The ability to fall asleep quickly can be a challenge for many people. But, there are a few ways you can fall asleep within a matter of minutes. One of the ways you can fall asleep quicker is by sleeping in a cooler environment. Sleeping in a cooler environment not only helps you ease into sleep, but it also can improve your sleep quality. Oftentimes, we unintentionally overheat ourselves by sleeping with heavy blankets, wearing warm pyjamas and socks, or by sleeping in a hot bedroom.
However, sleeping in a cooler environment has been shown to decrease slow-wave sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. To begin falling asleep, your body has to drop 2-3°F (1.5°C) and being in a cooler room helps bring your body temperature down faster. The recommended room temperature ideal for sleep is roughly 65°F (18°C). Another way to help you fall asleep faster is to take a hot shower or bath before bed. When you expose your body to hot temperatures, your body can’t hold onto the heat, and so, it sends your blood to the surface of your skin. When you step out of a bath, the dilated (widening) blood vessels radiate out inner heat to your surrounding environment causing your core body temperature to drop. This drop in temperature triggers your body and brain to think that it’s time to go to sleep.
The last way you can fall asleep quicker is by limiting or avoiding caffeine before bed. Beverages like coffee, tea, Coca Cola, and even some chocolate contain caffeine and can take up to eight hours to fully wear out. So, it’s better to eat foods or drink beverages with caffeine earlier in the day. Of course, these methods are not the only ways to quickly fall asleep; there are many more that exist. In the end, sleep is important and you must find what works best for you.
