Our bodies are amazing machines, but even they need a recharge each night. Real, lasting sleep is not only imperative for your mental state, but it also gives your mind and body much needed time to repair and recover. It wasn’t so long ago that the average person would fall asleep in 7 minutes. Nowadays, however, with those addictive little screens in our pockets, the battle to fall asleep is almost as tough as the battle to stay asleep! With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of 5 ways to help you unwind, and fall asleep, fast.
1. Put Your Phone Away
There was a time, not so long ago, where the only light we received was from the sun. Now, however, with our screen-filled lives, we are constantly and consistently using devices that give off ‘blue’ light. This spectrum is the same as the spectrum of light the sun, and during the day is great for boosting our alertness, reaction times, and mood. When it comes to falling asleep fast however, this blue light disrupts our natural circadian rhythms, and prevents our brains from ‘switching off.’
So, tip number one, if you’re winding down relaxing before bed, do it with a book, not your phone.
2. Watch What You Eat
This one may seem a little obvious, but it stands to be said- caffeine is cherished because it wakes you up. There is a multitude of research available proving the adverse effects of caffeine on our ability to fall asleep fast, and sometimes we don’t realize that we’re even consuming it. With recommendations and research suggesting that you don’t consume caffeine within 6 hours of trying to fall asleep, that means no coke with dinner and cutting out late in the day coffees. It is also recommended that you cut out sugar-filled snacks and desserts, as the body looks to process and burn this energy immediately- usually keeping you awake for longer.
3. Exercise During the Day
We wouldn’t be health and wellness coaches without recommending that you exercise. Not only does it help your body to control and regulate hormone and stress responses, but it is also a perfect way to make sure you are actually tired when you go to sleep. When you take into consideration the amount of food we consume, it is likely that most people aren’t actually burning off their intake each day. This oversupply of energy (yes, that’s what food is for) can make it difficult to fall asleep fast, so why not take the chance to improve your health, and prepare for a better night’s sleep!
Journaling can help your mind to unwind at night
4. Take up Journaling
Think about all those times you were exhausted, lay down in bed, and your mind started to race. You spend so much time questioning your day, your jobs for tomorrow, and all the things you didn’t get done, and by the time your alarm sounds in the morning your more exhausted than ever. With 1 in 5 adults experiencing mental health issues, most as a direct cause of stress and anxiety, falling asleep fast seems out of the question. But creating good mental habits, and daily practices like journaling can help you to unload, reflect, and unwind before hopping into bed.
5. Be Consistent
Like all habits we develop, consistency is key. If you want to get the recommended 8 hours sleep, and need to be awake by 6 am, that means you need to be asleep by 10 pm. Not having a shower, not getting close, asleep. Our bodies are amazing in their adaptability, and if you can form a good bed-time routine, you can easily train yours to wind down and be ready for sleep, when you need it to be.
So How Do You Fall Asleep Fast?
There are a lot of tips and tricks available to help you wind down. Some or all of these may work for you, but the real advice is exactly that- you need to find what works for you. If you are not getting enough sleep, you need to decide how serious that is before you’ll commit to trying new things. Once you do, however, creating new, healthier habits and routines are the key to improving your sleep. This, in turn, creates a more positive feedback loop, increasing your self-awareness (and alertness) throughout the day, to help you to continue to dial in on the new, rested, you.
About Turnfit
Turnfit Personal Trainers is founded by David Turnbull or “Coach David” – an experienced and successful Personal Trainer who strives to build happier, healthier lives every day.
With a focus on holistic health, we pride ourselves on making a difference and were recently awarded the 2019 Top Choice Award for Personal Trainer in Vancouver.
Every trainer at Turnfit is committed and relentless in our pursuit to help you reach your health and wellness goals. It’s our mission to help you to build the skills, and mindset, it takes to feel successful in all areas of your life.
For more information, please visit Turnfit.ca, join our communities on Facebook and take advantage of all of our FREE content by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
We look forward to hearing from you!
-David Turnbull
