10 Science-Backed Ways on How To Fall Asleep INSTANTLY

youtube.com/watch

19.05.2016.
Datum objavljivanja: 19. svi 2016.
Learn now how to fall asleep fast based on science.
The 7 Sleep Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Counterpart article to this video: http://willyoulaugh.com/how-to-get-to...
Today, we talk about 10 Life Hacks That will teach you how to get to sleep fast . I will cover how to fall asleep
instantly without DRUGS!! Don't sleep? Can't sleep? Have you told yourself "I can't sleep at night"? This video
might be for you. It will provide some sleep hacks (in a regrettably BuzzFeed fashion) or "life hacks" to sleep fast,
sleep quick, sleep better, sleep longer, and sleep easy.
These work on your own or at a sleepover. We cover topics like meditation and drinking cherry tart juice. This
video will act as a sleep aid and guide to WHY sleep is important.
So many people believe that sleeping less equates to more success but Ariana Hungton wrote this great book
(that goes into more detail) on why this is simply not the case! When musicians have lyrics like "I will sleep when
I'm dead" it's actually the WORST thing to do. I mention numerous scientic experiments that talk about a sleep
study that proves these points. Program better sleep into your life!
You CAN improve your sleep quality and relaxation.
Hopefully, this training video will help you enjoy deep healing sleep.
Get Arianna Hungton's book here: http://geni.us/thesleeprevolution (I will get a small commission at no cost to
you if you purchase from that link on Amazon.com)
I just read Arianna Hungtons book The Sleep Revolution.
Ive been seeing her everywhere on social media and the Internet promote her message about the importance of
sleep. Shes a multi-millionaire entrepreneuer who bought into the sleep myth most of modern society has.
Its pretty epidemic.
Ive seen everyone from high school students to CEOs live o 3 or less hours of sleep a night. Mrs. Hungton
herself did this until she collapsed from exhaustion.
I think she raises some interesting points and I wanted to share with you the top 10 techniques to improve your
success with sleep from the book:
1. Avoid Blue Light Before You Sleep (from Electronics or Lamps)
In the last century thanks to the invention of the light bulb, we are now able to light up our rooms as if it is
daytime even though its the dead of night. This can wreak havoc on our bodys sleep schedule.
Light can suppress the bodys production of melatonin, which helps regulate our circadian rhythms, something
that is essential for our sleep patterns. According to Harvard sleep researcher Steven Lockley, a light of just 8
lux, which is less than most ordinary room lamps and only twice of a night light, is enough to aect us.
The type of light we receive matters as well. Blue light, which is mainly emitted from electronic screens and LED
bulbs, has an exceptionally disruptive eect on melatonin levels and circadian rhythm.
A study by Anne-Marie Chang of Harvard Medical school and others found that participants who used an
eReader before sleep took longer to fall asleep, a later timing of the circadian rhythm, and had reduced morning
alertness.
George Brainard, a circadian-rhythm researcher and neurologist says that the alert stimulus from blue light will
frustrate your bodys ability to go to sleep later and is an underlying biological stimulus even after you turn o the

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light.
Dr. Dan Siegal, a clinical professor of psychiatry, says that exposing your eyes to this stream of photons is telling
your brain to stay awake, dont secrete melatonin, and not to go to sleep.
I dont recommend you go to such extremes unless you can easily aord it, but some people buy and wear bluelight blocking sunglasses when they go to bed. They look like orange-tinted sunglasses.
Heather Woods, a sleep researcher from the University of Glasgow, coauthored a study on how social media
aects teens. Those who had the highest emotional investment in their social-media lives reported having low
sleep quality, increased anxiety and depression, and decreased self-esteem.
Ariannas recommendation is to stop using electronics at least 30 minutes before you stop using lights.
For people who are always inside for work or school, it is important to spend a healthy amount of time to get a
healthy daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun. For those who spend way too long outside tanning, you probably
have gotten more than enough Vitamin D and should limit your time outside to prevent skin cancer from
ultraviolet rays.
FREE gift 10 Powerful Books That Changed the Direction of my Life: http://willyoulaugh.com/powerful-books
If you're new, this is my self-development Youtube channel where I share success tips I have learned studying
successful people.
Want to join the conversation? Comment in blog posts on the blog: http://willyoulaugh.com/blog
If you're reading this, write "secret potato society" in the comments

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15 Science-Backed Ways To Fall Asleep Faster

hungtonpost.com/entry/15-ways-to-fall-asleep-faster_us_55dde3e7e4b04ae497054470

Sara Schwartz Grandparents.com

28.08.2015.

Is there anything reverse psychology isnt good for? In this case, it may alleviate excessive sleep anxiety. A
small study conducted at the University of Glasgow found that sleep-onset insomniacs who were instructed to lay
in bed and try to stay awake with their eyes open fell asleep quicker than participants told to fall asleep without
this paradoxical intention (PI). Participants in the PI group fell asleep easier and showed less sleep
performance anxiety.

I always tell people, sleep is the one thing in life where the harder you try and the harder you work at it, the more
likely it is youll fail, says Meltzer. Reverse psychology is not a long-term solution, but it can help.

Get up and do something for 10 minutes

If you wake up in the night and cant get back to sleep within 15 minutes or so, get out of bed and do an activity
that requires your hands and your head, like a jigsaw puzzle or a coloring book, says Richard Wiseman,
professor for the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University if Hertfordshire and author of Night
School: Wake up to the power of sleep. Stay away from the TV and digital screens, whose blue light has been
proven to suppress melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. The key is to avoid associating your bed with being
awake, Wiseman says in his 59 Seconds video.
This is a stimulus control theory, says Meltzer. Everything in life has a stimulus value, even your bed,
meaning your body should recognize that lying in bed means its time to go to sleep. To give your bed that value,
the only things you should be doing in it are sleep and sex, she explains. Getting out of bed if you cant sleep is
the hardest one to do, but its so important. If youre spending 10 hours in bed, but only sleeping six, thats really
bad. Your bed becomes a place for thinking, worrying, watching TV, and not for sleeping.

Hide your clock

You toss and turn, trying to fall asleep, watching the minutes tick toward morning on your bedside clock. Does
this scenario sound familiar? Do yourself a favor: Hide the clock. Constantly checking the time only increases
your stress, making it harder to turn down the dial on your nervous system and fall asleep. If you stare at the
clock, it increases your stress and worry about not falling asleep, says Meltzer.

Cool your room

Did you know your internal body temperature is integral to regulating your biological body clock? When youre
falling asleep, your body temperature drops slightly, which some experts believe actually helps the process
along, according to the Harvard Medical School. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a bedroom
temperature of 60 to 67 degrees F for the most sleep-friendly conditions.
The secret is cool, dark, comfortable bedrooms, says Meltzer. Darkness cues the brain to make melatonin,
which tells your interior clock that its time to sleep. Melatonin cools your internal body temperature, which
reaches its lowest point between 2 and 4 a.m.

