When it comes to sleep, we are not all equal.
There are those who lay their head on the pillow and fall asleep instantly and those who spend more time counting sheep trying to fall asleep than actually sleeping.
Between the little worries of everyday life, stress, screens, we find it increasingly difficult to fall asleep easily and naturally.
If you are part of this team, do not despair: solutions do indeed exist to fall into the arms of Morpheus faster than lightning.
We give you all our tips for getting to sleep quickly in this article!
Why we have trouble falling asleep
In recent years, sleep disorders, including difficulty falling asleep, have affected more and more people. The time it takes to fall asleep is also longer: 40 minutes on average during the week and 28 minutes on weekends, according to a 2023 INSV/MGEN survey .
In order to fall asleep faster and get a good night's sleep, 24% of us take sleep aids, including 11% who use sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medications.
The causes : stress, screens, caffeine which interfere with falling asleep
Several factors can explain difficulty falling asleep.
Among the most common, we generally find:
- 😱 Stress, anxiety: negative thoughts seriously harm the quality of sleep. Worries at work, in personal and family life… we all have at certain times problems that obsess us and prevent us from sleeping well. For those who are concerned, we explain how to sleep easily when you are stressed .
- 📱 Screens: excessive use of our electronic friends is not without effects on our sleep. The culprit? The harmful artificial blue light they diffuse. It stops the production of melatonin , the sleep hormone, and delays falling asleep. We tell you everything in our complete guide: the impact of screens on our sleep .
- 🚬 Bad lifestyle habits: late and excessive consumption of stimulants for the body ( coffee , tea, alcohol, tobacco, etc.), heavy and copious meals, intense physical activity before bedtime can seriously disrupt falling asleep and disrupt nights.
- 😴 Poor sleep habits: irregular bedtimes and wake-up times, sleeping too long, taking long naps late in the day disrupt the natural circadian rhythm.
- 🌡️ Environmental factors: sleeping in a room where the temperature is too high or too low (pssst... we tell you here what the ideal temperature is for sleeping ), being bothered by sources of light or noise pollution do not help at all to fall asleep quickly and have restful nights. If you need, we have written a guide on the best noise-canceling headphones , another on the best sleep masks and yet another on accessories to sleep better .
- 🧑⚕️ Certain pathologies: sleep disorders ( sleep apnea , restless legs syndrome ) or diseases such as asthma, respiratory, gastrointestinal or thyroid disorders negatively affect sleep.
The health consequences of disturbed sleep
In addition to being just a real pain, sleeping poorly has a big impact on our mental and physical health.
In the long term, a lack of sleep can lead to:
- 🥱 General chronic fatigue
- 😡 Mood disorders (irritability, aggressiveness, etc.)
- 🍬 Weight gain
- 🫀 Increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes
- 🦠 A weakening of the immune system
- 😭 A risk of depression
How to fall asleep quickly: our tips for quickly reaching the arms of Morpheus
Rest assured, you are not condemned to spend your life (or rather your nights) staring at your ceiling or counting those damned sheep who jump over their fence.
There are very simple techniques to promote sleep and put an end to insomnia.
But then, how can you sleep better and, above all, stop taking ages to fall asleep? Hold on, here are all our tips for falling asleep quickly and enjoying restful sleep.
🛁 Take a hot bath 1 hour before bedtime
The benefits of a good bath before going to sleep are numerous.
In addition to relaxing you, it is the ideal way to reduce stress, stimulate blood circulation and regulate body temperature .
This gradual drop in temperature allows you to fall asleep more quickly.
⚠️ However, avoid taking it just before going to sleep, but rather 1 hour before bedtime ideally.
🧘 To relax: breathing techniques, 4-7-8 method
There's nothing worse than going to bed with your head full of negative thoughts.
To avoid this, there are many techniques that relax the body and mind.
We advise you to test several to find the one(s) that works best for you.
With practice, you will see that you will find it easier to fall asleep and that it will be of better quality.
- Yoga : if you're interested, we wrote a whole article on the best yoga postures in bed to sleep well, to try tonight!
- Meditation: This practice, well known for calming the nervous system, allows you to relax and avoid ruminations by relaxing your muscles. To do this, sit cross-legged, breathe gently and calmly while emptying your head, concentrating on the positive events of the day or focusing your mind on each part of your body.
