11 Ways to Fall Asleep Fast (According to Sleep Experts)

Key takeaways:

It’s hard to fall asleep sometimes. But doing things like deep breathing and taking a warm bath before bedtime can help.
You may have trouble sleeping if you’re dealing with depression or anxiety or taking certain medications like decongestants or beta blockers.
Talk to your healthcare provider if your sleep problems last longer than a few weeks or months. They can offer you treatment options or refer you to a therapist or sleep specialist.

You probably know what it’s like to hit the sack and doze off right away. It feels great, especially if it’s followed by good rest all night long.

But what happens if you lie awake for hours when your head hits your pillow? It’s fairly common. Close to 15% of adults in the U.S. struggle to fall asleep most days. However, you may only need to make a few changes for better shuteye.

Helpful tips to fall asleep fast

Here’s how to set yourself up to fall asleep fast when you go to bed.

1. Keep consistent sleep and wake times

Routine is the key to falling asleep fast. Have a fixed bedtime and wake-up time, even on the weekends. And shoot for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.

2. Practice deep breathing

Deep breathing can relax your mind and body, lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and help you nod off.

Kenneth Lee, MD, a neurologist and medical director of the University of Chicago’s Sleep Disorders Center, recommends a technique called “diaphragmatic” breathing:

Place your hands on your stomach and take deep breaths.
Feel your stomach expand.
Hold the breath for a few seconds and then slowly exhale.
Repeat for a few minutes.

3. Turn off tech

You’ve probably heard that the blue light from electronics can affect your ability to fall asleep. Backlit devices such as cell phones, tablets, and laptops all emit blue light.

Experts recommend you turn them off an hour or so before bedtime and store them out of your bedroom. Maintaining a dark bedroom may help signal to your brain that it’s time for bed.

4. Watch when you eat and drink

Timing is everything when it comes to eating, drinking, and snoozing.

5. Relax your muscles

Many people get drowsy by doing exercises to relax their muscles. Lee recommends progressive muscle relaxation. He suggests you tense and relax each of your muscle groups 3 to 5 times as you work your way down from your head to your toes.

6. Take a warm bath or shower

A warm bath or shower can support your body’s natural cooling system as it gets ready for bed. Bathing an hour or two before sleep is a calming bedtime activity that might help you drift off quicker.

7. Cool your room

Set your room temperature below 70°F. Your body needs a cool environment to nod off.

8. Practice yoga before bed

Yoga has many relaxation benefits, including promoting slumber. Schedule regular yoga classes throughout your week or practice yoga poses and stretches for 15 minutes before bedtime.

9. Slip on a pair of socks

Wearing socks to bed and keeping your feet warm seems to have a positive impact on your ability to fall asleep. One small study found that people who wore socks to bed were able to nod off faster and snooze longer.

10. Reserve your bed for sleep and sex

Doing things like working or watching TV from bed can mess with your z’s. “The more time you spend in bed not sleeping, the more your body and mind find this as a normal behavior,” Lee tells GoodRx.

When you limit your bed activities to slumber and intimacy, you’re training yourself to zonk out quickly.

11. Get out of bed

If you can’t drift off after 15 to 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing until you get sleepy.

“We want the body to associate the bed with sleeping, not with not sleeping,” says Lee. “The more time you spend in bed awake, the more your body becomes accustomed to this.”

Why can’t I fall asleep?

There are many reasons why you may have trouble falling asleep. Your lifestyle, medications, or other health conditions can keep you awake.

Here are a few more common reasons:

Long daytime naps
Stress or anxiety
Depression
Common medications like decongestants, beta blockers, and corticosteroids
Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome
Chronic pain
Acid reflux/GERD
Smoking

When to talk to your healthcare provider about not getting the rest you need

If you consistently have trouble falling or staying asleep for more than a few weeks, it’s probably time to talk with your provider. Insomnia that lasts a few weeks or months can be exhausting. It can make you feel grumpy all the time and interfere with work and relationships.

A healthcare provider can help you sort out what’s keeping you up at night. They can run tests to see if you’ve got something else going on like an underlying health condition. They can also adjust your medications or make lifestyle recommendations like getting more exercise during the day.

Your provider might refer you to a therapist for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia. It’s an effective way to treat sleep issues. Or they may ask you to see a sleep specialist for testing.

The bottom line

Lots of people struggle to fall asleep fast. Trying things like deep breathing, keeping your room cool, and not eating a big meal before bedtime can help.

If you’ve tried these tips and your sleep still hasn’t improved, you may want to talk to your provider. They can check you for health conditions, talk to you about sleep aids, or send you to see a sleep specialist or counselor.

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Written by:

Ana Gascon

Ana Gascon has over 15 years of writing and editing experience, with 8 years in health and medical content work. She is a content creator who focuses on acute conditions, chronic diseases, mental health challenges, and health equity.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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