Take a warm shower before bed

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Take a warm shower before bed

Warming your body up with a hot shower an hour before bed and then stepping into cooler air will cause your
body temperature to drop more precipitously. Studies show that this rapid temperature decrease slows your
metabolism faster and prepares your body for sleep. Showers can also be very relaxing, so that helps, too,
says Meltzer. If you shower every night around the same time, making it part of a consistent bedtime routine,
youll see the most sleep value from it, she adds. Then your body has an expectation of whats coming next.

Wear socks to bed

Researchers from a Swiss study published in the journal Nature observed that warm feet and hands were the
best predictor of rapid sleep onset. In the study, participants placed a hot water bottle at their feet, which widened
the blood vessels on the surface of the skin, thereby increasing heat loss. Shifting blood ow from your core to
your extremities cools down your body, working in concert with melatonin.

Immerse your face in very cold water for 30 seconds

If youre anxious or distressed at bedtime, the best medicine may be a face full of ice-cold water. When youre in
a full-on state, your nervous system desperately needs to be reset to help you calm down. Submerging your face
in a bowl of cold water triggers an involuntary phenomenon called the Mammalian Dive Reex, which lowers
your heart rate and blood pressure. Then its o to bed with a soothed system.

Use the 4-7-8 method

Championed by best-selling author Dr. Andrew Weiland various wellness bloggers, the 4-7-8 breathing
technique is purported to help you fall asleep in under a minute. The method is said to relax you by increasing
the amount of oxygen in your blood stream, slowing your heart rate, and releasing more carbon dioxide from the
lungs. According to DrWeil.com, heres how you do it:
1. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it
there through the entire exercise.
2. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
3. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
4. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
5. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
6. Repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

Scent your bedroom with lavender

Not only does lavender smell lovely, but the aroma of this owering herb may also relax your nerves, lower your
blood pressure, and put you in a relaxed state. A 2005 study at Wesleyan University found that subjects who
snied lavender oil for two minutes at three, 10-minute intervals before bedtime increased their amount of deep
sleep and felt more vigorous in the morning.
Some people respond really well to scents, says Meltzer. If theyre breathing it in deeply, it can help them clear
their minds. Also, if its part of a bedtime routine, that might be the secret.

Picture your favorite place

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Picture your favorite place

Rather than counting sheep, visualize an environment that makes you feel calm and happy. The key to success
is thinking of a scene thats engaging enough to distract you from your thoughts and worries for a while. In
an Oxford University study published in the journal Behavior Research and Therapy, insomniacs who were
instructed to imagine a relaxing scene, such as a beach or a waterfall, fell asleep 20 minutes faster than
insomniacs who were told to count sheep or do nothing special at all.
As adults, nding ways to manage stress can get lost, but it is so important, says Meltzer.

Listen to music
Studies have shown that classical music, or any music that has a slow rhythm of 60 to 80 beats per minute, can
help lull you to sleep. In a 2008 study, students aged 19 to 28 who listened to relaxing classical music for 45
minutes before bed showed signicant improvement in sleep quality. Bonus: They also reported decreased
symptoms of depression.

Eat dinner by candlelight

When it comes to sleep, the less blue light you expose yourself to in the hours before bedtime, the better. Light of
any kind can suppress your bodys production of melatonin, but blue light waves do so more powerfully, thereby
shifting sleep-friendly circadian rhythms, says Harvard Health Publications. Besides electronic devices like
tablets and smartphones, the biggest blue-light oenders in your home are likely uorescent lightbulbs and LED
lights, which many people use because of their energy eciency and powerful light. Give yourself a romantic
break from all the blue and eat dinner by candlelight.

Blow bubbles
Got grandkids? That means you probably have a plastic bottle of bubbles around the house. The benets of
blowing them before bed are two-fold: Bubbles are slightly hypnotic to look at and require a process of deep
breathing to blow, said Rachel Marie E. Salas, M.D., a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine, in a recent New York Post article. Its like a deep breathing exercise, which helps calm your
body and mind, she says. And since its such a silly activity, it can also take your mind o of any potential sleepthwarting thoughts.

Practice progressive relaxation

Recommended by the National Sleep Foundation as a way to fall asleep fast, progressive muscle relaxation
involves slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle in your body to help your body relax. The Mayo Clinic
describes the technique as follows:
Start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and
head. You can also start with your head and neck and work down to your toes. Tense your muscles for at least
ve seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.
I encourage patients to try progressive relaxation, says Meltzer. Its not enough by itself, but in combination
with other things, it denitely makes a huge dierence.

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Give yourself acupressure

Derived from acupuncture, acupressure is an alternative medicine technique based in the Chinese medical
theory that a network of energy ows through specic points in your body. Pressing on these points is meant to
restore balance and regulate your mind, body, and spirit. A faculty member from leading natural health university
Bastyr University suggests these acupressure techniques to alleviate sleeplessness:
Between your eyebrows, there is a small depression on the level of your brows, right above the nose.
Apply gentle pressure to that point for a minute.
Between your rst and second toes, on top of the foot, there is a depression. Press that area for a few
minutes until you feel a dull ache.
Imagine that your foot has three sections, beginning at the tips of your toes and ending at the back of your
heel. Find the distance one-third back from the tips of your toes and press on the sole of your foot for a
few minutes.
Massage both of your ears for a minute.

Read more from Grandparents.com:

7 Surprising Causes of Back Pain
6 Surprising Signs of Heart Disease
10 Things You Should Know About Joint Replacement
Also on HuPost:

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19 Ways to Fall Asleep Fast

lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/19-ways-to-fall-asleep-fast.html

The rst question that merits an answer is what makes an individual smart. Is it the abundance of facts that one
can memorize? Is it the above average, or exceptional, IQ? Perhaps, it is the wisdom to make a sound decision
at the crucial moment, or knowing how to make the best out of the bad situation.
Maybe it is the ability to take as many aspects as possible into consideration before deciding on the future
course of action. It is probably a good combination of all the previously mentioned traits.
Of course, if someone is smart and successful, it is hard to pinpoint what exactly is responsible for that persons
success and wellbeing. Truth be told, it is far easier to notice what these smart people dont do, and arrive to a
conclusion as to what is to be avoided. As long as we circumvent these negative things, the rest will come
naturally.

1. They dont overlook the possibility to save money

Prudence is a virtue, not to be mistaken with greed or stinginess. Being able to handle your nances and save,
by avoiding unnecessary expenses, is an admirable quality. In fact, it is surprising how many small details there
are, warranting closer scrutiny.
These seemingly meaningless expenses can be easily avoided, and the amount of money you can save can
amount to something rather signicant.
For starters, buying a tap lter can reduce the money spent on bottled water. Opting to rell a printer cartridge,
rather than buying a new one is another judicious investment. Replacing light bulbs inside your home with those
that conserve energy, is yet another wise choice. Utilizing apps to reduce credit card processing fees, or
choosing a big bank as your provider, instead of your local town bank, is also a good decision.
The internet has an unfathomable amount of quality content, both educational and entertaining. Paying for a
cable or magazine subscription is undeniably meaningless. Almost anything you are after can be found online, at
cheaper price, either as a streaming service, or as an online news article.
The point is, learn how to fully realize the things you are already paying for or have at your disposal thats what
being smart is all about.

