As a sleep writer, I have tried so many different techniques that purport to help you fall asleep faster. From time-tested methods to social media fads, each technique has its merits and downsides - but there is one simple thing you can do before bed that will definitely help you put your mind at ease and fall asleep faster.
While investing in this year's best mattress or making lifestyle changes can help you fall asleep faster, I always recommend including a few steps in your bedtime routine first before buying a new bed or switching up your diet.
Here, I'll show you the one thing I do before bed that helps me fall asleep faster and why. I've also included other methods you can try, including techniques that my team and I have tested over the years.
The one thing I do during my night-time routine to fall asleep faster
While you can invest in the fanciest mattresses or try out the latest TikTok sleep hack to help you fall asleep, there's one thing I think can work for everyone: plan for the morning after.
Whenever I have trouble sleeping, it's usually because I have a lot of things to do the next day that I'm anxious about, such as having to get up extra early or attend something important. This means my mind will be swirling with all the things I need to do and concerns about whether I'll be able to do them all on time.
To help clear my mind and go to bed worry-free, I'll often visualize how my morning should go, including all the steps I need to take and all the things I'll need to complete my morning routine. What clothes will I need to change into? What will I need to include in my bag?
Little things such as laying my clothes out the night before or writing a list of all the things I'll need to do the following morning clears my mind before bed and helps me fall asleep faster.
Why getting ready the night before can help you fall asleep faster
Don't just take my word for it - preparing for your morning routine as part of your bedtime routine is actually a science-backed way to fall asleep faster.
A 2018 study found that participants who wrote a to-do list for the next day fell asleep faster than those who wrote about tasks completed earlier that day.
It concluded that relieving yourself of stressful thoughts about next-day tasks by writing them down or taking pre-emptive steps to complete them helps you to relax before bed.
How to get ready the night before for better sleep
1. Write to-do list
As mentioned above, studies have found that those who write about tasks to complete the next day tend to fall asleep quicker than those who write about the day that they've already had.
When making a to-do list, I tend to split my list into three columns: things I need to do in the morning, things I can do right now before bed, and things that I need to do this week that don't need to be completed today or tomorrow.
2. Prepare all the things I need in the morning
Once I've written down the things that need to be completed tomorrow morning, I identify the ones that can be done right now that will help me complete those tasks.
For example, if I need to have breakfast before I leave the house, I make sure that any plates, bowls, food etc. have been washed and are ready to use. If not, I'll make doing the dishes a bedtime task.
Getting your bag ready or laying out your clothes the night before is also helpful, as the last thing you want is to be rushing around the house, five minutes after you were supposed to leave, searching for your other shoe.
3. Do a morning-routine dry-run
If you're still anxious that you'll be running late or that you've forgotten something, visualize or even act out the steps you'll need to complete your routine.
Doing this usually helps me realize something that I've forgotten or trouble-shoot anything that may go wrong, and you can even prepare for different scenarios.
For example, checking the weather forecast by using multiple sources can help you lay-out your clothes so they'll be appropriate for any weather.
Other tried and tested methods to falling asleep fast
1. Guided sleep mediation
Back in November, I tried a fall-asleep fast method with 23 million views on YouTube. This guided mediation was soothing and easy to follow, and could be great to use in conjunction with a good bedtime routine. Overall, this video did help me to fall asleep faster, so it's worth a shot if you're struggling to sleep.
2. Cognitive shuffling
A favorite among the sleep team, cognitive shuffling is a type of sleep visualization method. It involves purposefully thinking of unrelated objects and items to scramble your thoughts and effectively ‘switch off’ from trying to make any sense of the them. This distracts you from anxious thoughts and processes, allowing you to fall asleep peacefully.
3. The Military Sleep Method
A popular, time-honored sleep technique designed to help soldiers fall asleep fast in any environment, the Military Sleep Method, is often touted as a way to fall asleep in just two minutes. It involves both breathing exercise and visualization an is said to be effective for 96% of people.
