The best tips for falling asleep

Difficulty falling asleep is one of the most common sleep disorders and harms the duration and quality of our sleep. But what can we do if we can't fall asleep despite being tired and regularly lie awake for hours? We have the most important tips for falling asleep at a glance and show you which simple methods you can use to help you fall asleep and quickly find a restful sleep.

Table of contents

1. Difficulty falling asleep
2. The most important tips for falling asleep
3. Optional sleep aids
4. The sleep guide
5. Conclusion

1. Difficulty falling asleep

Lie down, close your eyes, fall asleep – that sometimes sounds easier than it is! Slipping into sleep quickly and easily is becoming increasingly difficult these days, and one in two Germans already suffers from persistent sleep problems. According to experts, anyone who regularly has difficulty getting to rest and takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep despite being tired is suffering from serious problems falling asleep.The average time it takes for adults to fall asleep is between 5 and 20 minutes. There can be a variety of reasons why we don't get sleep. The most common causes include stress, poor sleeping habits or a lack of relaxation. These factors make it difficult or impossible for us to fall asleep in the evening and not only rob us of important hours of sleep, but also stand in the way of our regeneration at night and a healthy start to the day.

So what can we do to make the natural process of falling asleep in the evening easier and to help our bodies fall asleep gently and quickly?

2. The most important tips for falling asleep

A restful night begins with a good start to sleep. We have summarized the most important tips for falling asleep at a glance so that you can relax more easily in the evening and quickly fall into a peaceful sleep.

#1 Get as much daylight as possible

The happiness hormone serotonin is converted into melatonin in the dark. For this reason, a healthy serotonin level is not only beneficial for our mood and well-being, but also an important prerequisite for good sleep. So if you get enough daylight, you support the hormone production that is crucial for sleep and promotes natural tiredness and the process of falling asleep in the evening.

#2 Exercise or play sports regularly

Regular exercise stimulates the cardiovascular system and the metabolism in the brain, body and muscles, activates the nervous system and has a positive effect on the hormonal balance. An active everyday life promotes tiredness and the need for regeneration in the evening, has a positive effect on falling asleep and can demonstrably improve sleep quality by up to 65%!

#3 Pay attention to a healthy and balanced diet

A healthy diet and a balanced supply of nutrients have a decisive influence on our sleep and falling asleep behavior.

➥ Heavy meals make you sluggish, disrupt your sleep and easily distract the body while you fall asleep. Avoid high-fat or sugary foods in the evening and have a final, light meal if possible up to 3 hours before going to bed so that the digestion process is completed and your sleep is not disturbed.

➥ Also avoid nerve-stimulating stimulants containing caffeine, alcohol or nicotine in the last 4 hours before sleep.

➥Pay attention to your fluid intake and drink enough throughout the day. Water, light juice spritzers or unsweetened tea are best.

➥Some foods provide valuable nutrients that can have a positive effect on falling asleep. These include grapes (melatonin), bananas and almonds (L-tryptophan) as well as pumpkin seeds and whole grain products (magnesium).

#4 Relax & wind down before bed

Turn off, shut down and relax! Regardless of whether it is physical or psychological - stress leads to an increased release of the stress hormone cortisol, which functions as an antagonist of the sleep hormone melatonin in the sleep-wake cycle. Stress counteracts restful sleep and disrupts the natural process of falling asleep. Try to calm down both physically and mentally and let go of stress, worries or everyday problems. A beauty routine, a hot bath or an episode of your favorite series - at least take a moment to switch off. Particularly calm music and meditations, the famous evening reading or targeted relaxation exercises can help you find inner peace and make it easier to fall asleep.

Here you will find detailed tips for relaxation before sleep!

#5 Establish a solid sleep routine

Get used to a stable sleep schedule and try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. This helps your body adjust to sleep naturally in the evening and thus supports the process of falling asleep quickly.

#6 Create a quiet, dark and comfortable sleeping environment

Light inhibits the urgently needed melatonin production and therefore counteracts natural tiredness and the process of falling asleep. So dim the lights a few hours before going to bed and try to avoid bright screens and other light sources in the evening and especially at night. You should also choose a rather cool and quiet sleeping environment so that you are not distracted and woken up again, especially while falling asleep, e.g. b through noise or other disturbing stimuli.

3. Optional help for relaxation & falling asleep

Every person reacts differently and how effective one or two sleep tips really are depends on the actual cause of our problems falling asleep and our personal circumstances. In everyday life, it is not always easy to stick to all the rules or tips every day.

#7 Dietary supplement to naturally support relaxation and sleep

Today there are already numerous safe and scientifically proven supplements that can support your body and mind in the relaxation and sleep process. Many plant extracts and natural nutrients, such as vitamins or minerals, can have a calming and relaxing effect on us and help us to calm down in the evening and prepare for sleep. And falling asleep itself can also be promoted naturally with the help of a safe dietary supplement, for example with preparations that contain the sleep hormone melatonin. An additional intake of melatonin is generally harmless and can demonstrably promote the natural process of falling asleep. When choosing a dietary supplement, pay particular attention to the high quality of the nutrients used.

Attention! We recommend that you only use natural relaxation or sleep aids if necessary. Chemical sleeping pills affect sleep in an unnatural way, can have numerous side effects and can also quickly become addictive.

#8 Falling asleep techniques: Auditory sleep support & breathing exercises

You're already in bed and you just can't fall asleep? Certain breathing techniques, meditative relaxation exercises or the increasingly popular auditory sleep aids can be used directly to fall asleep more quickly. Especially if stress, thoughts and worries are keeping you awake, these techniques can help to release emotional and physical tension and focus on the upcoming rest period. You can find useful breathing exercises in this article. Here we have examined how music can contribute to a restful sleep process.

4. Your sleep guide

 

5. Conclusion

Under which circumstances we find sleep best and quickest varies from person to person and depends on many different factors. That's why it's important that you listen to your sleep needs and your personal feelings in order to find the optimal conditions for you to relax before sleep, fall asleep and get a restful night's sleep. Because a good night's sleep is and remains one of the most important foundations for starting a healthy everyday life!

Greetings and sleep well!