2. They dont heavily rely on others

batman-eternal
There is nothing wrong with having friends, family members or coworkers you can trust and rely on. Everyone
should have someone they can count on when things go south. Heavily relying on someone, however, only
portrays you as powerless. As a smart individual, you should never indulge such a commodity.
You can have a brilliant mind, outstanding intelligence, etc. but if you do not put those traits to good use, then
you will only come o as incompetent. When you are in need of assistance, pay close attention, see if your
problem was truly dicult. In a great number of cases, it is our fear and insecurity that prevent us from acting.
There is always a thought What if I only make things worse? The thought is perfectly justied. The
unwillingness to overcome such a fear on the other hand, isnt.

3. They dont act irresponsibly

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Do not mistake this statement as Smart people dont

110
have fun or Smart people are boring. You can have
fun, you can have a drink, or have a good laugh.
Irresponsibility does not equal uninteresting, it only means you like to have an organized lifestyle.
Superior organization leads to greater eciency, whether you are a student, an employee, a business owner, an
artist, or a celebrity.
We all have certain responsibilities, and they are not always imposed by someone else. Putting them o for no
valid reason is simply packing to travel into a more stressful future. Almost everyone experiences how being
irresponsible tends to backre, but smart people simply practice what they learn from such inconveniences.

4. They dont feel defeated just because they need to reevaluate their convictions
Einstein-Quotes-1
Our environment, our parents, our education and our past are all responsible for forging our convictions and our
perception of the world. It leads to a creation of what is referred to as umwelt which roughly translates as selfcentered world. Umwelt is more connected to how we create the image of the world surrounding us by using our
sense, but it can be extended to our point of view on philosophical matters.
The convictions we acquire throughout life are not wrong per se, but are very likely to be proven incompatible
when exposed to an entirely new experience or more dicult questions that need answering. Also, if you move
out and change the environment you are likely to witness dierent patterns of behavior, simply because
education, or lack of education in some areas, resulted in the blooming of other other human qualities.
Sooner or later, our convictions are challenged and sometimes they will triumph, sometimes they will be trumped.
Smart people constantly challenge their convictions; they do not discard them. They reshape them, and they
allow them to grow proportionally with their new experience. Dont miss out on the opportunity to broaden your
mind-set, you are not defeated if you gained something valuable.

5. They dont dwell on their errors

To clarify, this refers to companies that manufactured a
785651da5a241740f2cad474cecdf9b7
bad product, or movie directors who made bad movies,
etc. It is not uncommon to come up with an idea for
something that appears like a true masterwork for us, but once its realized, the general public may not be that
impressed. It can feel humiliating and really unpleasant, however it happens, whether we like it or not.
When you are making something intended to be appealing to the masses, and in the end fail, start over again
from scratch. If you want to impress, listen to your audience, dont try to patch up the product, or make sequels,
in an attempt to prove your vision was brilliant.
This kind of behavior will only cost you your credibility, and even when you manage to come up with something
good, people might not even bother to give it a try. It wont make you neither weak nor foolish, if you know when
to give up. It will only give you more time to work on your comeback.

6. They dont permit their past to hold them back

Elsa-the-Snow-Queen-image-elsa-the-snow-queen-36269709-1920-800
The past cannot be erased, and it does not come back to haunt us, it simply never leaves. We need to learn how
to cope with it, and not allow it to interfere with our future achievements. If there is nothing useful to be
recovered from the past experience, simply close those doors and let it go.

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Past experiences shape who we are today, and our previous struggles can build a strong character, but people
tend to use their past to justify their mistakes or behaviour. Perhaps we use these excuses to gain understanding
from others, or to make it easier to forgive ourselves.
Still, if you acknowledge your aws but refuse to do something about them just because you have an excuse,
then you have chosen an easy way out, and thats not what smart people do.

7. They dont rely on good luck to solve their problems

walter-white
Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. A good quote to be guided by when you invest your time and
eorts into something. Hope for the best possible scenario is what motivates us, whereas preparing for the worst
prevents us from falling apart. On the other hand, simply hoping for the things to work themselves out is no
dierent from being lazy.
Luck should only take credit for a fragment of your success, considering that relying on it too frequently will only
suocate your ambition.
Besides, smart people would never permit luck to take glory for all their hard work. When you pour your heart
and soul into achieving your goal, it would be disappointing to give good fortune the title of major contributor.

8. They dont neglect important aspects of their business

One of the key factors responsible for success is attention to details or just paying good attention in general.
When one is trying to be a smart business owner, he or she is generally governed by the idea that with a quality
product, success is guaranteed.
The logic is not entirely awless, since even if you can oer a top quality product at a better price than your
competition, you are still a far cry from a lucrative business.
The absolute necessity for a successful selling period is credibility, meaning you will need to have a good
advertising tactic. This implies striving towards omnipresence and professional appearance, which brings us to
the most ecient tool for spreading this kind of brand awareness, and that is your website.
The impact of the website should never be underestimated; people will judge you as a professional based on
your website design, its responsiveness, authority and its content. There are numerous people who oer an
amazing type of service or products, in person, but simply look like amateurs online.
Start o by nding a good web hosting service, to ensure your sites responsiveness, proceed with quality
design, and nally, eloquently describe your product or service.
Clearly, this is a single example of an important aspect, there are others as well. like providing a good customer
service and creating ecient incentive plans etc. But the point is never to push in one direction. Always work on
numerous fronts.

9. They dont hesitate to learn from their mistakes

Mistakes are inevitable. Sooner or later something goes wrong, and an unaccounted for variable emerges, and
places a grave dent in our previously well-laid schemes. You cant always have everything under your control,
and we do not have the degree of awareness necessary to view every possible angle.
Mistakes are there to remind us of our aws, and force us to mitigate the impact they have on our lives.
Honestly, mistakes can teach us a lot about our lives , and ourselves, but only if we let them.
Learning from your mistakes means nding what is worth salvaging from your unfortunate experience, realizing

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what went wrong and nding a way to avert it in the future. Smart people use this input to work on themselves,
and change the things they have the power to change.
Arrogant people look for excuses, and choose to blindly believe in their judgement without any retrospect. Not
only does this kind of behaviour hinder your future success, it also drives people, and allies, away from you.

10. They dont give up on their ideas just because other people dont agree with
them
steve-jobs-quote
I know that it was stated how knowing when to give up and start anew is a good thing, and how being too
stubborn or pushy will ultimately yield bad results. Well, a wise person knows when he or she should push the
envelope and stand rm when the situation takes a turn for the worst.
There is a dierence between when someone gives your idea a chance and did not like it in the end and
someone not giving your idea a chance at all. We are all entitled to constructive feedback on why our ideas or
products are not satisfactory.
If someone wants to discard our eorts based on a hunch, do not let them. Fight for your chance to shine, or try
nding someone else who will hear you out and appreciate your idea.
There is always a possibility that someone is intimidated by your expertise; thus that person wants to hinder your
development. If you want to publish or launch something, look for more than one opinion. Even if the rst one is
attering, look for more.
Constructive criticism can be used as a precious insight for the future.

