How to get to sleep fast

Tired of staring at the ceiling, counting sheep, and still struggling to fall asleep? You’re not alone. Many people find it challenging to drift off quickly at night, which can impact overall wellbeing and productivity the next day. Whether it’s due to a busy mind, stress, or simply an inability to relax, the quest for a peaceful slumber is a common one. Fortunately, there are several effective techniques and strategies you can employ to help you overcome this obstacle and achieve the deep, restorative sleep your body craves. While this may not give the answer on how to get to sleep in 5 minutes, this article explores actionable tips backed by science to help you achieve that elusive goal of getting to sleep faster.

How long should it take us to fall asleep?

The Sleep Foundation estimates the average sleep latency (the length of time needed to fall asleep from ‘lights out’) is 10-20 minutes for healthy adults. Everyone is different and sleep latency can vary, but a very short sleep latency (<8 minutes), signals significant tiredness. This may stem from either not getting enough sleep or having an underlying sleep problem.

Factors affecting the time needed to get to sleep are diverse and sometimes complex. Chronic pain can disrupt sleep, while medications may either speed up or delay the time it takes to fall asleep. Age and napping habits also play a role in determining how fast you fall asleep and individual variations in sleepiness levels can significantly influence sleep latency: attempting to go to bed earlier or later than usual may result in changes in how much time is taken to fall asleep.

Sleep debt refers to how much sleep you have missed out on. For instance, if you need 7.5 hours of sleep but only get 6, then you have accumulated 1.5 hours of sleep debt. When sleep debt accrues night upon night it can be termed ‘chronic sleep debt’ and can actually reduce the time it takes for a person to fall asleep. Recent studies have shown that chronic sleep loss (less that 8 hours a night for 6+ days) can negatively influence daytime sleepiness, mood, morning metabolic functions and even the immune system. Sleep debt can also lead to adverse effects on both physical and cognitive function.

What can get in the way of falling asleep?

Alcohol

Alcohol is a sedative and can interfere with various neurotransmitter systems (chemical signalling networks in the brain) that support sleep regulation. Some people may often use alcohol as a sleep aid. However, although alcohol can shorten sleep latency (you may fall asleep quicker), it’s also associated with fragmented sleep. This is sleep characterised by multiple interruptions or awakenings during the night, leading to a lack of continuous and restorative rest. Alcohol can also lead to more nighttime trips to the loo as it is a diuretic, further fragmenting your sleep. It’s advisable to avoid drinking too close to bedtime to allow your body to deal with the alcohol effectively.

Our article on how alcohol affects your health explores this topic in more detail.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant and can work wonders if you’re aiming to feel alert and energised. But if sleep is the priority, you may want to considering limiting caffeine intake to the mornings, especially if you’re sensitive. There’s significant variation in how long it takes for each person’s body to break down and eliminate caffeine. In healthy individuals, the average half-life of caffeine is 5.7 hours. If you consumed 200mg of caffeine (equivalent to approximately 2 mugs of brewed coffee) it would leave 100mg in your system 5.7 hours later. However, in those with liver disease, it could take up 60+ hours to clear the same amount of caffeine due to impaired liver function. Women may also have up to a 25% longer half-life during the luteal (post-ovulation) phase of their menstrual cycle compared to the follicular phase (pre-ovulation).

In general, it may be beneficial to avoid caffeine after 2:00 PM and observe how your body responds to alternatives like decaf coffee, herbal teas, or water.

Insights into how your unique genetic makeup may affect how your body deals with caffeine can be explored through our Evergreen Life DNA test.

Tech

Melatonin is a key hormone for regulating sleep patterns. Exposure to bright light, particularly the “blue” light emitted by electronic devices like phones, can inhibit melatonin’s production causing sleep to be even more elusive. Two cross-sectional studies of 1000 people (aged 23-60 years) and 844 people (aged 19-94 years) found an association between TV and computer usage and an increased risk of sleep latency. It’s therefore a good idea to keep screens out of the bedroom. Establishing a calming bedtime routine, away from technology, can positively impact sleep quality.

For more info about different ways diet and lifestyle can affect sleep, check out our article on 15 tips for better sleep.

What can help you fall asleep?

Creating a routine

A large systematic review of over 92,000 people found that consistent bedtimes/wake-up times were associated with favourable health outcomes. Developing a consistent daily routine plays a key role in regulating the body’s circadian rhythm, which is essential for syncing with the natural 24-hour cycle. By adhering to regular sleep and wake times, meal schedules, and activities, you provide the body with cues that reinforce its internal clock, supporting optimal sleep-wake patterns, hormone secretion, and overall physiological functions. This, in turn, can lead to improved sleep quality, heightened daytime alertness, and enhanced overall health and wellbeing.

Exercise

A systematic review and meta analysis found that regular exercise offers numerous benefits for sleep including the time it takes to fall asleep, sleep quality and total sleep time. Engaging in physical activity promotes the release of endorphins which in turn can reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, exercise can help tire the body physically, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Research suggests that exercise can help regulate and restore the body’s internal clock by influencing skeletal muscle, promoting a more synchronised circadian rhythm. This can help you to fall asleep quicker.

Meditation

Mindfulness, with its emphasis on being present and embracing relaxation, may hold a lot of promise in reducing the time it takes to fall asleep. There is evidence that incorporating mindfulness practices such as slow-paced breathing and meditation into your bedtime routine may help you to get to sleep faster. These techniques can help alleviate stress and anxiety, which can often be the culprit behind lost sleep.

Light/Dark

Natural light has a huge number of health benefits. Exposure to it during the day and a dark bedroom environment at night play important roles in regulating the time it takes to fall asleep. Natural light, particularly in the morning, helps synchronise the body’s circadian rhythm with the 24-hour day-night cycle. Ensuring a dark bedroom environment at night is equally important, as darkness signals the brain to produce melatonin, a hormone that gives you that sleepy feeling and keeps you asleep once you get there. By following these natural light-dark cues, you can help modulate your circadian rhythm, fall asleep faster and improve overall sleep quality.

If you experience severe sleep issues, wake up still feeling tired, find yourself unintentionally falling asleep during the day or suspect you have insomnia, it’s advisable to seek guidance from a healthcare provider or your GP. They can look at your sleep patterns, identify possible causes, and make personalised recommendations and treatment options.

The Evergreen Life app offers a wealth of insights, exploring the relationship between sleep and happiness, along with practical tips for enhancing sleep quality.

Reviewed by:

Anna Keeble MA BA Head of Content and Wellbeing Expert

Dr Claire Marie Thomas MRCGP DFSRH DTMH DipNLP MBChB BMedSci Medical Expert

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