5 Tips to Fall Asleep Quickly
Natural Ways to Fall Asleep Faster--and STAY Asleep!

2. Reduce Noise

In addition to light, it is also helpful to reduce ambient noise when you are trying to get to sleep.  You may not realize that the sound of road traffic outside your window, or the furnace kicking on overnight, or your mate's breathing can be disrupting your sleep cycle, even if it doesn't wake you all the way up, or even if it does. The more of your 5 senses that you can block while you're sleeping, the more refreshing your sleep can be. Earplugs can take some time to get used to wearing, but you may be surprised at the difference it makes in your sleep quality.

Some tips to help reduce ambient noise while you sleep:

• Earplugs: If the foam kind hurt your ears, try the wax that doesn't stick INTO your ear canal.  Any earplugs may take a week or two to adjust to, wear them as long as you can before taking them out and eventually you should be able to get used to having the feeling in your ear.
• White noise is not all the same. Be aware that the frequency of the sound matters, and that fans or music may actually be keeping your brain activated and listening to the noise instead of making it easier to sleep. A true white noise machine will produce the right kind of noise cancelling frequency that will help you get a restful sleep.

3. Weighted Blanket

One of my fondest memories from childhood was going "up north" with my grandparents every summer to a cottage on Torch Lake in northern Michigan.  There was one blanket there that I would always claim as mine: it was super-heavy, and even though it was the middle of summer, I loved to snuggle underneath that comforter, and always insisted that it had magic powers to make me sleep.  Turns out, there's real science to back that up!

Weighted blankets help trigger the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter commonly known for its effect on our moods and happiness, but it is also a precursor to the production of melatonin, making it important in helping us to sleep well.

Originally used to help children with autism and sensory processing disorders, weighted blankets are becoming more popular for people with insomnia and other sleep issues.  In addition to aiding in melatonin production, weighted blankets help to improve sleep by making us feel more secure, reducing movement, and calming our Central Nervous System.

The general rule of thumb is that you should get a blanket that weighs approximately 10% of your body weight, give or take a pound. So a 150# adult would be looking for a blanket that weighs 14-16#.  

4. Warm Feet and Head

Back in the olden days, people used to sleep with nightcaps on their heads.  While it has been disproven that 45%-80% of your body heat is lost through your head (as per every grandmother I've ever known), it is true that even when the rest of your body is adequately insulated, your core temp can drop significantly when your head is exposed to cold, and this can keep you from falling asleep.  If you find yourself always feeling too cold to sleep, try wearing a knit cap, hoodie, or even simply draping a hand towel over the top of your head to keep warm.

And the same goes for your feet.  A short soak in a warm foot bath can dilate the blood vessels in your feet to increase circulation and warm your entire body enough to fall asleep fast once you get into bed. Bonus points for including epsom salts in your footbath, which can help relax muscles and reduce aches and pains to help you unwind.  Double bonus points if you put herbs or a few drops of essential oils in there --we'll talk about which ones in a minute!

If your feet are cold during the day too, try a pair of natural-fiber socks such as wool or cashmere.  Plain cotton socks do not insulate very well, and polyester/nylon socks tend to not breathe very well. A sock blend that includes natural fibers of wool or cashmere can make all the difference. They will keep your feet warm, but not sweaty, and the warmer your feet are, the warmer your whole body feels.

5. Natural Supplements and Remedies

Essential oils, herbal teas, and some nutritional supplements may help you relax and fall asleep faster, or stay asleep longer.  Working to relax muscles, reduce stress hormone levels, and increase sleep hormones, using just one, or a few of these suggestions together, helps set the stage for relaxation and stress relief.

Magnesium is a muscle relaxant, and is often referred to as "nature's tranquilizer".  Great for muscle cramps, restless legs, heart palpitations and reducing general feelings of anxiety, magnesium can be taken as a tablet, gelcap, or liquid supplement. It can also be applied topically as magnesium oil, a spray or lotion that stops muscle cramping and restless legs nearly immediately.  

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that works in your brain. When your body is craving GABA, you feel anxious and obsessive, unable to stop dwelling on things. GABA calms that down, and reduces the "swirly brain" feeling that keeps you up at night. 

Valerian can be used in many different ways, either as an essential oil diffused or topically applied in a carrier oil, or as a tea, or as a tablet either alone or in a combo such as NOW vitamin's TRUE CALM blend (which contains not only valerian, but also magnesium and GABA, among other things). Valerian helps to increase levels of GABA, and some sources suggest that it may work better than taking GABA directly.