11. They dont make strong remarks that can make them look weak in the future
Actions speak louder than words. Dont feel overcondent and use words of grandeur to describe your future
actions. It only makes you look like an attention seeker, who will inevitably lose his or her credibility.
Credibility is of the utmost importance for ones future and well being, and we all know how in Boy who cried
wolf the loss of credibility had a strong impact on the outcome of the situation. If you want to be taken seriously
and to be respected, dont talk big without a means to back it up. Simply let your hard work tell your tale.

12. They dont lose the opportunity to broaden their experience

re-directed
This is closely connected to the previously mentioned convictions, like Friedrich Nietzsche said, There are no
eternal facts, as there are no absolute truths. You can never become a complete being, and you should never
set such goals for yourself. However, making ongoing endeavors towards progression in various areas is indeed
what a smart person would do.
Science constantly expands our understanding of the world; it constantly tests theories and comes up with new
ones. Even old or proven ndings are never left alone, they are re-examined, redened, and updated. They are
constantly after progress, investigating what is most likely the truth, not what they want to believe the truth is.
It is a good way to expand your database. After all, scientist are usually those who have the qualities, or are
perceived to have qualities, of smart people. The majority of smart celebrities were and are scientists.

13. They dont know how to back o from a good cause

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Much like with the good idea, wise people do not back o from a cause worth ghting for. Revolutions were led
and achieved thanks to these individuals, and luckily, our society is still awed and can provide us with many
causes worth ghting for.
We are often criticized by our parents, superiors, or teachers about our tastes, our interests and our hobbies.
Honestly, they can be right from time to time, but throughout the course history, a x has emerged. Older
generations tend to scold things they do not fully understand, and are too self-absorbed to even give them a
chance.
Imagine just how many art forms, in terms of music, books, and lm genres would not be here today if people
didnt regard them as good ideas. Today, video games are struggling with the same issue. They are held
responsible for violent and troublesome behavior in youth, and people do not consider them a medium capable
of delivering deeper moral values.

14. They dont waste the potentials of their gadgets

Lacking knowledge related to a certain eld, or lacking the necessary skill to accomplish a particular task, does
not automatically make someone incompetent. Smart people have a good way of overcoming these obstacles;
they can nd solutions to compensate for their shortcomings.
Using your gadgets to their full extent can prove to be rather benecial in a variety of scenarios.
Obviously, smartphones and tablets have internet connection and access to Google, thus all you need to do is
know how to utilize these browsers eciently. Almost anything you want to know has a recorded or a written
tutorial online, meaning as long as you are connected to the World Wide Web, you will have the means to solve
tricky problems.
App stores have an applications galore, and a great number of them are really remarkable. Sure, there are those
which are utter nonsense, but every smartphone and tablet device should have a few useful apps installed. For
example, you should have apps that help you with your data management, making your job signicantly easier,
in terms of organization.
Apps that can help you navigate when you are on unfamiliar terrain, thus boosting your level of security. Apps
that can help you nd good restaurants while in a foreign country, like Yelp. Additionally, language boundaries
are signicantly mitigated by use of translating apps, and even though they are not one hundred percent
accurate, they can still aid you a great deal.

15. They dont overestimate their abilities

Shellys Frankenstein and Goethes Faust tell a wonderful cautionary tale about how even the brightest among
us can suer a tragic downfall, simply because they overreached past their limitations. Ambition and hard work
are healthy and nothing to be ashamed of, but without moderation, these qualities can be dangerous.
Primarily, you are likely to exhaust yourself continually, which can be indeed stressful and it can have a negative
impact on your health. The insatiable desire for advancement in a particular eld can cloud your perspective, and
make you lose grip on other important aspects of life. Ultimately, we can end up being alienated from our peers,
and it can be sad to have no one you can share your success with.
Secondly, our mind has its limits too, and very often actively thinking about the problem doesnt get us anywhere.
We need to know when we are stuck and to take a break. In other words, we need to allow our subconscious
processes to grab the reins, and see what happens.
Youd be surprised just how frequently certain answers simply dawn on you. Moreover, even when the answers
appear obvious, it is better to examine them again in the morning, perhaps they wont seem as ideal as they did
the day before.

16. They dont make redundant enemies

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16. They dont make redundant enemies

Regardless of your status, whether you are a rising star entrepreneur, or an employee in a small rm, you are
likely to encounter enemies, nemeses, competition, whatever you want to label particular individuals.
These people are not malec in nature. Your convictions, ideologies or points of view are only incompatible. The
problem is that you can never know what they may do if they feel provoked, and they are probably perceiving you
in the same manner, which results in unnerving animosity.
It is important to dene a dierence between enemies created by circumstances, and enemies created by our
actions. We have already established how our competition can induce minor paranoia, so it is better not to incite
any redundant conicts. When you socialize with stubborn and hot headed individuals, rest assured that you are
not the only one who notices their traits.
Trying to prove a point and creating an argument with these people will get you nowhere. A smart thing to do is
just nod, or say you do not agree, and end the discussion.
When entering partnerships, do a thorough check on your potential allies, see if they are not prone to deceive
you, but also make sure you dont accidentally do something that can be viewed as treacherous. Furthermore, if
you are going through a divorce, see to it that you do not separate on completely bad terms, since creating a
relationship based on acts of spite wont do anyone any good.

17. They dont allow their pride to get in the way

Time to quote one of my favorite manga artists, Tite Kubo: If it rusts, it can never be trusted. If its owner fails to
control it, it will cut him. Yes, pride is like a blade. Spiritual teachings usually label pride as a bad characteristic,
but reality tends to tell a dierent story. Having pride is completely acceptable, but being consumed by it is quite
inconvenient.
It is not rare that once you become so brilliant, you tend to automatically castigate the opinion of everyone
around you. Not only that, but you may often nd yourself rejecting a good proposal or initiative simply because
you are not the one who thought of it. Smart people rely on their reasoning and if too much pride interferes with
it, then it is a feature not worth nurturing.

18. They dont put all the eggs in one basket

This one is a no brainer. Never fully invest yourself for the sake of realizing a single idea. Always have backup
plans, alternatives, contingencies etc. It was already established that people may not be impressed with your
design, or that something can go wrong if we dont account for all the variables.
This doesnt imply that you should be discouraged and back o when things dont go as planned, but this matter
will be addressed later on.

19. They dont lie to themselves that everything will be easy

QeHI7zx
Finally, dont live in the illusion that life will be easy. Your eorts may be thwarted on more than one occasion.
Bright and intelligent people know how to pick themselves up and make a comeback. They work on their
condence, and dont expect things to get easier. Even when things appear to be easy, dont drop your guard
its always quiet before the storm.
Smart people love challenges and the thrill that comes from overcoming an obstacle. Having some downtime is
refreshing, but confronting and tackling new problems is what they live for.

