’s your best sleeping posture?
It seems that sleeping in your favorite position is also very helpful for a good sleep. Finding a good position is which you feel comfortable and you are also relaxing your jaw will help in both falling asleep fast and sleeping great. Your jaw has been working for an entire day so it needs rest as well as you, so make sure that it has a good position so that it can relax. This tip was sent by Judy. Thank you, Judy!
34. Use ear plugs.
Get a pair or ear plugs so that no one or nothing will disturb your sleep. Even if you do fall asleep, if you are sensitive to outside noises and something happens during the night, you will probably wake up and this is why you need ear plugs. Here are some ear plugs that will do the trick and decently priced as well.
Just give them a try and you will see why they are so good. These could even help you to fall asleep faster, because as soon as you put them inside your ears, you will hear nothing and you will probably want to sleep, and with no one to bother you, you will get sleepy and fall asleep. Thanks for this tip, John!
35. Use Lavender to fall asleep
Spray a light mist of lavender around the room you are sleeping in and maybe even on your sheets. This worked for Annaabelle. Thanks for the tip!
36. Count backwards
One commenter suggested counting backwards from a 1000 and we will realize we are sleepy when we start mixing numbers and begin counting forward! Thanks for this tip, David!
37. Make some noise
It seems that some people find it difficult to fall asleep when they don’t have any kind of noise around them. User Kaoru Hitachiin said that he can’t sleep without a fan going on and a small waterfall sound in the background. Maybe this will work for you as well.
38. Avoid distraction.
Don’t look at TV or listen to music as it’s most likely these will keep you awake more than it should. So yes, learning how to fall asleep faster does require some sacrifices, but it will all be worth it.
You can use one tip at a time or try to combine more than one tip and soon you will teach others how to fall asleep fast. Remember, if you have a tip that you would like to share, just leave a comment bellow and it will be included in this page, if it is good and not already in here. Thank you! If you wish to try out a good way to fall asleep fast for free then you can try it here.
PS: I’ve added a how to fall asleep fast video with 10 of the most helpful ways to fall asleep fast. Hope this helps you!
What’s good is making your own story or a dream for you.. Continue making your dream and soon you’ll be in a dream 🙂 Make sure its about something you like, a celebrity, a tv show, an animal, etc. I tried that, and it worked! Good luck :))
i have a few. im 13
– stare into space and try not blinking so much and slowly close your eyes. they would get tired that when you close them its like you cant open the
– close your eyes. think of a peacful place and a peacful thing. in summer i think of sitting in a field in the sun. in the wintr i think of a warm bath or hot cocoa. u can try other stuff
– i dont think about anything just close my eyes and repeat empty mind. sometimes i repeat a word till i lose its meaning and get tired
Believe it or not horror movies total do the trick for me… go figure!
Omg wait it is Christmas omgggg ahhhhh!
Don’t think about Christmas, it’s Christmas eve but I’m hyped up, usually I listen to rain on YouTube or have a fan on but I’m too excited,oops
good tips thanks guys i will try this tonight xx
i think that the “eat a light meal” tip is WRONG. Eating a big meal makes your body work harder to try to digest all of the food. This drains energy and makes you really sleepy. Anybody who celebrates Thanksgiving should agree.
My brother is so annoying. He sings all night so he can get to sleep but it sounds terrible. He may fall asleep but I definatly don’t. I’m only 11 and I can her him from the other room.
i am 8 but can’t go to sleep! please help!,i’v tried everything!
i am only 11 and i am not in school right now so i stay up late when i go back to school i can not sleep! on a school nighttv normally puts me right out but it doesnt work and if i try readng a book it wont work cuz i will evetually get hooked before i go to sleep so any suggestins?
I cant sleep right when my bf gets off work and have go get him i have be work 630am and never can sleep till about 3 am!help
I find that it helps to have the room at a comfortable temperature… It’s hard to sleep in the heat so I suggest a cool room.
It’s not a terrible idea to try mediating. The process is simple and requires you to become comfortable then clear your mind. Don’t push away thoughts, instead simply acknowledge them for a brief moment then move onto the silence. No, you don’t HAVE to chant Ooom, but finding a vowel filled phrase is helpful when those thoughts pop up. This is what helps me, and for me it works 10/10 times.
Good luck and sweet dreams.
Eat a juicy cold fruit like an orange. It will make your body feel cool and relaxed, just what you need for a good night sleep.
how about going to sleep in times of stress there now you will defiantly fall asleep *sarcasm*
hello, im 13! and i cant sleep at all…. please some one help me i tried some of the advices but non-helped some times when i want to sleep i start sweating for no reason i feel cold and i sweat please some one help me :(….. also i have insomnia but it went away…. i need sleep my eyes are always red… 🙂
I’m 8 and I can’t sleep at all I usually fall asleep about 9:30
I don’t know how this works but i listen to dubstep and focus on the beat o_O
I tried EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, and I didn’t go to bed til 12. I’m only 11, and I have to wake up at 6 every day, even weekends. Sorry, but this doesn’t help :/
You could try reading an textbook from school… Especially ones you have already studied. Hey, once I read my textbook only for the second time, and I dozed off before i even finished the third sentance!