To learn more about the subject, read our article on the different types of meditation and their benefits! - Sophrology combines breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to soothe the mind and let go. An effective method to relax in stressful moments and fall asleep faster in the evening!
- Positive visualization : imagine yourself in a calm and peaceful place, where you feel good. Focus on the feelings of relaxation and well-being in order to relax.
- Deep breathing : When you're stressed or anxious, your heart rate increases, making it difficult to fall asleep. To prevent this, you can try the deep breathing technique, which involves taking deep breaths to slow your heart rate. Simply lie comfortably on your back (this is best if you're trying to sleep) and inhale slowly through your nose, expanding your abdomen, before exhaling at length through your mouth. The idea is to focus on your breathing to calm your mind and promote relaxation.
- The 4-7-8 technique : This breathing technique increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and slows the heart rate for a quicker fall asleep. To do it, inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 8. Repeat this several times until you fall asleep.
- Progressive muscle relaxation helps release tension that builds up in your body throughout the day. Contract and release each muscle in your body, starting with your feet and working your way up to your head. You can complement this with some gentle stretches.
- Soothing sounds and activities: To make your body understand that it is almost time to go to bed, you need to create an atmosphere conducive to sleep. Avoid agitation and instead indulge in calm activities to disconnect your brain, such as reading or writing. You can also listen to soft music (not too loud of course) to allow your mind to escape and rest.
🪻 Essential oils
Have you ever thought about using them to sleep better?
Some have a calming effect on the brain to help you fall asleep quickly and benefit from restorative sleep.
The ones to favor are lavender, Roman chamomile, bitter orange, marjoram and bergamot.
To find out more, consult our complete guide: which essential oil for sleeping well ?
🍵 Herbal infusions against sleep disorders
An old grandmother's remedy par excellence, infusions are the allies of a good night's sleep.
So don't hesitate to drink a small cup in the evening to fall asleep faster.
The most effective for falling asleep are valerian, linden, verbena, hawthorn or even chamomile.
🏃 A healthy lifestyle for quality sleep
As we have already mentioned above, good daily habits are essential for sleeping well:
- 💪 Make sure to do some sport during the day (discover the link between sport and sleep in our dedicated article) and avoid stimulants at the end of the day and in the evening so as not to stimulate your body.
- 🖥️ Remember to limit, or even completely eliminate if you have the strength, electronic devices before going to sleep (otherwise, turn them off at least 1.5 hours before) and in any case, protect your eyes from harmful light with our great anti-blue light glasses .
- 🥗 Adopt a balanced diet rich in foods that are beneficial for your sleep. As usual, we've thought of everything and put together a guide to the best foods for sleeping well : don't thank us, it's all natural!
🛌 An environment conducive to sleep
A few simple things can make a big difference to your nights.
First of all, the bedding. How can you fall asleep quickly if it is not of good quality? Make sure you have a comfortable box spring, mattress and pillow that are adapted to your needs.
As a reminder, the temperature of the room is an important piece of information: according to the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance ( INSV ), it should be neither too low nor too high. Basically, the ideal temperature should be around 18° without exceeding 20°.
Noise and light do not help you sleep well at all. You must be quiet and in total darkness, because light disrupts sleep . By the way, if you are wondering what color of light to absolutely avoid in your bedroom, we explain everything in our practical guide: what color of light to sleep well ?
Finally, don't hesitate to establish a bedtime ritual (it can include certain activities that we talked about above, such as reading a book, listening to music or doing a yoga session, etc.) and to go to bed at the same time morning and evening.
The final word: how to fall asleep faster
Even if you feel like sleeping when you go to bed, falling asleep in less than a minute is unfortunately not for everyone.
On the contrary, more and more of us are having trouble falling asleep.
But then, how do you fall asleep easily? Here are our ultimate tips: breathing techniques to fall asleep, relaxation techniques to help you relax and reduce stress and anxiety, using essential oils such as lavender or even a hot bath 1 hour before going to bed.
Obviously, a healthy lifestyle is essential for restful sleep , so remember to limit your consumption of caffeine and stimulants, as well as all television, computer, tablet and smartphone screens before going to sleep.
Finally, to put all the chances on your side, here are 10 tips for sleeping better in our ready-to-use guide.
All you have to do now is put all these good tips into practice to fall asleep as quickly as the first sheep to jump the fence, so it's your turn!