10 Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Fast

4. Get outside

Many adults spend much of their day indoors, away from sunlight, and then are exposed to a lot of artificial light in the evenings, says neurologist Alberto Ramos, research director of the Sleep Disorders Program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

That pattern can disrupt your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep, he says.

Instead, Ramos recommends spending at least 10 to 15 minutes a day outside. Studies show exposure to sunlight, especially in the morning, improves the quality of your sleep and helps you fall asleep faster.

Even a brief morning walk can make a difference, Ramos says.

5. Limit caffeine

Caffeine can stay in your system as long as 12 hours, according to the Sleep Foundation, affecting your ability to fall asleep.

Even if you feel like you’re immune to its effects, research shows it still disrupts your sleep, Ramos says. He advises clients who struggle to fall asleep to avoid caffeine after noon.

Remember, caffeine is not just in coffee but also in many types of tea, soda and chocolate.

6. Try the 3-2-1 strategy

Another approach that can help regulate your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep is sometimes called the 3-2-1 strategy, Daley says. Here’s how it works:

• 3 hours before bed: Stop eating. “Whenever we consume food, particularly carbohydrates, our body releases insulin, and insulin activity tells our brain we're supposed to be awake,” Daley says.
• 2 hours before bed: Step away from electronics. Devices like phones and tablets, held close to your eyes, emit light that stimulates your brain, signaling wakefulness instead of rest.
• 1 hour before bed: Begin a restful wind down. Avoid anything that could create stress, like checking emails or scrolling through social media. Give yourself permission to be unavailable and off the clock, helping your brain relax and prepare for sleep.

7. Create a sleep-friendly environment

Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for rest, free from distractions and clutter and conducive to relaxation.  

Experts recommend keeping your room cool — around 65°F — because a lower core body temperature signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. Block all light and minimize noise with a fan or white noise machine.

If you’re a clock watcher, consider turning your clock around or covering it with a blanket, Holley suggests.

“Clock watching is a death knell because as soon as you look at a clock, your brain starts calculating how much sleep you have left,” he says, “and then you start worrying more.”

8. Set aside time for worry during the day

Do you fall into bed, exhausted, only to have your mind race with worries or tomorrow’s to-do list? You’re not alone.

Older adults “often have a lot of family and health issues they tend to push aside during the day when they’re busy, engaged and paying attention to other things,” Dalay says. “But then when they get in bed at night is when all of those stressors show up and are pretty loud.”

To manage those worries, Daley recommends setting aside dedicated time during the day to jot down your worries on a piece of paper: What has been weighing heavily on your mind? What are your hopes, prayers and desired outcomes?

9. Try a relaxation or distraction technique

If you still find it challenging to quiet your brain at night, experts say meditation, breathing exercises or progressive relaxation techniques can help.  A randomized clinical control trial (the gold standared of medical research) published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that that mindful meditation was particularly effective in helping older adults with insomnia.

Daley suggests visualizing your racing thoughts as a toddler throwing a tantrum — something to be acknowledged but ultimately ignored. Instead, focus on happy memories, she says, such as favorite moments from a past vacation or joyful experiences from your childhood.

Another option: use a smartphone app to listen to a guided meditation, visualization and relaxation exercises. Holley recommends trying several apps to find the one that works best for you.

However, he says all of these strategies are most effective when practiced regularly as preventative measures, rather than trying to use them for the first time when you’re panicked and lying in bed.

10. Seek professional help if nothing else works

Sleep experts caution against relying too heavily on over-the-counter sleep aids, which can lead to cognitive impairment, increased fall risk and dependency in older adults. Some people find melatonin helps them fall asleep faster, but it has a number of side effects.

Instead, if your sleep challenges persist after trying these strategies for a month or so, it’s best to talk to your primary care doctor or reach out a sleep specialist.

A sleep specialist can help you address underlying issues, offer tailored strategies to improve your sleep quality and prescribe medication if necessary.