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How to Fall Asleep Faster at Bedtime

Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night, struggling to fall asleep no matter how tired you feel? This is not an uncommon occurrence for adults. Many people spend hours lying awake, frustrated that sleep just won’t come. But what if there were simple changes you could make to help you drift off faster and wake up feeling more refreshed?

In this blog, we’re going to explore practical tips to speed up the time it takes for you to fall asleep, from reducing nighttime light exposure to adding a brain dump into your bedtime routine that clears your mind. We’ll dive into how screen habits, meal timing, and even body temperature can affect how quickly you nod off. Ready for a smoother transition to sleep? Let’s get started on these proven strategies so you can stop staring at the ceiling and start getting the rest you deserve.



1. Reduce nighttime light exposure


Light is one of the most important factors in determining our sleep-wake cycles. When our retinas sense light, the signal is sent to our suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is located in our brain. This then tells our pineal gland to suppress the production of melatonin. This is great news during the day when it’s time to be awake but not so great news in the evening when we are winding down. Since melatonin is our sleepy hormone that helps us initiate sleep, we obviously don’t want its production to be inhibited around bedtime.


If you are struggling to fall asleep at bedtime, then the very first thing we want to focus on is the amount of light you are being exposed to in the evening. And small changes can go a long way! Try things like turning off the overhead lights in your home and using table lamps instead. You could even switch out your lamp light bulbs to amber/red light bulbs and use light dimmers in the home. When you get ready for bed and go through your bathroom hygiene, try using a candle instead of the harsh bathroom lights. 


Then, once you are ready for bed, ensure that your room is pitch black. Any sliver of light from an alarm clock, night light, etc. can affect your sleep, so it’s really helpful to get the room as dark as possible. If you struggle to get your room really dark, an eye mask would be a great option to try. 



2. Create a bedtime brain dump 


This simple step may sound silly, but how many times have you laid awake with random to-dos and thoughts running through your brain? Add a step to your bedtime routine where you jot down every little thing that is popping into your mind. It could be that important to-do item that you’re worried you’ll forget, it could be a reminder to get more bread from the store, or even a creative thought you had for that project at work! Whatever your brain is fixating on, write those thoughts down so you can let it go and move on to relax and sleep. 


I recommend having a little notebook and pen that you keep on your bedside table so it’s handy. Try to preemptively get these thoughts out before you’ve officially laid down to sleep, but also know that more thoughts may come once you try falling asleep and that it’s okay to sit up and add more notes to your notebook as needed. 


You might be thinking, “Alyssa, why do I need a notebook and pen when I can just use the notes app on my phone?” I’m so glad you asked because that leads us into our next step for how to fall asleep easier… 



3. Turn off screens and limit exposure to blue light 


If you’re like most adults, you’ve probably found yourself in a bad habit of scrolling on your phone well into the night. Oftentimes we pull out our devices when we can’t fall asleep, but unfortunately, that is one of the worst things we can do at bedtime. Things like TV and electronic screens emit blue light which can affect our melatonin production and that is the opposite of what we want to happen when we are trying to fall asleep. Just like we mentioned, that light sends the wrong signal to our brain, blue light from screens has the same effect.


Your best bet is to avoid anything that emits blue light 30-60 minutes before bedtime. In the cases that you can’t do that or aren’t willing (no judgement- I get it), you could try wearing glasses that block blue light as they have been shown to be an effective alternative to minimize insomnia. However, it’s important to know that these aren’t as effective as just staying off screens before bedtime. It’s better to address your screentime habits than to use blue light blocking glasses as a band-aid.



4. Cool your body temperature 


Making sure your bedroom is cool at bedtime plays a key role in helping you fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. A good starting point is keeping the room between 18-20°C (64.5-68°F), which may require adjusting your thermostat in the evening to create a cooler environment.