Think about what you want to be or be like, you can do anything in your dreams, anything is possible you just have to dream it up.
who needs sleep?!?!? jkjk… or am i….
you could try reading a law book. liviticus puts me right out.
Why
one word ppl. AMBIAN. that stuff really works. PS. melatonin sucks.
I’ve noticed that there is a two hour period where you shouldn’t eat, go on the computer ect. I was wondering what I am suppose to do during that time. If the answer is nothing then how is doing nothing for two hours different than trying to fall asleep for two hours? Either way that time is wasted.
read
I think that the best advice is #1. It really helps if you just try and don’t give up. Or if I get some water and go to the bathroom. Also, my heart rate feels like it is speeding lately and I breathed deeply through my nose and exhaled through my mouth. It really calms me down. Anyway, I should really be getting to bed…
Great advice! Oh, you could also try drinking a glass of warm milk. But don’t drink too much or you’ll be awake for the next two hours.
is it bad if dead space makes me sleep? because it does……
Join the club.
No, that’s perfectly normal… at least I think it is…….
I don’t think that’s normal, but if it works, then by all means
I’m 11and I can never fall asleep,what do I do???
I’ll try the first one again.. and see what happens….
I have had insomnia for 3 months. My doc suggested I try Melatonin. I purchased some at my local drugstore, over-the-counter. It is naturally produced in our brain for sleep. That was 5 days ago. I take it right at bedtime and have fallen asleep within 15 minutes every night since when before it was taking 2+ hours. Like others, having a fan on is also great. The noise is soothing. Good luck everyone…Not sleeping-Is NOT fun…
I have tried this and for me I did help me fall asleep faster but it also gave me nightmares that woke me at three in the morning……so I am torn
don’t take melatonin I use to take it but then I saw a review on dr oz and he said that melatonin only regulated sleep it doesn’t help you will sometimes wake up with a headache from melatonin and its so new they don’t know what this pill will do to you in the futre melaton is probably just a placebo its hard to get back on track but its not worth risking your health
i’m so tired but one of them says to keep the room quiet and the other say make some noise
It really depends on who you are. I would say try both and see which one gives you the best results. I find it easier when the TV is on because then I don’t feel alone in the room and I feel safe enough to fall asleep.
I’m so exhausted! I have been sick for a few days now, have not been able to get to sleep now that my infant is FINALLY sleeping! I almost th I think it’s because she is sleeping and I feel pressure to go to bed because I wont be able to sleep when she wakes up later! I feel like I will be really close to falling asleep but then I feel like I can’t breath all of a sudden and am wide awake again. I have tried meditation sounds, no sounds, sleepy tea, different positions, deep breathing, counting sheep, reading and visualizing! Even took night time cold medicine!
I’m 11 and I can NEVER fall asleep! When I can’t fall asleep I usually design outfits! For picture day, seasons, the week, etc. You should try it! Good luck!
I do that too! But with my dream house or mansion! I am also 11.
i put my headphones in my ears and think about mi life ahead and made imaginary scenes of myself being amazing(: then i just fall asleep(:
I can’t go to sleep unless the tv is on or unless I’m listening to music…
My brother had some trouble getting to sleep so much so that he contacted his doctor. Asking for a blood test, the results came back the next week and it turned out he had some sort of ‘iron Deficiency’ which was easily enhanced by a wiser choice of diet. If you feel you’re problem involving sleep is severe, contact you’re local G.P. You will be amazed what they can do for you*.
now all he needs to put up with is noises from up stairs : D.
*I would not recommend sleeping tablets as these effects can last through out the next day and can make you feel out of touch with reality, Especially with the consumption of alcohol! Be Cautious in this regard.
If you’ve been sober all night, have a mellow tasting (like shiraz or merlot) glass of red wine and a low carb meal. This usually gets me.
I dont believe it to be that hard to “fall” asleep what I do generally is put my eyes on text. If I look at a book for say 5 minutes I get tired…
usually have a big glass of milk with some water in it or i have some warm milk and then i go to the bathroom then go to bed.
it helps me alot! hope you try it.
Usually when I go to bed, I think, “Alright, I’ve had a big day, and tomorrow’s going to be a big day. Got to get some rest now, just relax.” And I close my eyes and pretend to sleep. And then suddenly it’s morning. :]
I’ve found it impossible to sleep since I did night shifts for a week, I’d only start feeling sleepy at about 2 in the morning, no matter what time I get up. Any ideas?
you should try drinking warm milk or warm tea reading a boring book could help or listing to rain sounds or white noise 🙂 i hoped i helped.
