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Trouble Sleeping: I Learned How To Fall Asleep Quickly

Updated on November 5, 2011
Woman sleeping
Woman sleeping | Source

Habits

I noticed a lot people have trouble sleeping. When I was younger I sometimes spent a long time trying to fall asleep. Now I know how to fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed. Most people just lay in bed hoping they will fall asleep but there are things you can do to improve your sleep. If you want to fall asleep quickly you need to start by getting rid of your bad sleeping habits.

Do not sit around for a long time before going the bed and do not lay down unless you are going to sleep. People that do not get very much exercise often have trouble sleeping. A lack of movement can also leave you feeling sore. If you exercise you will probably have noticed you sleep better on your exercise days. When you sit or lay around for a long time before you go to bed it makes the transition from being awake to falling asleep more difficult.

To make the transition easier do something relaxing before you go to bed. Sitting on the couch watching TV or playing video games may feel relaxing but it is nothing compared to meditation or a relaxing exercise. Do something that will relax your body and mind. Some people like to take a relaxing bath. I like to practice qigong or tai chi. Find something you can do to relieve the stress.

Keep a schedule. When you do the same thing at the same time in the same place your body adapts. For example if I meditate at the same time in the same place my body associates the time and place with relaxation. This makes it easier for me to meditate. The body is always adapting. If you exercise at the same time your body will prepare itself. My body likes to eat at the same times. If I try to eat breakfast early my stomach does not like it.

Pay attention to the things you watch and consume before bed. If you have trouble sleeping after drinking coffee at night avoid drinking coffee at night. If watching scary movies gives you nightmares limit the amount of scary movies you watch. When you pay attention you can identify the cause of the problem and fix it. Sleepless nights are not random. They are usually the result of something you did nor did not do.

One of the main reasons people have trouble falling asleep is that they are not focused. All the mental chatter makes it harder to fall asleep. You can not just turn off your brain and think about nothing. Focus your thoughts on something relaxing. It should be something simple. You could count or focus on your breathing.

Method

When I want to go to sleep I lay in bed and get comfortable. Then I visualize a relaxing beach while using deep slow belly breathing. I take myself on a relaxing journey. Sometimes I also use self talk. I tell myself I am becoming more and more relaxed. Doing this causes me to become deeply relaxed allowing me to fall asleep quickly.

The main thing is to keep the thoughts focused. You can experiment to see what works best for you. With practice you will get better at falling asleep quickly. The easiest way to visualize a relaxing place is to think of a relaxing place you have been to. If you use this method to relax when you are not trying to fall asleep do it while you are sitting.

If you have trouble seeing things in your mind focus on self talk. Give a description like you would read in a book or just count down while telling yourself that you are becoming more relaxed. Using this method I can easily get a good nights sleep.

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