20. They dont take unnecessary risks

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20. They dont take unnecessary risks

dwight-schrutte-quote-quote-hd-wallpaper-1920x1200-3723
We all found ourselves, at some point in life, when we could have taken a risk in exchange for a greater gain. In
the event you are an adrenalin junkie, a motto like high risk, high reward is not a bad thing to live by.
Being smart and calculated very often contradicts with this approach, since it is not implied that you wont face
risks, but it limits you to only those that are necessary.
Even small risks with signicant gain, like lottery, are a poor choice; if you have some extra cash, save it and
wait for it to accumulate. Do not depend on people who are more or less strangers, or wildcards, and stay away
from the uctuating stock markets. Work hard to achieve success dont be tantalized by the possibility to
change your life overnight.
Love this article?

7/7

9 Ways to Fall Asleep Faster (Without Counting Sheep)

dailyburn.com/life/lifestyle/how-to-fall-asleep-fast/

Alex Orlov

18.02.2015.

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Photo: Pond5

If you feel wide awake when your head hits the pillow at night, youre not alone. Approximately 60 million
Americans report having experienced insomnia in any given year, according to the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Even worse, 40 million Americans suer from long-term sleep disorders.
RELATED: 15 Gadgets for A Better Nights Sleep
Missing sleep is nothing to yawn about. Chronic sleep deprivation has lots of negative consequences, says
Sonia Ancoli-Israel, fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Professor of Psychiatry at the
University of California San Diego School of Medicine. She notes that the health risks associated with missed
zzzs can include poor cognitive function, problems with attention and concentration, dementia and an increased
risk of heart disease.

Why Every Night of Sleep Matters

Are you getting enough shut-eye? Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night, according to Dr.
Ancoli-Israel. People are so busy in their everyday lives and something has to give. They give up on sleep
rather than something else, she says.
If you get tense and worried about not being able to sleep, your frustrated mindset could make it

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even harder to relax.

Even if you dont suer from insomnia, odds are youve experienced nights when youve tossed and turned,
wondering why you cant drift o. Everyone has a bad night now and then, says Dr. Ancoli-Israel. But if you get
tense and worried about not being able to sleep, your frustrated mindset could make it even harder to relax into
slumber the following nights.
The consequences of missing even a few hours of sleep can be serious. Research shows that short-term sleep
deprivation can cause you to crave high carbohydrate and high sugar foods. It can even make it harder to
choose healthy options when grocery shopping. Plus, one sobering study revealed that drowsy drivers who had
been awake for 18 hours were just as impaired as drivers who had been drinking.
RELATED: 6 Signs Youre Exhausted (And Not Just Tired)
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help ensure youll actually pass out once your head hits the pillow.

9 Ways to Fall Asleep Faster

1. Do a 60-minute wind-down.
If youre moving at full-speed all day, it can be tough to suddenly switch yourself o at night. We are assaulted
by information all the time and its really up to us to create routines that help separate the buzzing of the brain
from our sleep routines, says Janet Kennedy, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, founder of NYC Sleep Doctor and
author of The Good Sleeper: The Essential Guide to Sleep for Your Baby (and You ). She recommends giving
your mind and body a full hour to wind down from work (or happy hour) before you try to fall asleep.
2. Take a warm bath or shower.
Spending time in a steamy shower could be benecial even if you dont need to rinse o. Dr. Kennedy points out
that your body temperature drops rapidly once you exit the shower. Research shows that this decrease in
temperature can trigger a sleepy feeling because your heart rate, digestion and other metabolic processes slow
down. This can make it easier for your brain and body to power down, too.
3. Put on socks.
Showering isnt the only trick in the book. When it comes to optimizing your temperature for sleep, the ideal
balance is a cooler core and warmer extremities, says Professor Ancoli-Israel. One study revealed that wearing
socks dilates your blood vessels and can help blood ow, leading to a more optimal temperature for snoozing.
RELATED: Can Amber-Colored Glasses to Help You Sleep?
4. Try the 4-7-8 exercise.
Weve all been there: No matter how many times you ip over, you just cant seem to nd that sweet spot that will
let you slip into slumber. But instead of trying to nd the perfect position, concentrate on nding the perfect way
to breathe.
By deliberately changing the pattern of your inhales and exhales, you can change your heart rate and blood
pressure, two systems linked to sleepiness. Many relaxation specialists recommend inhaling through your nose,
focusing on lling your chest and lungs (for about three to four seconds) and then exhaling slowly through your
mouth for double the time you were inhaling. Another method, known as the 4-7-8 exercise, involves inhaling
for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds.

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Photo: Pond5

5. Dont get in bed until you actually feel sleepy .

Trying to score some extra zzzs by going to bed at 8 p.m. is a recipe for disaster. If you arent sleepy, your body
wont settle down, says Dr. Kennedy. And according to Professor Ancoli-Israel, your sleep will actually be worse
the longer you stay in bed. Eight hours of sleep is more ecient than nine to 10 hours in bed, she says.
6. Practice calming techniques during the day, not at night.
Relaxation techniques like visualization or progressive muscle relaxation can help you unwind. But dont wait
until its dark outside to try these for the rst time. You dont want to do it the rst time when youre anxious, Dr.
Kennedy says. You want to start really getting the skill down when its easy for you, then try it in more dicult
situations. If youre using an app to guide you, try to practice until you dont have to bring your device into the
bedroom with you (because that can mess up sleep, too).
Need suggestions? Weve got our iTunes stocked with wacky wind chimes from Dreaming with Je, produced
by actor Je Bridges, and iSleep Easy, an app with a variety of guided meditations.
7. Get out of bed.
Lying in bed and worrying about your inability to fall asleep will not help. The second you start feeling tense, go
into another room until you start feeling sleepy, says Professor Ancoli-Israel. You want to condition your brain to
associate the bed with sleeping and nothing else, she explains.
Feeling frustrated creates a stress response where the body creates adrenaline, says Dr. Kennedy. To combat
this harmful feedback loop, divert your attention by reading, doing crossword puzzles, knitting, drinking tea,
folding laundry or organizing closets until you start to feel drowsy. It doesnt matter, as long as it is relaxing to
you, she says.
8. Hide your clock.
Repeat after us: I must stop staring at my clock. You could be waking yourself up even more, says Professor
Ancoli-Israel. When youre constantly checking the time, youre putting pressure on yourself and creating a more
stressful environment. Plus, Dr. Kennedy points out that your phone can suck you back into daytime stressors
with every text, email or app notication. If you need to use your alarm clock or phone to ensure you rise on time,

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put it under the bed or in a drawer so you arent tempted to glance at it every ve minutes.
RELATED: Think Snoring Is Normal? Why Sleep Apnea Shouldnt Be Ignored
9. Vent on paper.
If racing thoughts keep you up, consider jotting down whats on your mind before you head to bed. Processing
your feelings (good and bad!) can help you relax into a sleepier state of mind. When youre thinking through that
stu and youre laying down, it can become circular, says Dr. Kennedy.
By writing things down or making a list of tomorrows to-dos, youll tame any bouncing thoughts and turn them
into a more linear narrative. Instead of endlessly worrying about the next days workload, youll have already
plotted out how youll get everything accomplished before you hit the hay.
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Can't Fall Asleep? Try This Super Simple Trick

renery29.uk/how-to-fall-asleep-fast

Illustrated by Sandy Ley.