Try to stay awake, entertain yourself and try to stay up for as long as you can last, but since your trying to entertain yourself for a while, you actually wear yourSELF out. It actually speeds things up.
i cant go to sleep because i cant stop thinking of someone i like what should i do
That’s easy, just imagine a scenario of you and the person you like getting along and having a relaxed and positive conversation. Think of what they say to you, and what you say back. Keep going, imagine you’re a playwright and you keep on refining the scenes. What you’d REALLY like to say, what you’d REALLY like to hear. Try to build up the most perfect scene in your mind. I guarantee you, you’ll always fall asleep before the grand finale. And you’ll definitely fall asleep happy, and wake up more confident. Good luck!
Maybe tell them then if they laugh just ignore them if the are cool with it you can stop worring
I am 13 and i can never get to sleep on time i go up at 9:00 read a book untill 9:30 have a glass of milk then i switch the lights off i have tried EVERYTHING even meditating and hypnosis! But i still end up asleep at about 11:00 pm plus i have to be up early to catch a school bus, 1 thing that ish helps is to try imaginin yourown world or building u get lost in the story then sudenely its the morning! So anyway pleeeez help!! 🙁
i’ll try that mabye it will help i am only 10 and the most i ever sleep is like an hour a night it’s hard
i’m 11 and i really cant get to sleep i get to bed at about 9:00pm and end up falling asleep at 1:00am i try everything warm milk no distractions but it just doesn’t work
I don’t believe it’s possible to sleep less than 1 hour per night.
im only 11 and i watch wwe and listen to a song and put my pillow over my head
im 10 too!Just try to think of yourself falling asleep.
Some people can’t do this but I can, completely empty your mind out so your thinking about NOTHING. Don’t concentrate on trying to empty your mind because then your thinking to try and do something. I can do this a little but try to make your breathing deep and empty your mind out, it’s hard because if you want to empty your mind out you can’t concentrate on deep breathing . Deep breathing is just an even faster way to do this, but don’t do it if you know you can’t do it without thinking about it.
I can’t sleep at night because… well just because. I see where you are coming from I am only 12 and I have been having this problem for years probably since I was 8 or 9 I really just wish I could go to SLEEP 🙁
Yeah, I know how hard it is catching early buses
It was one week. How can that affect my whole sleeping pattern D’;
Try getting 5-10 min earlier every 3 days or so, then keep on till you have a time you’re happy with
Well maybe go up at 8and then you will go to sleep at ten i am 13 and my bro keeps me awake till 12 with his drums
I have the same brob. I fall asleep at 11:00 and I’m 11. I’m looking up
Ways to fall asleep right now. I’m lying in Bed with my iPod and its 11:35.
Plz help
I think your body is used to falling a sleep late. I do the same thing because I have been partying like crazy the past days and not getting to bed until midnight. Try getting ready for bed earlier and stuff like that.
I often have trouble sleeping too, and here is the answer I hate to hear:
Exercise.
Everyone always nags me to get more and it annoys me so much, but if you tire yourself out long before sleep comes it will be easy.
Well maybe instead of reading a book until 9:30 just have warm milk at 9 after you brush you teeth and go to bed and if it helps put a water bottle in your bed 20 before, that’s Leo me a lot!
I’m 13 and can never sleep also I end up going to bed at 3 and my lights been off for 3 or 4 hours. I just really want sleep! I feel your pain Rebecca
This totally helps me too! I am 17, and have been doing this since i was a kid! one thing that also helps me is having a routine that i do every night!
Maybe you should read a book on grammar and spelling. If it doesn’t make you fall asleep it’ll at least keep you occupied.
What works for me is comedy, I downloaded the tune in radio app and listen to 181 comedy fm so it’s always something different, I’ve become addicted to it lol, if that’s not doing the touch a puff or two does wonders
i sometimes moves my eyes back and forth to help me i am asleep in 5 mins
I found if I put my pillow on the other side of the bed and sleep on it it helps. Hopefully helps you to!
Oh me too!!!
well…before i go sleep i just drift of to wonderland and start thinking of things that i would like to happen and about the future and who i’m gonna marry and all that kind of stuff. lool help me plzz all the 37 didn’t work. When i was little i used to stare at the bedroom light till my eyes hurt and automatically fell asleep but now it doesn’t work.
It’s not just me then. Phew! 😉
listening to game OSTs make me fall asleep xD
I have a pattern that my body gets used to e.g. I take a shower, have some tea and sometimes a shortbread then I brush my teeth and the I either read a book in bed or watch something n my iPad or my phone (mostly comedy). This really helps for me
The one about hobbies isn’t good, i stay thinking about gymnastics and it gets my all excited thus preventing me from sleeping also i really hate counting sheep+stuff bit the one about noise helps me, i could always sleep soundly when my hamster was up all night on his hamster wheel but sadly he has passed away. Another one that works well is closing your eyes, pretending your sinking into the bed and relaxing all your muscles, this is a way of hypnotism.
try some yoga like corpse pose