How To Fall Asleep Fast: Sleep Tips To Help You Nod Off
Having Trouble Nodding Off? You Need These Sleep Tips
Rachel Moss— The Huffington Post UK
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According to the NHS, most of the population have experienced difficulty in getting to sleep at some point. Plus, staggeringly, over a third of people in the UK regularly suffer from episodes of insomnia.
Previous studies have shown people in Scotland take 40 minutes to get to sleep on average while people in both England and Wales take 47 minutes.
So why as a nation are we finding nodding off so difficult?
Although insomnia can sometimes be due to underlying health conditions such as heart disease or hormone imbalance, stress and anxiety are the most common causes.
If you find your mind is still racing at bedtime, do not fear - a few simple lifestyle changes can help you to fall asleep more quickly.
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According to the above video, exercise during the day can help you to get the sleep you need at night. Even moderate exercise, like going for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the lift, counts.
While lying in bed, you could also try tensing up your muscles one by one. Studies have shown this will help reduce fatigue and improve sleep quality.
Caffeine may also be to blame if you’re lying awake at night. Caffeine in coffee or tea stays in your system for up to five hours, so if you fancy a hot drink before bed, opt for milk or herbal tea instead.
Other tips include taking a bath before bed, smelling lavender and drinking cherry juice.
Watch the video above for more details, you’ll be catching those Zzzs in no time.
Foods That Help You Sleep
Cherries(01 of10)
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Cherries naturally boost levels of melatonin (a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate the sleep cycle), so try ditching your sleeping pills for a glass of tart cherry juice before hitting the hay. (credit:Brian Macdonald via Getty Images)
Dark Chocolate(02 of10)
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Alongside its other health benefits, dark chocolate can help you to get a good night’s sleep too. Nutritionist Cynthia Pasquella says that it contains serotonin, which relaxes your body and mind. (credit:Jacek Nowak via Getty Images)
Almonds(03 of10)
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Just a handful of almonds will help you to doze off in the evening. "Almonds are a winner,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, author of the bestselling book From Fatigued to Fantastic! “They contain magnesium, which promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation," he says. (credit:Daniel Grill via Getty Images)
Camomile Tea(04 of10)
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Swap your evening caffeine fix for a cup of camomile tea. Drinking this herbal tea will help you get your snooze on faster, as it lacks the caffeine most teas have and is associated with an increase of glycine, a chemical that relaxes nerves and muscles. (credit:Maximilian Stock Ltd. via Getty Images)
Kale(05 of10)
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Kale is not only good for your health and diet, but will help you get your beauty sleep too. Loaded with calcium, green leafy vegetables help the brain use tryptophan to manufacture melatonin and serotonin - while keeping your diet in check too. (credit:jrwasserman via Getty Images)
Honey(06 of10)
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Try adding honey to your tea before bed time. It contains natural sugar that slightly raises insulin levels and allows tryptophan (an amino-acid that makes us sleepy) to enter the brain more easily. (credit:rvbox via Getty Images)
Walnuts(07 of10)
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Walnuts are a good source of tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid that helps make serotonin and melatonin, the “body clock” hormone that sets your sleep-wake cycles, according to the NHS. (credit:The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Bananas(08 of10)
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Bananas contain the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan, which promotes relaxation. Saundra Dalton-Smith, author of Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the 7 Lies Women Tell Themselves says: “Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which help to relax overstressed muscles." (credit:James Ross via Getty Images)
Oily fish(09 of10)
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Most oily fish (especially tuna and salmon) boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin, so a nice tuna salad or salmon dish could just make you drift off more easily. (credit:Iain Bagwell via Getty Images)
Jasmine Rice(10 of10)
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Jasmine rice has a high glycemic index, so the body digests it as a slow speed, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream. It also boosts the production of tryptophan and serotonin so eating it will significantly reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep. (credit:MIB Pictures via Getty Images)