Don’t fancy an all-nighter? Well, here are 12 fool proof ways to fall asleep in under 20 minutes…
Next time you’re wide awake when you shouldn’t be, going stir crazy and overthinking sleep remember, the first rule of sleep club is to forget about the clock completely.
1. The 4-7-8 breathing trick
When you’re nocturnal, you need lungfulls of relaxing oxygen. So close your mouth and inhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Hold that breath for 7 seconds. Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds, making a whooshing sound as you do it – by keeping the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth. Do this at least four times.
2. Rub your ears with your thumb & forefinger
This is a surefire way to stimulate your Shen Men, the acupressure point in your ear that can help you sleep. At the top of your ear, there’s a hollow towards the area close to your face, rub both sides of your head at the same time. Want more? Press the space between your eyebrows for a minute or the area between your first and second toes, either could help you sleep.
3. Get worries out of your head, onto paper
Whether it’s tomorrow’s to-do list or something you regret saying today, write it down before you go to bed so it can’t keep you awake. Put pen to paper before you slip between the sheets, because you should only associate your bed with bed related activities like sleep.
4. Reminisce about the great times
Remember all the good times you had today, no matter how small, because counting your blessings puts you in a good state of mind for snoozing – keeping you calm and positive, sending you to sleep smiling in 20 minutes or less. Doesn’t that beat stessing about tomorrow?
5. Dip your face in a bowl of cold water for 30 seconds
Perhaps you splash water on your face in the morning, but ever tried dipping your face in a bowl of cold water for 30 seconds before bed? You should, because it soothes your nervous system by triggering your Mammalian Dive Reflex – which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, to help you sleep.
6. Breathe through your left nostril 26 times
How oddly specific! Forcing yourself to focus on your breathing and counting is the point entirely, to still those racing thoughts in your wide-awake mind, ready for sleep.
7. Sleep with both eyes open
Sure, you can blink. But no moving, reading or looking at your computer screens. You need to use mind over matter to stay awake and that’s exhausting, sending you to sleep in 20 minutes or less – you rebel.
8. Throw open a window or sleep in the buff
When your bedroom’s a toasty 24°c or hotter, cool it down to a sleep-inducing 18°c pronto or you’ll remain restless. There’s a plethora of ways to do it – nudge your window open, sleep in the buff, try these summer sleeping techniques, rethink your PJs (wear something loose) or go against every human instinct… stick your feet out from under your duvet. However you cool down, you could win yourself a dream-filled night.
9. Picture your favourite place
Wherever that may be, imagine it vividly in as much detail as you can muster, to distract yourself from the niggling thoughts that scare your sleep away. Nowhere comes to mind? Go cliché, picture a babbling waterfall or crystal blue waves lapping at a sandy white beach somewhere exotic.
10. Fake a yawn
Fake it ‘till you make it. Convince yourself that your arms and legs are heavy, fake a yawn or two – you won’t win an Oscar, but you could drift of in under 20 minutes.
11. Lay down with lavender
Whether you blow out a scented candle before bed, dab essential oil on your wrists and temples or sleep with a sachet of dried lavendar under your pillow. Lavender is a natural de-stresser, increasing your amount of deep-sleep to help you wake up energetically.
12. Watch Napflix
Can’t sleep? If you are seriously desperate, delve into Napflix – a treasure trove of mind-numbing shows so boring you can’t help but snooze right through them. Think 30-minutes of ironing and folding clothes, foreign opera, the 2013 World Chess Final or a video of a motorway in the rain.
Investing in the perfect bed and mattress for your body size and sleeping habits will always be more effective than any quick fixes like these.
1 in 3 Brits suffer from poor sleep, call us today for a solution to your sleep nightmare.