How can I fall asleep faster?

Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:

Environmental factors like lighting and room temperature can help you fall asleep and stay asleep easier.

Watch the video to find out from Dr. Oz how you can fall asleep and stay asleep easier.

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Environmental factors like lighting and room temperature can help you fall asleep and stay asleep easier. Watch the video to find out from Dr. Oz how you can fall asleep and stay asleep easier. More

Dr. Michael Roizen answered:

Follow these tips for falling asleep:

Reserve your bedroom for sleep and sex (no computers, no TV, no bill paying).
Figure out when to go to sleep (the time you actually need to be in bed to get seven to eight hours of rest).
Divide the 30 minutes before that time into three parts: 10 minutes for next-day things (making a list, packing a lunch), so you don't lie awake thinking about them; 10 minutes for washing, flossing and brushing; and 10 minutes for some quiet deep breathing or meditating.

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Follow these tips for falling asleep: Reserve your bedroom for sleep and sex (no computers, no TV, no bill paying). Figure out when to go to sleep (the time you actually need to be in bed to get seven to eight hours of rest). Divide the 30 minutes... More

Dr. Rachel Salas of Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:

Use these tips to sleep better:

Improve sleep hygiene
Develop a bedtime regime
Make your schedule more consistent with a set bedtime and awakening time every day including weekends and holidays.
Do counting exercises, such as counting backwards from 300 by three-second intervals. The procedure will clear your mind of everything else and will bore you enough so that you go to sleep quickly. Also, save your worrying for another time. If needed, set aside a block of time each day to think about what is bothering you.
Reduce caffeine intake. Drinking caffeine in the afternoon is not a good idea, as caffeine can continue to stimulate you for up to eight hours.
Take a hot shower or bath. This will relax your muscles and raise your body temperature so that it starts to cool right as you leave the bath. The decrease in body temperature signals the brain to release melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.
Exercise is good for sleep if done in the afternoon or early evening. Again, exercising before bed causes the body and brain to be active, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Sleep in a cool room, where the room temperature is between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and refrain from exposing yourself to strong light before you go to bed. This is why it is good to read using a book light instead of a bedside lamp, which uses more intense light.
Refrain from eating right before bed, unless you are eating something with a lot of tryptophan or serotonin, such as milk and cheese.

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Use these tips to sleep better: Improve sleep hygiene Develop a bedtime regime Make your schedule more consistent with a set bedtime and awakening time every day including weekends and holidays. Do counting exercises, such as counting... More

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum answered:

To improve your sleep habits, it is, of course, important to begin with proper sleep hygiene. Your bed should be used for sleeping and lovemaking, not problem solving and work. Develop a routine of going to bed at the same time each evening. Your body will then be trained to fall asleep. In addition, avoid stimulants like coffee before bedtime. Alcohol, while sedating you, will worsen the quality of your sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, do not leave your clock where you can see it. “Clock watching” is counterproductive.

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To improve your sleep habits, it is, of course, important to begin with proper sleep hygiene. Your bed should be used for sleeping and lovemaking, not problem solving and work. Develop a routine of going to bed at the same time each evening. Your... More

RealAge answered:

To help make sleep happen, follow this quick ritual every day:

Four to six hours before bed: Stop any caffeine (knock off even earlier if you’re caffeine sensitive).
Two to three hours before: Don’t eat a full meal. Digesting food (especially a heavy meal) can keep you awake.
Sixty minutes before: Turn off all electronics—yes, the television, too—and dim the lights. Even if you’re in your jammies and not feeling wound up, light signals your brain to stay alert and mental stimulation (especially from video games, nightly news, Sopranos reruns) makes it harder to fall asleep.
Thirty minutes before: Drink something you find soothing. It could be a cup of chamomile tea, warm milk, or a splash (not a glass) of brandy, red wine, or some other nightcap that relaxes you. Just limit alcohol intake because it can awaken you later. If you find it’s a slippery slope, cut it out entirely and switch to herbal tea. Try a warm bath or light reading (no work!).

Five minutes before: Make sure your bedroom is dark (or wear an eye mask), quiet (or get a white noise machine or ear plugs), slightly cool (or open the window), and free of distractions (clutter, pets, work piles). G’night ...

From The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You by Amy Wechsler.

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