Lying awake when you want to sleep can be frustrating. And the more you worry about not falling asleep, the more awake you may feel.
If you’re wondering how to fall asleep faster, trying to force sleep may not be the answer. Instead, it can be more helpful to create conditions that allow your mind and body to settle down naturally. Here are seven practical strategies to try when falling asleep is the problem.
7 Practical Tips on How to Fall Asleep Faster
1. Don’t Try to Force Sleep
Sleep isn’t something you can simply make happen through effort. In fact, putting pressure on yourself to fall asleep can increase frustration and make you more alert.
Instead of thinking “I have to sleep now,” try focusing on resting comfortably. Taking away some of the pressure can make it easier to relax and allow sleep to come naturally.
2. Use Slow Breathing to Relax
When your mind is busy, slowing your breathing can give you something simple and calming to focus on. It may also help your body shift toward a more relaxed state.
Try breathing gently and comfortably, allowing your exhale to be slow rather than forcing deep breaths. Focus on the sensation of breathing instead of checking whether you are becoming sleepy.
There is no need to follow a complicated breathing formula. The aim is relaxation, not performing the exercise perfectly.
3. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Sometimes you may feel mentally ready for sleep while your body is still tense. Progressive muscle relaxation is a simple technique that can help you become more aware of that tension and let it go.
Starting with your feet and gradually moving upward, gently tense one muscle group for a few seconds and then release it. Notice the difference between tension and relaxation before moving to the next area.
Keep the movements gentle. This should feel calming rather than like exercise.
4. Get Racing Thoughts Out of Your Head
For many people, bedtime is when unfinished tasks, worries and plans suddenly demand attention. Trying not to think about them can sometimes make them even harder to ignore.
Consider keeping a notebook beside your bed or writing down tomorrow’s tasks earlier in the evening. If something important comes to mind, make a brief note and remind yourself that you can deal with it tomorrow.
The goal isn’t to solve your problems at bedtime — it’s to give your mind permission to leave them until the next day.
5. Stop Checking the Time
Looking at the clock can quickly turn difficulty sleeping into a calculation: “If I fall asleep now, I’ll get five hours and 47 minutes.” That kind of thinking can create even more pressure.
If you find yourself repeatedly checking the time, turn the clock away from you and keep your phone somewhere you cannot easily reach for it.
You don’t need to know exactly how long you have been awake. Your job at that moment is simply to rest.
6. Only Go to Bed When You Feel Sleepy
Going to bed because the clock says you should doesn’t necessarily mean your body is ready to sleep. Spending long periods awake in bed can gradually strengthen the association between your bed and being awake.
When possible, wait until you feel genuinely sleepy before going to bed. A regular wake-up time can also help your body develop a more predictable sleep rhythm.
7. If You Can’t Sleep, Get Out of Bed for a While
If you have been lying awake and are becoming frustrated, staying in bed and continuing to fight for sleep may not help.
Consider getting up and doing something quiet and relaxing in dim light. Read something calm, listen to quiet music or simply sit comfortably. Return to bed when you begin to feel sleepy again.
Avoid turning this into an opportunity to work, scroll through your phone or start stimulating activities. The purpose is to relax until sleepiness returns.
What About Screens, Caffeine and Your Bedroom?
They still matter. Caffeine late in the day, an uncomfortable sleep environment and stimulating activities before bedtime can all make sleep more difficult. But these are broader sleep habits rather than techniques for those moments when you’re already struggling to fall asleep.
For advice on improving your overall sleep routine, see our guide to 10 simple habits for better sleep.
How Long Should It Take to Fall Asleep?
There is no perfect number of minutes that everyone should aim for, and constantly timing yourself can create unnecessary pressure. Some nights you will fall asleep more quickly than others.
What matters more is whether difficulty falling asleep happens regularly, causes distress or leaves you struggling during the day.
When Should You Get Help?
Occasional difficulty falling asleep is common. Persistent insomnia is different and deserves attention, particularly when it begins to affect your mood, concentration, energy or everyday life.
If you regularly have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite having enough opportunity to sleep, consider talking to a healthcare professional. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an established treatment for chronic insomnia and focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors that interfere with sleep.
Make Falling Asleep Less of a Battle
Perhaps the most important idea is that sleep should not become another task you have to succeed at. The more pressure you put on yourself, the harder relaxing can become.
Experiment with one or two of these strategies rather than trying everything at once. With time, you may discover which techniques make it easier for your mind and body to let the day go.