Train your body to fall asleep quickly and naturally

Is this story familiar to you? You feel exhausted and head to bed early enough for a full night of rest. But once your head touches the pillow, your eyes pop open and sleep eludes you. You toss. You turn. Minutes and possibly even hours pass. Falling asleep naturally can sometimes be hard! But it’s a skill that can be mastered if you put a few nightly practices in place.

According to The Better Sleep Council, nearly eight in 10 Americans say they would feel better and more prepared for the day if they had just one more hour of sleep each night. For many, that lost hour of rest is thanks to difficulty falling asleep.

Here’s our goal for you: Fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed, ideally within seven minutes. Train your body to fall asleep quickly and naturally with these tips:

• Finish eating at least two hours before bedtime. You’ll fall asleep easier if you give your body time to digest your meal before you hit the sack. If you’re desperate for a snack, choose something small with protein or magnesium, which may help make you sleepy and fall asleep faster.

• Use essential oils. Pronto Sleep, a next-generation nasal inhaler, delivers a blend of lavender, eucalyptus, valerian and tea tree, which are traditionally known to promote relaxation and sleepiness. It’s a two-in-one solution: The nasal dilator gently opens the nose to improve airflow while the built-in scent diffuser delivers soothing scents. Pronto Sleep works quickly and is a great alternative to sleep tablets!

 

• Schedule your exercise earlier. Exercise reduces stress and tires you out. Just be sure you schedule workouts early in the day. Using the stair climber or treadmill at night can raise your heart rate and adrenaline level, making it harder to fall asleep.

 

• Set a last call for alcohol. While a glass of wine might make you feel more relaxed at first, it can keep you up later in the night. Instead of a nightcap, switch to something relaxing, such as chamomile tea, after dinner. Speaking of beverages, only drink caffeine in the morning. It stays in your system longer than you might think and may stop you from falling asleep fast.

 

• Maintain a bedtime schedule. Aim for seven to eight hours, beginning the same time each night, and ending the same time each morning. Falling asleep fast requires practice and creating a routine helps concrete this new habit.

 

• Try this breathing exercise. If a busy mind keeps you alert instead of sleepy, try this box breathing relaxation technique:

1. Close your eyes and inhale through your nose while slowly counting to four.
2. Hold your breath inside while slowly counting to four.
3. Slowly exhale while counting to four.
4. Repeat the first three steps until you feel calm or fall asleep.

• Tune out technology. Melatonin release is impeded by the blue light emitted by TV, phones and tablets. Keep them out of the bedroom and turn devices off an hour before sleep.

Also, set your thermostat between 65 and 68 degrees. Your body will sleep better if it’s cooler.

For support in falling asleep naturally, check out the Pronto Sleep range.