6 Tricks That Will Help You Become One Of Those People Who Can Fall Asleep In Minutes

              
By Kristen Domonell, Prevention

Tossing and turning for hours as you struggle to fall asleep can make you feel like a zombie in the morning. But short of popping an Ambien, is there anything you can do that will really help you fall asleep faster?

[post_ads]"The question alone sort of implies an idea that somehow it's under our control," says W. Chris Winter, MD, author of The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It. "We don't talk that way when we talk about hunger or thirst or other things our body needs to survive."

The main reason sleep can seem so elusive is that we simply give it too much power. But these tips can help you show sleep who's boss, and finally get the rest you're after—no sheep required.

           

               

Don't try so hard.

Have you ever been laser-focused on something in your life (like meeting the right partner) only to find that things seem to line up the minute you stop caring? Sleep is the same way, says Winter. The more you want it, the longer you'll toss and turn in a restless state of insomnia. Remind yourself that sleep is a bodily function just like hunger, says Winter. You can make sure to have a regular sleep schedule, get lots of exercise, and avoid distractions that keep you awake, but ultimately, your body is either ready to sleep or it's not.

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Cut the lights.

If you've ever lost power in your house or apartment, you may have found that you slept way better that night. You probably got tired as the sun went down and woke up when it came back up again. Maybe you didn't even need an alarm clock. That's because when your main source of light is the sun, your body's internal clock syncs up with its natural light-dark cycles, says Winter. "As the sun goes down very slowly, it's a natural trigger for melatonin (the hormone that triggers the onset of sleep) secretion, and it's very powerful."

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Your melatonin levels should rise a couple hours before it's time for bed and go back down in the morning. But a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado found that in our artificial light- and device-filled world, hormone levels tend to fall after we've already been awake for a while, and don't drop with the sun as they should. However, you can reset your internal clock. To get the effect, dim your lights and avoid blue-light emitting electronics for at least an hour before you get in bed, pull down your shades, and remove glowing clocks or devices from your bedroom. (Hit the reset button—and burn fat like crazy with The Body Clock Diet!)

                

             

Take a hot bath.

Your body's stress hormone cortisol and your body temperature will drop as you fall asleep. Likewise, when you get out of a hot bath or shower, your body starts to cool off quickly, which mimics your cortisol drop and induces sleepiness, says Winter. Plus, it's just really relaxing, which likely plays a big role, he says. For best results, crank up the heat to around 82 degrees and soak a half hour to an hour before the time you want to fall asleep.

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Slip on some socks.

Putting on warm, fuzzy socks isn't only super cozy. Wearing socks to bed will warm up your feet, ultimately causing the dilation of blood vessels in the skin of your feet, which helps redistribute heat to the rest of your body and sends a signal to your brain that it's time to sleep, research finds.

             

              

Let your mind wander.

[post_ads]Distracting yourself from thinking about how badly you wish you were sleeping can be a game-changer for people who struggle falling asleep, says Winter. Giving your brain something else to focus on (that won't stress you out) often works wonders. Counting sheep isn't the only way to go, though, says Winter. Instead, plan out your dream vacation in your head or fantasize about Ryan Gosling cooking you dinner in a cabin in the woods. Before you know it, you'll be waking up to the sound of your alarm.

          

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Just breathe.

Research shows that mindfulness meditation, which teaches you to focus on your breath and the present moment, can help fight insomnia by lowering stress levels and keeping you from ruminating on what might happen. But meditating when you get into bed probably won't solve your sleep problems instantly. 

Just like you wouldn't try learning to play guitar right before you're supposed to get on stage to perform, mindfulness is something you need to practice regularly, so when it's time to fall asleep, your brain will know just what to do, says Winter. "Your ability to quiet your mind is a skill that you can practice; it's not genetic."