As Franklin said, “early to bed, early to rise…” I’m not sure about his promises of wealth, health and wisdom, but I’m certain that falling asleep early (or at any time you wish) is a key tool for shaping a healthy lifestyle.
Here are five steps I use to fall asleep quickly and easily. The trick is remembering to use them and using them at the right time!
1. Understand your sleep position -
Most of us naturally rest in variations of three positions. The “getting ready to sleep” position (for me, this is on my back), the “sleep position” (on my stomach with arms under pillow, one knee pulled up a bit), and the “light sleep position” (on my side, how I wake up). The next time you want to fall asleep quickly, let your body know you’re serious by moving directly into your “sleep position”. I cut more than 20 minutes off the time it takes me to fall asleep just by using this method.
2. Clear your mind -
Make a conscious effort to clear your mind of any ideas or worries that will keep you from falling asleep. I keep a notebook and pen next to my bed for those stressful nights when I need to physically write things down as a way of “earmarking” my ideas and allowing myself to leave them until the next day.
3. Leverage a memory -
Most of us have at least one memory of a time when we felt wholly relaxed and secure. Once you’re in your sleep position and have pushed away the ideas that get your mind buzzing, focus on your pleasant memory and let sleep find you.
4. Accept delays -
Sometimes sleep just doesn’t come when we want it to. I know I struggle with this at times. Instead of giving up on sleep, move back into your “getting ready to sleep” position. Try reading a book that is interesting enough to follow but not so interesting to keep you reading when your eyelids start to feel heavy. Once you’re feeling sleepy, move back into your sleep position and try again.
5. Focus on rest -
If you continue to have trouble falling asleep, do some research on relaxation techniques and try out the ones that make the most sense to you. Meditation, reading, and daily exercise help me keep my sleep cycle on track but they might not work as well for you. We’re all different (thankfully) and sometimes it takes a little longer to find a personal solution.
“Sleep is the currency of high-performance living” -T. Ferriss
Do you have ever have trouble falling asleep? What’s your favorite solution? Make me sleepy! =)
Being a creative, I have this weird ability to think about 20 things at crazy speeds as soon as the house gets quiet and everyone else is in bed! To help ‘flush’ my mind of all (potentially) brilliant ideas that I won’t be able to live without, I jot things down on my iPhone, which also serves as my alarm clock. I carry my iPhone with me everywhere – if it were made of soap it would be in the shower too. But it’s great for clearing my head, even as I walk upstairs.
I like the sleeping position idea.
Awesome post (again!) .Thanks Seth!
Fortunately, I rarely have trouble falling asleep.
Thanks for the reminder! Your steps are spot on. I would encourage you to shift your primary sleeping position away from your stomach, though. That was my preferred method, too, until my chiropractor helped me to understand that it’s the worst position for your back and body alignment. I still visit the stomach position, I just don’t hang out there. 
I fall asleep fairly easily, but staying asleep is a problem. Seems I get what one friend calls the “3am heebie jeebies”. I snap awake at around the same time every night and often have trouble stilling the creative thoughts. The disruption is probably just a natural but undesirable part of my sleep cycle.
I have a lot of trouble sleeping lately. The best thing I can do is get comfy put on some relaxing music and curl up with pillows. I fall asleep the exact same way though hahaha with the leg slightly up, soooo comfy =)
It’s rare for me not to feel sleep-deprived. Like DMcConell, staying asleep is my biggest problem. Almost every night, I get up after sleeping 2-3 hours, roam around the house, cuddle my dog, watch TV, have some hot (decaf) tea or juice, and eventually drift back to bed. Lately, I’ve been taking a book and tiny booklight to bed; instead of getting up, I read a while and find myself losing much less sleep. I think I’m disturbing my husband either way.
This increase in exercise is helping me sleep.
Sometimes I imagine I’m a pioneer pushing a handcart across the plains. I’m cold, hungry, body sore and have the ground as my bed. Then I’m brought to my real bed. The whole of me feels its softness, warmth and comfort. I am thankful for it.
Sounds strange, I know, but it works for me.
Very good post.
Very
I’ve never had much problem sleeping, thankfully! Except that one time I was on diet pills. I was strung out and could only sleep for 2 or 3 hours at a time. Crazy thinking back to that. LOL
Challenge 2, Day 1 report:
Includes EASY broccoli recipe (that kids also like) and a reminder/how-to to stretch your abs.
http://fitby41maybe42.blogspot.com/2010/01/blanched-broccoli-proof-kids-like-it.html