How Long To Fall Asleep? Tips to Help You Sleep Better Update 12/2024

2. Hide Your Clock

3. Take a Bath

The Time it Takes to Fall Asleep and Overall Sleep Health

You may be sleep deprived if it takes you less than 10 minutes to fall asleep. The opposite is true if it takes you a long time to drift off to sleep and may be a sign of bad sleep habits.

Having a long sleep latency reduces sleep efficiency, which measures how much time is spent sleeping and how much time is spent resting in bed. Longer sleep latency intervals are associated with poorer sleep quality.

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Insomniacs often have a hard time putting their thoughts to rest at night. It is possible for a good sleeper to make the transition from a more active state of wakeful thought to a more relaxed and imagery-focused state quite rapidly at bedtime. A person who suffers from insomnia, on the other hand, may find it difficult to fall asleep because they are always thinking about how to solve an issue. The same is true for persons who have difficulty going asleep, who frequently exhibit indicators of increased tension in the form of tight muscles, an elevated body temperature, and a rapid heartbeat.

Wait, is it bad if it takes you less than five minutes to fall asleep?

Although it isn’t always the case, sleep deprivation could be to blame. “Really short times to fall asleep (i.e., less than five minutes) often signal considerable drowsiness or sleep debt from insufficient sleep on preceding nights,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD from Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine.

As a result of sleep deprivation you may have symptoms like irritation and mood swings. You may also find it difficult to focus, and your immune system may be weaker.

If you’re lying in bed and struggling to fall asleep, when should you just give up and try something else?

Dr. Dimitriu typically advises his patients to try to sleep for 20 minutes. He says that keeping an eye on the time is unhealthy, as is worrying about obtaining enough shut-eye. Even if you can’t sleep for more than 20 minutes, you should get out of bed and do something soothing like reading in low light. Try it again when you’re feeling drowsy.

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A set time restriction is less important to Dr. Winter and more about how you’re feeling. If you’re feeling frustrated, irritated, or angry, get out of the house and watch the next episode of Bridgerton, he says. There’s no need to repeat yourself.

Why Sleeping Pills Aren’t Always Appropriate?

So the question is, should you take sleeping drugs if it takes you hours to fall asleep? Generally speaking, the answer is no.

Should you take sleeping medications if you’re a chronic insomniac? Because of this, the answer is no. First of all, they can be addicting. Second, they’re psychologically addicted, which means that I couldn’t sleep last night because I didn’t want to take my sleeping pill. You begin to worry about how little sleep you are getting. And when it comes to sleep, the more effort you put in, the less likely you are to succeed.

It’s not uncommon for your doctor to prescribe sleeping aids that are in the valium or benzodiazepine family, but they don’t necessarily result in a restorative night’s sleep. Sleeping medications can interfere with the active process of storing the day’s highlights in your brain’s long-term memory.

Top Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep, According to the Pros

1. Keep a consistent bed and waketime

Even on the weekends, you need to stick to a regular sleep schedule in order for your body to adapt to it and get used to it (sorry).

2. Exercise

No one should be surprised that regular exercise improves sleep quality. Don’t believe us? Here’s what the experts have to say instead: Exercise of a moderate to vigorous intensity has been shown by the Sleep Foundation to improve sleep quality by reducing sleep onset, or the time it takes to fall asleep, and by decreasing the amount of time you spend awake in bed at night.

3. Embrace being in bed awake

Dr. Winter doesn’t allow being awake in bed upset or frustrate him when it happens to him. “It’s a lot of fun,” he responds. While this is true, the more you worry about being awake the less likely you are to fall asleep. It’s better to take a deep breath and tell yourself that it’s okay to lie there for a little while instead than stressing out because you’re lying in bed and can’t fall asleep (enter the worry).

4. Meditate

Dr. Dimitriu believes that meditation is a great aid to falling asleep. “I advise patients to begin meditating during the day and to keep doing so if they have trouble falling asleep at night. Insomnia and poor sleep quality can both be improved with just ten minutes a day of meditation that focuses on acknowledging thoughts and returning to the quiet or the breath.

5. Keep your bedroom cool

In accordance with Dr. Dimitriu’s advice, you should cool your room down (think 65 to 68 degrees). Why? Because you need to lower your body temperature to fall asleep.

6. Turn off the screens

As melatonin, the sleep hormone, is suppressed by light from electronic gadgets (such as your smartphone or laptop), you are less likely to get a good night’s rest. Try to unplug for at least 30 minutes before going to sleep. This one, on the other hand, you were aware of, right?

When to see a doctor?

Get checked out if you’re having difficulties getting to sleep or if you’re falling asleep really rapidly every night.

To keep tabs on your sleeping patterns, consider maintaining a sleep journal. Doctors may find this beneficial in determining the source of your sleep difficulties.

Quick Summary

After learning how long it takes to fall asleep (ten to twenty minutes), you can now evaluate your current position. Your body is probably attempting to tell you something is amiss if it takes you more than twenty minutes to fall asleep. To help you achieve a good night’s sleep, we encourage you to read this article.