Tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, there is nothing more frustrating than being unable to fall asleep quickly. Luckily, there are bedtime relaxation methods that work!
Why Falling Asleep Can Feel So Hard
Moving from an awake to a sleep state involves a complex brain transition that is easily disrupted.
These disruptions are caused by our thoughts, biology, and environment, all of which contribute to sleep-onset insomnia.
According to Mayo Clinic and the NIH, there are several reasons why:
The Hyperarousal State: Instead of powering down, our fight-or-flight system remains in an active state. One issue is cognitive arousal, stemming from worry and excessive thinking.
The other is physiological arousal, which triggers insomnia by elevating metabolic rate, body temperature, and heart rate.
Circadian Rhythm Misalignment: Our body clock runs on a 24-hour cycle that tells us when to feel alert and when to relax before bedtime.
When our internal clock shifts by two hours or more, we suddenly find it hard to fall asleep at our normal bedtime.
Blue light is another reason why we have difficulty falling asleep. Blue light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals to our brains that it’s time to sleep.
Conditioned Wakefulness: What we do in bed matters. If we spend time in bed working, eating, watching TV, or worrying, our brains will begin to associate bedtime with being awake and alert instead of sleeping.
Lifestyle: Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol all contribute to sleep problems. They may initially make us feel sleepy, but can later wake us up.
Is it Really Possible to Fall Asleep in 10 Seconds?
Relaxation techniques for sleep will work if done properly. Known as the military sleep method, it claims that after the full preparation period, the final drift into sleep takes 10 seconds.
The entire routine takes 120 seconds to complete. It gained popularity from the book: Relax and Win: Championship Performance. A book used by U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School to help pilots sleep in high-stress environments.
The Military Sleep Method (Step-by-Step)
Learning the military sleep method will teach you how to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. It is designed to shut down our body’s alert system by combining progressive muscle relaxation with visualization to quickly move into a sleep state.
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Relax your entire face. Begin by closing your eyes and relaxing your forehead. Next, let your eyes relax in their sockets. Relax your jaw and let your tongue rest naturally.
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Drop your shoulders and arms as low as they will go, like they are falling towards your feet. Next, relax one arm, starting with the bicep, then forearm, hands, and fingers, letting them feel heavy and sink into the bed. Repeat with the other arm.
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Exhale and relax your chest. Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, imagine your chest and stomach collapsing into the mattress. Release all the tension in your torso.
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Relax your legs from the thighs to the toes. Start with your right thigh, then calf, ankle, and foot, then repeat with the opposite leg.
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The final 10 seconds are clearing your mind. Now that your body is relaxed and limp, stop all active thoughts. Do this by using two visualizations: The canoe: Imagine lying in a canoe on a calm lake with nothing but clear sky above. Or use the hammock: Imagine snuggled in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room.
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Reset: If your mind wanders, repeat the phrase “Don’t think, don’t think” to yourself for 10 seconds.
Realistic expectations
The original study found that pilots needed 6 weeks of daily practice to reach a 96% success rate. So, don’t give up too soon; consistent practice is key to successfully integrating this technique into your nightly sleep routine.
Also note that even this technique can be undermined by too much caffeine or phone scrolling close to bedtime.
Other Techniques that Help You Fall Asleep Faster
4-7-8 Breathing Technique: Breathing techniques for sleep do work like a natural sedative for our nervous systems.
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Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
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Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
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Exhale forcefully through your mouth with a whooshing sound for 8 seconds.
Why it works
The long exhale activates the vagus nerve, which slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure.
Serial Diverse Imaging
To stop a racing brain, pick a random word like bed. Visualize “B” words like bear, balloon, and bridge. Then move to the “E” and pick “E” words. Continue on until you work through the alphabet and drift off to sleep.
This technique stops logical thought and replaces it with random words that mimic micro-dreams that occur during a normal transition into sleep.
Paradoxical Intention
Instead of trying to fall asleep, try staying awake with your eyes open in a dark room. This method removes the performance anxiety of trying to fall asleep and relieves the pressure.
It is a tried-and-true method recommended by the Mayo Clinic to calm your nervous system before bed and help you fall asleep.
Autogenic Training
Lie down and repeat the phrase “My right arm is very heavy” 3-6 times. My left arm is very heavy, 3-6 times, then my arms and legs are very warm.
This biofeedback technique redirects blood flow to your limbs, which mimics the natural drop in body temperature that induces sleep.
Using Body Support to Reduce Physical Restlessness
One of the pregnancy must-haves that works for anyone is a body support pillow for better sleep.
Restlessness often stems from physical discomfort. A body pillow can provide a sense of security by mimicking the feeling of hugging, which in turn deactivates the “fight-or-flight” response.
Hugging a large pillow helps reduce anxiety and stress, which can lead to nighttime restlessness.
Pressure redistribution
Difficulty sleeping often results from pain at pressure points such as the hips, shoulders, and knees. This restriction of blood flow can lead to nerve irritation, preventing you from falling asleep.
One of the most important pregnancy must-haves that helps everyone fall asleep faster is the redistribution of spinal alignment provided by a body pillow.
Body pillows reduce pressure on the lower shoulder and hip, which, left unchecked, can prompt the body to roll into a more comfortable position.
A body pillow allows the body to settle into a comfortable position and, by elevating the legs and promoting alignment, promotes blood flow, helping one stay asleep.
How Yana Can Help You Fall Asleep Fast
Using a full-body pillow is a pregnancy must-have that keeps you on your side for optimal spinal alignment. This is also critical for anyone trying to fall asleep fast.
The Yana full body pillow aligns the head, neck, shoulders, hips, and knees for ultimate comfort and spinal alignment, helping you fall asleep fast.
It also creates a physical boundary to limit the range of motion for physical dreamers, so they don’t wake themselves up by thrashing around.
For those with GERD and acid reflux, a full-body pillow that allows you to sleep on your left side can help prevent stomach acid from entering the esophagus.
Sleep is just seconds away with the full body pillow from Yana Sleep! Discover our products for a great night’s rest.