6 Ways to Fall Asleep Faster
Falling asleep isn’t always easy. The daily stress of life keeps a lot of us awake, and can quickly take its toll on the quality (and amount) of sleep we’re getting at night.
Since Hoxtonlinen is all about ensuring the best sleep possible, we’ve gathered some relaxing pre-bedtime routines to help take you from Zen to REM really quickly. From deep breathing exercises to herbal tea, read ahead for six ideas that’ll have you sleeping much better in no time at all.
1. Do Some Yoga
Along with increasing flexibility and improving your posture, certain yoga poses—like the Cat & Cow pose—can actually help you fall asleep faster at night. In addition to relaxing both your mind and body before bed, research shows that yoga is a healthy—and foolproof—way to help beat insomnia.
2. Drink Some Tea
It’s no secret that sleepytime teas can work wonders for insomnia. Filled with naturally soothing ingredients, such as valerian root and chamomile, herbal night time teas are a wonderful way to start unwinding an hour or so before you go to bed.
3. Deep Breathe
Try the “4-7-8 Breathing Exercise,” Developed by Dr. Andrew Weil of Harvard. The exercise is based on an old Indian practice that regulates breathing and tranquillises the nervous system. Here’s how to do it:
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose while counting to four.
- Hold your breath and count to seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
Repeat this cycle three more times
4. Buy Quality Bed Sheets
We’ve already established that high-quality bed sheets can improve your life, but did you know that it helps you fall asleep faster too? Investing in a superior set of bed sheets, like either our Percale or Lux Sateen Collection, which are made with long-staple cotton fibres and soft, single-ply thread counts—and you’ll never have to count sheep again.
5. Cool Your Room
Who knew your internal body temperature is integral to regulating your biological body clock? Obviously, The Sleep Council, who recommends lowering your bedroom temperature to a cool 16-18°C at night to help your brain produce more melatonin which helps you to fall asleep.
6. Take A Warm Shower
Turns out that taking a warm shower or bath before bed can do more than just relax your muscles. Research suggests that warming your body up with hot shower or bath an hour before bed will slow down your metabolism and help prepare your body for sleep faster. Try to make this part of your night time routine.
Sometimes falling asleep can be a real pain. Instead of tossing and turning the next time, try out one of these relaxing routines to help you fall asleep faster.