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!
If you have a few books then read them and keep reading, until you drop the book on your chest and fall asleep.
I like to make the room cold. (50 degrees)
In a more colder environment, the body tends to slow movement than in a warm environment.
In the summer, it wont make you toss and turn while a fan blows, and in the winter, it makes you dive into some cozy and warm blankets.
I also like to drink something ‘smooth’, like soymilk or regular milk.
There are also apps from Apple that are hypnotic tracks; A guy talks and slowly encourages you to sleep in a 20-minute track with soothing music.
In any case, don’t rely too much on methods- you grow accustomed to them and they fail to work; thats my situation.
wow some of these really worked thanks. people can try meditating to.
I used solution 27 and it worked. Do not think about what time you have to get up, just focus on your sleep. never again will i look at a clock in bed.
I will try all of these tips hope they help
The deep breathing helps!!!! but don,t think of songs because then your mind will only run on them…………..TRUST ME,and dont think so much 😀
Drink a warm beverage. apple juice or milk
read the dictionary
study for a test
clear your mind completely a think about a t.v. that’s on the wrong channel so its going to be black and white.
or count sheep
think happy thought or of your future
think about things you want to do. Make goals for yourself and how you can accomplish them.
right now im having trouble on going to sleep so i just looked at this now. Hope it works.
Also two more:
1.)You can have a special thing that helps you sleep (blanket,animal,etc).
2.)If you have a phone download Relax And Sleep and pick a sound to help you sleep,also.
Don’t go to bed with an empty stomach no matter what, you do actually need energy to sleep!
Do not sleep on your belly cause your neck would hurt so bad that would be all you think about!!!!:)
I always like putting a fan close to my face. I know it may seem crazy but I actually turn it on in the winter too. I rely on it for me to fall asleep. I cant go to sleep without it.
If you wake up early in the morning , then you tend to sleep faster at night. Also keep the same schedule for sleeping, if you change it, it might take a while to get used to it. But personally I sleep faster when I know people are awake around me… Idk why…but good luck non-sleepers 😀
I have to have some music on, otherwise stupid things wake me up like the trains running behind my house, or the AC cutting on…..which brings me to another tip: make sure that the room is a comfortable temperature, but make sure that the AC or heat isn’t pointing right at you….otherwise you’ll get a cold in your neck, or you’ll wake up with a sore throat and such. Another thing that helps me sometimes is to snuggle up with a pillow and pretend it’s my significant other (since I only actually see him on weekends). Hope this helps! 🙂
just think of a boy/girl you like
I usually sleep perfectly fine no problem, but there are those some nights where i sit there in bed for hours on end trying to sleep. I sometimes go and microwave some milk, getting up and microwaving makes u tired and when u go back to bed drink the milk slowly. You’ll find yourself not thinking about all the daily troubles in life and once your at this point your in the clear drink the rest of the milk slowly and have a good night sleep.
Great article, but another thing: Listening to gentle, soft sounds of nature helps too. For example, buy a CD that has sounds of rain(no thunder)or sounds of ocean waves lapping at the shore. This is peaceful and rests the mind. Put your radio or whatever you use to listen to music with on a low volume. Rain is the best sound but if you can’t find that listen to calming ocean noises.
Something that works for me is too think about waking up in the morning and wanting to go back to sleep. Also make sure you use the bathroom before you go to bed!
Songs stuck in my head make it impossible to go to sleep, if you’re trying to go to sleep right now and you’re reading this, don’t try that the song will stay in you’re head all night. Also what I like to do is imagine myself on a fluffy cloud or slowly sinking into sand, one body part at a time. Another thing is to heat a glass of milk for twenty seconds. And lastly,imagine the perfect scEnario, like you’re granted a thousand wishes for anything, even more wishes, or you are at the mall with a credit card that never runs out, or you’re at you’re favorite performers concert and they invite you onstage or yo try out for a play and get the lead. I find you know when you’re fAlling asleep when you’re thinking about something totally unrelated to what you started out with, kind of like this comment. This is really really long and I’m going to fall asleep now since it is 2:10 AM!!!!!! (i think I have insomnia ;))
Ok so its 1:05 and i really want to fall asleep, but for some reason i cant. I think- and this is going to sound really childish- but that if a room is too dark, then it becomes harder to fall asleep for some people. I’m one of those people. I’ve tried most of these but im still awake (no duh). Please if anyone can think of anything it woukd be helpful. 🙂 thanks!
Nice hot steamy shower
i cant listen to soft music it has to be hardcore rock…… but it puts me to sleep really fast, try it for one night works grate for me… but its 2:30am…… >.>
Wow noneoyobzwx(nice name) im like soooo late to responging. Ive been having alot of problems sleeping. I think you should add some more solutions like eating bananas and milk at night.best of luck!
well, im insomniac. my biological clock was used of sleeping at a particular time, and what ever i do i can’t sleep until that particular time.
i’ve tried almost all of these techniques but none works. T-T
there is only 1 trick that is effective to me, but it is hard to do XD
try closing your eyes and think absolutely NOTHiNG. hihi :>
YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES ME SLEEPY EVERY NIGHT?
I LISTEN TO MUSIC UNTILL I AM SLEEPY
OR I WATCH TV TILL I’M SLEEPY
OR JUST RELAX AND BE EXCITED FOR TOMORROW!
BASICALLY,U CNT GO TO SLEEP UNTIL YOU’RE ACTUALLY TIRED.
SO THE MORE THINGS U DO,THE MORE TIRED U GET!
