How to Fall Asleep Faster: What Actually Helps
How to fall asleep faster, honestly: the habits, techniques and bedroom changes with real evidence behind them, and why trying harder tends to backfire.
Lying awake waiting for sleep is frustrating, and the frustration itself makes it harder. These guides cover how long falling asleep should normally take, why it sometimes takes far longer, and the routines and techniques that give sleep the best chance of arriving on its own.
9 guides
How to fall asleep faster, honestly: the habits, techniques and bedroom changes with real evidence behind them, and why trying harder tends to backfire.
What to do when you can't sleep, step by step: the first 20 minutes, when to get up, what to do while you're up, going back to bed and the morning after.
A realistic bedtime routine for adults: a 60-minute wind-down in three phases, with sample versions for shift workers, parents and late finishers.
Difficulty falling asleep usually has a findable cause: body clock timing, a wired mind, caffeine, an irregular week or the room. Which is it, and what helps?
Fifteen things to do before bed, and five to avoid, each with why it helps and how long it takes. A practical list for a calmer night, not a wellness checklist.
How long should it take to fall asleep? For most adults, 10 to 20 minutes. Under 5 may mean you're short of sleep; over 30 most nights is worth addressing.
The military sleep method claims to get you to sleep in two minutes. The steps, where it came from, what the evidence really says and how to practise it.
Can't sleep before a big day? One poor night rarely wrecks an exam, interview or early flight. A calm evening plan, what to do at 2am and the morning after.
How to sleep when you're not tired: why 'not sleepy' is a different problem, what your body clock and sleep pressure are doing, and whether to go to bed anyway.