Some things in life are necessary, like food, water, and shelter. But, to be reasonably content human beings, we
need a few more things. Human contact is good, alone time is great, but at the top of the list? Decent sleep.
Personally, I am about 1/8 the person I'd like to be when I'm going on four hours of tossing and turning. I'm 1/8 as
smart, 1/8 as capable, and about 1/100 as friendly. Good sleep is absolutely mandatory.
But, falling asleep is one of those Chinese nger-trap tasks that I'd never been able to master. I'd lie awake
thinking about how not asleep I was, look at the clock, turn over, and repeat. The longer I stayed awake worrying
about it, the harder it became to actually fall asleep. Until I discovered a new method.
Keep in mind, I'm taking liberties with the word "method." This trick is even simpler than that. But, it's still the
most eective, foolproof, works-every-time tip that absolutely changed my life. Drumroll please: It's breathing.
I KNOW. But, hear me out. Breath regulation, while utterly simple, has an impact on every system in your body.
By breathing in subtly dierent ways, you can eect blood pressure, heart rate, emotional stability, and even
hormones. Anyone who's ever had a panic attack knows that the most eective way to quell that horrible moment
of mental and physical distress is with slow, regulated breathing. Similarly, if you've ever done the "breath of re"
in a yoga class, you can attest to the instant energetic lift one feels after a round. If you need to wake up, one
minute of that will beat ANY cup of coee.
But, if you need to fall asleep, here's how to do it:
1. Lie down in your preferred sleep position. You can also start on your back and roll into it when you
start to drop o.
2. Breathe in through your nose on a count of three seconds.

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3. Breathe out through your nose on a count of six seconds.

4. Repeat until you fall asleep.
This works for two reasons. First, you will need to consciously pay attention to counting your breath in order for it
to work it's like a more eective version of counting sheep. Second, and most important, your body and brain
will instantly feel the eect that comes with this shorter-inhale, longer-exhale technique. The physiological impact
is immediate as your autonomic nervous system shifts gears, telling muscles to relax, heart rate to slow down,
and your brain to downshift from high-alert mode.
If you nd that the three-to-six ratio is uncomfortable, feel free to change it. The most important thing is to keep
your exhales longer than your inhales. Both the medical community and meditation practitioners can attest to the
proven power of this breathing technique (also known as "7-11 breathing").
Insomniacs, trust me. If you commit to this breathing method for just a few minutes, you will fall asleep. I can't
calculate the exact duration required for it to kick in, but I have never stayed awake longer than ve minutes
when I employed it. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.
Sweet dreams!

2/2

Having Trouble Falling Asleep? Try These Science-Backed

Tips
renery29.com/how-to-fall-asleep

1. Begin

Photographed by Ben Ritter.

SHARE IT
See All Slides
Falling asleep is a natural process, so it should be easy, right? Ha! We wish. Of course, we've all had
trouble getting to sleep at some point. But for many of us, it's a nightly struggle.
According to the CDC, about a third of us get fewer than six hours of sleep every night. But insomnia is
actually more common among women than men. Without sleep, we have a harder time feeling optimistic
and having gratitude. Weirdly, we also nd it harder to have a sense of humor. And unfortunately, sleep

1/2

deprivation can cause some seriously impaired driving.

We've heard all the classic advice (keep your timing consistent, limit caeine, get your exercise in), but
we're ready for the next steps. To help all of us get those necessary ZZZs, we're collecting our favorite
sleep tips all backed by recent studies.
Begin Slideshow

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Here's the science-backed trick to falling asleep in 60 seconds

at
hellogiggles.com/falling-asleep-in-60-seconds/

Beth Stebner May 1, 2015 7:15 am

01.05.2015.

Sleep: the struggle is real. You cant keep your eyes open after lunch at your desk and you denitely cant keep
them closed when youre lying in bed thinking about all the things you totally should have done when you were
trying not to nod o during the day. Well we may have some good news. Science has made a FTW discovery for
us insomniacs a supposedly fool-proof way to fall asleep in under 60 seconds.
When we rst read Harvard-trained physician Dr. Andrew Weils methods for relaxing the body into sleep, we
were doubtful. The stresses of everyday life, coupled with the bright blue lights emitted by smartphones and
tablets mean sleep is often elusive and hard to come by, leaving a nation of tired half-zombies.
Whats his secret? Is it some magical pill, potion or lotion? Nope. Just some breathing techniques.
As Time reports, Weil is a huge supporter of the 4-7-8 breathing technique, an exercise which is meant to calm
your body and your mind as you focus completely on your breathing.
The idea is quite easy: Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, breathe out for eight, and repeat. After four
sets, you should not only be relaxed, but sleepy.
Im a big fan of breathing techniques (after all, breathing is one of the core principles of practicing yoga, and
great for reducing stress) but I was still wary that this technique could help me fall asleep in less than a minute. I
often have to rely on melatonin supplements to nally get my doze on, hours after trying to go to bed.
Previous page 1 2Continue reading

1/1

Here's the science-backed trick to falling asleep in 60 seconds

at
hellogiggles.com/falling-asleep-in-60-seconds/

Beth Stebner May 1, 2015 7:15 am

01.05.2015.

Sleep: the struggle is real. You cant keep your eyes open after lunch at your desk and you denitely cant keep
them closed when youre lying in bed thinking about all the things you totally should have done when you were
trying not to nod o during the day. Well we may have some good news. Science has made a FTW discovery for
us insomniacs a supposedly fool-proof way to fall asleep in under 60 seconds.
When we rst read Harvard-trained physician Dr. Andrew Weils methods for relaxing the body into sleep, we
were doubtful. The stresses of everyday life, coupled with the bright blue lights emitted by smartphones and
tablets mean sleep is often elusive and hard to come by, leaving a nation of tired half-zombies.
Whats his secret? Is it some magical pill, potion or lotion? Nope. Just some breathing techniques.
As Time reports, Weil is a huge supporter of the 4-7-8 breathing technique, an exercise which is meant to calm
your body and your mind as you focus completely on your breathing.
The idea is quite easy: Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, breathe out for eight, and repeat. After four
sets, you should not only be relaxed, but sleepy.
Im a big fan of breathing techniques (after all, breathing is one of the core principles of practicing yoga, and
great for reducing stress) but I was still wary that this technique could help me fall asleep in less than a minute. I
often have to rely on melatonin supplements to nally get my doze on, hours after trying to go to bed.
Previous page 1 2