~GOOD LUCK SLEEPY HEADS! <333
another useful trick is to get a dvd that you have seen hundreds of times and put it on whilst your trying to sleep (at low volume of course) and the voices will be familiar and help you drift off. hope it helps
I always found doing something really boring help me to fall asleep, so like studying fo math or something and I’m out like a light.
For me what works is sorta like the meditation tip. Imagine yourself in a really wonderful dream, your perfect world. You may have just won the lottery or your in the Caribbean on vacation. What ever it is just keep adding to it, one night I imagined I had won a free vacation 🙂 around the world. I just though about where I would go, who I would meet. Don’t think technically, just dream and relax. It may not work for you, but i would try it.
i am diagnosed adhd and my mind wanders a lot, hence the insomnia. it helps to imagine that you are falling eternally, or that you are swinging back and forth. depending on the strength of your mind, you accually begin to float a bit which helps you sleep. its very relaxing, like being on a cloud
Wow thanks I’m getting married in 3 weeks and im packed with stuff to do 🙁 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I am very 🙂
im oh soo gonna try these sleeping tips..i have been up for 4 days straight with no sleep and in EXHAUSTED!!!:’/ WAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well im an insomniac so hopefully these things will help. I usually dnt end up falling asleep untill 4.30am and then get up @ 7am and rush to class…thank u guys 4 an awesome article. Will definately try these….
Thanks for this article! It helped alot :D. I got a tip for falling asleep fast: Have a warm shower, if you have a shower door, close it. If you only have curtains but have access to the door, close the door. Bring the shower water to the hottest it can get. As the room/shower builds up with steam, breath it in through your mouth. It will make you sleepy after an hour. And if your bathroom is in your bedroom, like mine, your in luck. Open all doors that lead to your room, and keep the shower on the hottest, and allow the room to fill up with steam so your still sleepy when you go to bed! It works for me 🙂
What usually works for me is try to dream of what you want to dream of like picture your self in a movie that you really like and make your own part in it and make your own drama in it then later you’ll end up falling asleep that usually works for me
Thanq….this really works….
Hug something soft and think about your favorite relaxing music (e.g Louder than thunder by The devil wears prada)and think of a relaxing scene at the same time. It works for me! It works for almost everyone I know!
I have also found that a hot cup of milk with a teaspoon of honey works wonders as well.
Tnx for all the helpful advice!!! 🙂 I am supposed to be in bed at 9:00 (which I am) but then I cant sleep until 2. 🙁 maybe a bath will help
Cool Beanz! Hope you can sleep better soon.
Great tips! I was awake for most of the night last night and I tried tip number 16 and it worked!
But since it’s getting really cold here I find that if my feet are freezing cold I find it less likely that I will fall asleep so I like to keep a pair of bed socks around. Usually it warms me up and I tend to fall asleep slightly faster. If it my feet get too hot at night I usually just kick my socks off durning sleep and in the morning I wonder where they’ve gone. 🙂
Also if you want to get sleep , don’t think you can’t sleep, think nothing but what a good night sleep you want. It should work.
Thanks.
fyi: do not drink energy drinks( boost, red bull , power rade e.t.c) these are the major drinks that keep you up and active, the best way to get to sleep is to change in to night wear, and fresh bed covers, this is for your comfort.
I usually just soak in the bath before bed but i slept early in the day on Monday and i have had sleepless nights since then because i keep going to sleep at 5:30 and waking up 4. School starts at 7:00 and i go to sleep after school until 7 or 8 and then i stay up all night.
When I read the part about saying “Don’t stay on the computer late at night!” I felt super bad…but this article helps a lot!
I know one of the tips is to think of your favorite song and sing it in your head. Are there any ways someone can get their favorite song OUT of their head. For the past 5 nights I found myself up at three a.m. because I can’t get the song out of my head :/
My sister came up with a very logical theory of why songs get stuck in your head: if you don’t know the words, you typically remember one small section. I have figured out that if I learn mOst of the words, poof! It’s out of my head.
I know me too. I can’t ever get it out of my head and instead of falling asleep peacefully I wake up a million times, thinking I missed the school bus, even though my alarm didn’t go off.
If u have a song stuck in your head think of another one that you really like or listen to nature 🙂 I know its weird but it helps me when im in the same situation 🙂
I just work so much that its easy to fall asleep. Getting up at 4 being at work by 5 30 and not getting home until after 7 makes you really tired i fall asleep about 8 or 8 30 every night. If you don’t have a hard working job just stay outside all day it will make you tired.
Don’t revise for exams up to an hour before you go to bed otherwise you will try to remember everything and won’t be able to sleep.
I learned that the hard way. And don’t do them in the early morning and have it planned because then you think about it and you don’t want to do that if you want to fall asleep. Plus, you can’t remember the answers to whatever you’re doing in just one night, it will go to your long term memory if you study whatever it is every day for a couple of days. I also learned that the hard way
Man i must be difrent because i go to sleep by watching horrors
I have an old mechanical clock in my bedroom, the regular tic-tic-tic makes me sleepy… additionally. i found i sleep better when my bedroom is cold -> it has also been proven that people usually sleep better when the ambient temperature (room temperature) is under 22 degrees Celsius(71.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and above 16 degrees Celsius(60.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in average.
Otherwise, if i still can’t get to sleep or my mind is too focused on something, i try to find ways to checkmate a king in chess. (after a couple days, finding new ways is really boring)
Omg thank you so much
I was sleeping in hot air before. now I can sleep. thanks Matt.:)
This kinda worked. Thinking of a loved one worked perfectly on me! This article was helpful. Thank you!
Yeah i hope these work because I’m going 2 bed right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (now i shall think of u my love)