This cooling effect is essential because your body needs to lower its core temperature by about 1°C to trigger sleep. While your circadian rhythm naturally initiates this drop, keeping your bedroom cooler can make it easier for your body to relax and drift off. Even a slight decrease in room temperature can make a noticeable difference in how quickly you fall asleep.

Another helpful way to assist this cooling process is by taking a warm shower about 90 minutes before bed. As your body cools down after the shower, it mimics the natural temperature drop needed for sleep, making it even easier to doze off. Together, a cooler room and a pre-bedtime shower can create the ideal conditions for helping you to fall asleep faster.



5. Timing of last meal and exercise 


Did you know your eating and exercise habits can also affect your circadian rhythm? It’s true! Because of this connection, it’s important to be aware of when you are eating and exercising later in the day. In general, we want to aim for your last meal to be 2-3 hours before bedtime. We want our bodies to be able to focus on relaxing while falling asleep instead of being actively engaged in digesting our dinner. If you need a bedtime snack and find you sleep better with one, then opt for a small snack with quick digesting carbohydrates and a protein. Some good examples of this would be crackers with cheese, a piece of toast with nut butter, or a banana with a glass of milk. 


You’ll also want to be mindful of your evening workouts. When we exercise it increases our internal temperature which, as we just learned above, is the exact opposite of what needs to happen in order to fall asleep. Instead of working out in the evening, shift your workouts to earlier in the day. If your schedule makes earlier workouts hard to achieve, do your best to give them a try at first, until you have an easier time falling asleep at bedtime. Then you can play around with the timing of your workouts more and find what works best for your sleep schedule. 



6. Avoid caffeine consumption 


Caffeine is great for boosting alertness and helping you stay awake when you're feeling tired. That’s why so many people reach for a cup of coffee throughout the day! But, if you are struggling to fall asleep at bedtime, your caffeine consumption may be a red flag. Consuming caffeine too late in the day can make it harder to fall asleep and even reduce the quality of your sleep once you do.

To avoid this, it's recommended to stop consuming caffeine at least 8 hours before your ideal bedtime. For most people, this means limiting your caffeine intake between 12-2pm. While that morning coffee might be non-negotiable, an iced latte in the afternoon is sure to make a big difference in how easily you fall asleep at night.



7. Be mindful of napping


Being mindful of daytime napping is crucial if you're struggling to fall asleep at bedtime. While naps can feel like a quick fix when you’re feeling wiped during the day, they can also disrupt your body’s natural sleep rhythms, especially if they're too long or taken late in the day. This happens because naps reduce your sleep pressure, making it harder for you to fall asleep when bedtime comes.

Sleep pressure builds throughout the day and is ultimately one of two major systems (along with your circadian rhythm) that helps you fall asleep at bedtime. As the day goes on, your body produces adenosine, a neurotransmitter that builds up. This build-up helps you feel tired and ready for sleep at night. However, when you nap, it clears a significant amount of adenosine, reducing that much-needed sleep pressure. As a result, you may find it more difficult to fall asleep at bedtime if you’ve had a nap during the day.

It’s easy to fall into a cycle of late to bed and feeling tired the next morning, followed by daytime napping, which then leads to another late night. If you do feel the need to nap, try to limit it to 20 minutes or less and avoid napping later in the afternoon to preserve your sleep for bedtime.



In conclusion


Falling asleep faster doesn’t have to be a mystery or an ongoing struggle. By making a few small tweaks to your daily routine, like reducing nighttime light exposure, cooling your body temperature, or skipping that late afternoon coffee, you can help your body get into a better rhythm for restful sleep. Whether it’s creating a brain dump to clear your mind or being mindful of when you exercise, these strategies can make a big difference in how quickly you fall asleep at bedtime. 


If you’re still finding it tough to get the rest you need, don’t worry- you’re not alone! I’m here to help. Feel free to reach out if you need more personalized support to improve your sleep routine. I offer a free 20 minute discovery call so we can chat about what it’d be like to work together. Sometimes, you just need a little support from a professional to start falling asleep faster and getting the rest your body needs.





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