1/1

How I Learned to Fall Asleep in Under 1 Minute

byrdie.co.uk/how-to-fall-asleep-fast/slide3

I couldnt wait to put the trick to the test, and to my complete disbelief, I woke up the next morning unable to
even remember getting to the eighth second of the exhale because it knocked me out that fast. For the next
four nights leading up to the big day, even as my stress increased, I was able to fall asleep the minute I tried the
4-7-8 trick. I also used it to relax in the moments leading up to the speech.
When you feel stressed or anxious, adrenaline courses through your veins, your heart beats at a rapid rate, and
your breathing becomes quick and shallow. So before I get into the specics behind how the 4-7-8 breathing trick
works, I wanted to explain in my own words what it feels like when you try it. To me, the eect of the breathing
technique feels almost like a sedative drug, because in order to hold your breath for seven seconds and then
to exhale for eightwhen your breath is so shallow and shortyour body is forced to slow your heart rate. It has
no choice. Holding your breath, and then slowly, deliberately exhaling for eight seconds, causes a chain
reaction. It feels like going from a mad-dash sprint to a nish line to a slow, leisurely, calming stroll through the
park.
When you rst start, youll be desperate to just take in another breath, or youll want to speed up your counting,
but if you stick to the numbers (or at least try to) and dont take any breaks (in other words, consecutively repeat
the 4-7-8 without resuming regular breathing), you can literally feel your heart rate slow down, your mind get
quieter, and your whole body physically relax. It washes over you like a calming, relaxing drug. I can never
remember getting past the rst set of 4-7-8.
Do you know the feeling of being put under by anesthesia, where you are conscious, and the next thing you
remember is waking up? Thats what this is like for me: As soon as I start the practice, the next thing I
remember, Im waking up in the morning and cant even remember beginning the 4-7-8 count the night before.
Crazy.
Now to the more technical details: People who are stressed or anxious are actually chronically under-breathing,
because stressed people breathe shortly and shallowly, and often even unconsciously hold their breath. By
extending your inhale to a count of four, you are forcing yourself to take in more oxygen, allowing the
oxygen to aect your bloodstream by holding your breath for seven seconds, and then emitting carbon
dioxide from your lungs by exhaling steadily for eight seconds. The technique will eectively slow your
heart rate and increase oxygen in your bloodstream, and may even make you feel slightly lightheaded, which
contributes to the mild sedative-like eect. It will instantly relax your heart, mind, and overall central nervous
system because you are controlling the breath versus continuing to breathe short, shallow gasps of air.

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How To Fall Asleep Fast With The 4-7-8 Method

news.bitofnews.com/4-7-8-method/

Laura Wiley

13.09.2015.

Source: Metro News

This article was also published in TIME.

Tech savvy. Culturally aware. Underemployed. Spiritual but not religious.
These are all words and phrases that have come to be associated with the Milliennial Generation, which is also
sometimes referred to as Generation Y. Recently, however, two additional adjectives have worked their way into
the Millennial description pool: stressed and sleepless. Falling asleep fast is a luxury.
The correlation between stress and sleep deprivation is becoming increasingly apparent in American society. The
NPR maintains that 60 million Americans are currently battling insomnia.
According to an American Psychological Association study titled Stress in America, more than 50 percent of
Millennials report to having been kept awake at least one night over the course of the past month due to
stress. This is comparable to only 37 percent of Baby Boomers and 25 percent of Matures.
Why does stress aect sleep? Stress is widely recognized as the bodys response to potentially harmful situations,
whether real or imagined. Although the eects of stress most certainly vary from person to person, general
reactions include quickened breathing, tightened muscles, spiked blood pressure, and an increased heart
rate.

Fight or Flight or Sleep?

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These are, in short, all individual components of the bodys intrinsic and universally acknowledged ght-or-ight
response. Many stressed out people have trouble falling asleep because they feel the weight of these symptoms
most heavily at night.
Best-selling author Dr. Andrew Weil, who received his M.D. from Harvard University in 1968, is a huge advocate
of the benets of holistic breathing practices in combatting stress and anxiety. On his website, Dr. Weil writes:
Breathing strongly inuences physiology and thought processes, including moods. By simply
focusing your attention on your breathing, and without doing anything to change it, you can
move in the direction of relaxation.

Dr. Andrew Weil of Harvard University. Source: Splendid Table

This admittedly sounds crazy using this method helps you fall asleep faster. There is, however, a scientic
element to Dr. Weils medical philosophy that lends it a certain degree of credibility. Because the eects of stress
include quick and shallow breaths that stem almost exclusively from the upper chest, perpetually stressed and
anxious people are actually in the detrimental habit of under-breathing. Many stressed people are even
known for subconsciously holding their breath, thereby preventing them from falling asleep.
That being said, mindful breathing practices are noticeably absent from the vast majority of Western medicine.
Those most familiar with the relationship between breathing and the body tend to be yogis and practitioners of
Eastern wellness methodologies.

How to Do The 4-7-8 Exercise

Dr. Weil is an inuential public supporter of a previously little-known breathing technique known as the 4-7-8
exercise. This trick, which began to capture national attention several years ago and has since been the subject of
innumerable headlines, including one on Oprah.com, is shockingly simple, takes hardly any time, and can be done
pretty much anywhere.

2/3

Here is how you do the exercise:

1. Place the tip of your tongue against the tissue ridge right above your upper front teeth. Keep it there for the
remainder of the exercise.
2. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound as you do so.
3. Close your mouth and inhale slowly through your nose while mentally counting to four.
4. Hold your breath for a mental count of seven.
5. Exhale completely through your mouth for a mental count of eight. Make the same whoosh sound from Step
Two.
6. This concludes the rst cycle. Repeat the same process three more times for a total of four renditions.
In a nutshell: breathe in for four, hold for seven, and breathe out for eight. You must inhale through your
nose and exhale through your mouth. The four-count inhale allows chronic under-breathers to take in more
oxygen. The seven-count hold gives the oxygen more time to thoroughly permeate the bloodstream, and the eightcount exhale slows the heart rate and releases a greater amount of carbon dioxide from the lungs.
Alina Gonzalez, who wrote How I Learned to Fall Asleep in Under 1 Minute for Byrdie.com, says that 4-7-8
helped her fall asleep amid her nerves and severe anxiety the week before she was scheduled to give the
bridesmaid speech at her best friends wedding.
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When Gonzalez told her friend that she was having trouble getting to sleep due to a combination of stress and prewedding jitters, the bride-to-be, who was a licensed wellness practitioner, told her that the 4-7-8 technique would
change her life. It did. Like so many others who swear by this method, the originally skeptical Gonzalez wakes up
each morning to the incredulous realization that she does not even remember completing the nal 4-7-8 cycle
because it put her to sleep so quickly.
The 4-7-8 exercise certainly has the potential to help overly stressed, anxiety-ridden Millennials (as well as
members of the general population at large) fall asleep more quickly. It is also known to have positive eects when
implemented throughout the day during times of stress, anger, guilt, frustration, or internal tension. When weighing
the painlessness of this completely free method against the irritability, headaches, distractedness, impaired
cognitive skills, weight gain, and even heart disease that can result from the performance killer known as sleep
deprivation, it seems worth a shot.
Read this next:
These 13 daily habits will make you smarter in the long run
3 Destructive Things School Taught You Without You Even Realizing It
What Successful People Do Before Breakfast
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We help you get smarter by sending you a short daily "brief" of the most important and interesting news around the
world. Give it a try:

3/3

How to Fall Asleep Fast

wikihow.com/Fall-Asleep-Fast

This wikiHow will give you tips on how to fall asleep fast.

Key Points
Try a natural remedy, such as drinking warm liquids or taking a warm bath. More
Keep your room is dark and quiet.
Get into a comfortable position.
Try some light reading.
Stay o the phone, laptop, or tablet.
Use medications sparingly. Don't rely on them.

1
Finding the Best Approach
1. Indulge in a warm drink before attempting sleep. Sipping on something warm will relax your body and
mind. Most of the eect is mental, but if you want extra help, milk contains a small amount of sleepimproving nutrients.[1] Chamomile or peppermint tea are also common choices, but stay away from any
caeinated drinks -- they will only keep you awake.
2. Snack on sour cherries. Sour cherries contain melatonin, a hormone that can help regulate your sleep
cycle. If you want to avoid taking supplements, you can get it from food. Sour cherries are the best source
(walnuts, mustard seed, and corn are distant runners-up).[2]

1/17

3. Soak in a hot bath, or take a warm shower. One important signal that triggers sleep hormones is a drop
in temperature. If you take a hot bath or shower, your body temperature will fall faster once you get out,
making you sleepier.[3] Try this thirty to sixty minutes before bedtime.
This works best if you keep your bedroom cool. A temperature between 60 and 67F (15.619.4C)
is ideal for most people.

2/17

4. Keep your room dark and quiet. Most people fall asleep fastest when light and sound are minimized.
Close your curtains or blinds, and try a sleeping mask if you can't get the room as dark as you'd
like.
If your room isn't as quiet as you'd like, try earplugs.

3/17

5. Get into a comfortable position. If you're going to fall asleep quickly without pharmaceutical assistance,
you need a comfortable sleeping position. Adjust your pillows to keep your neck straight and supported.
Experiment with placing a pillow under your knees or the small of your back, or between your knees when
sleeping on your side.[4]
Sleeping on your stomach can cause some people to experience poor sleep due to sore muscles
and breathing issues. If you typically sleep on your stomach, try lying on your side.

4/17

6. Relax. You may not need medications or anything complicated -- sometimes the best approach is a
simple one. Try closing your eyes and focusing on breathing steadily. Each time you exhale, visualize a
dierent muscle relaxing. You can start from your forehead and move down, or focus on tense areas.
Try to keep your thoughts focused. If you nd yourself thinking about anything else -- things that
happened during the day, tasks that have to get done tomorrow, anything you're upset or anxious
about -- don't give up. Just keep redirecting your thoughts to your own breathing, in and out, and to
the feeling of your muscles relaxing.
Guided imagery is another helpful approach. If you need something else to think about, picture
something you nd relaxing but interesting, such as a waterfall or a mountain landscape. [5]
1. Try melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for inducing sleepiness when it gets dark, available
as a supplement in some countries like the United States, and a prescription in others. Night owls and
people who have trouble sticking to a sleep schedule get the most benet from melatonin (on average
able to fall asleep time forty minutes earlier), but the eect is smaller (seven minutes average) for other
types of insomnia.[6] One low daily dose (0.3 to 1 mg) may be more eective than the large doses
commonly available.[7] Take it one or two hours before you fall asleep. [8]
Melatonin leaves your system fairly quickly. If you take more than an hour to fall asleep, take a time
release capsule so you keep getting a steady supply.
Like any drug, melatonin can interact harmfully with other medications or supplements, including
some painkillers and birth control pills.[9] Talk to a doctor before combining these.

2. Try valerian supplements. Many people use this traditional sleep aid, but the evidence suggests it may 5/17

2. Try valerian supplements. Many people use this traditional sleep aid, but the evidence suggests it may
be unreliable. That said, side eects are rare and mild. As long as you do not have a liver disease and you
check with your doctor about interactions with other medication, there's no harm in trying valerian. [10] Just
don't stop searching for other solutions while you're giving this one a try.
People often say valerian takes two to four weeks to start working, but the evidence for this is
unclear.
Patrinia root is a related treatment in the same plant family.[11]
3. Talk to a doctor about prescription drugs. There are many medications for chronic insomnia, but
overuse can make you dependent on them or cause other side eects. Give your doctor your full medical
history while you discuss these options:
Ramelteon is a drug that specically treats your type of insomnia. It is non-addictive, but can cause

sleepwalking.[12]

"Z-drugs" like zolpidem and zaleplon are likely to help.[13] They can have moderate side eects,
including sleepwalking and potential for addiction.[14]

Benzodiazepines have a high risk of addiction and longterm sleep disruption. Take these with
caution.[15]
Prescription antidepressants, antihistamines, or L-tryptophan help in some cases, but are usually
left until after you've tried one of the above.

6/17

4. Use your best judgment with untested supplements. There are many herbs and supplements
marketed as sleep aids that have not been studied thoroughly for this purpose. These may have drug
interactions and side eects, so let your doctor know you are taking them. Here are some of the available
options:[16]

Calcium
Magnesium
Wild lettuce
Chamomile
California poppy
Lemon balm
Hops
Passionower
Avoid supplements linked to major health risks: kava kava, skullcap, Jamaican dogwood, and St.
John's wort.
5. Use antihistamines only on your worst nights. Benadryl and most over-the-counter sleep aids fall into
this category. These may knock you out, but they also lower sleep quality, cause mental impairment and
drowsiness the next day, and quickly become less eective as your tolerance increases. [17]
Antihistamines are ne for a temporary problem, but they do more harm than good if you use them
regularly.

2
Considering Frequency
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1. Be patient. Occasional problems with falling asleep are frustrating, but they are common and relatively
harmless. Try not to compound the issue by worrying about it.
2. Consider any recent changes in your routine. If you don't usually have sleep issues but are suddenly
struggling to fall asleep quickly, there could be a simple explanation. Have you changed your exercise
routine? Your overall diet? Are you eating dinner earlier or later? A few specic things to keep in mind:
Your body needs a few hours to digest before it relaxes for the night. This eect is much more
noticeable in women, who may take twice as long to sleep after a large meal. If you've been eating
dinner late, this could be part of the problem.[18]

Getting plenty of exercise early in the day can make it much easier to fall asleep at night. An
evening workout, however, can keep you buzzing into the hours when you ought to be soundly
asleep. If you've been working out in the evenings lately, try switching to mornings.[19]

3. Address causes of stress. Periodic cases of insomnia are often linked to stress, grief, or temporary

problems in your work or social life.[20] Give yourself time to work through these. Understand that many
people go through periods of poor sleep, and that it's not likely to cause long-term problems. [21]
Even if you don't think you have major sources of stress in your life, talking to a counselor or a
trusted friend can help.

4. Relax with light reading. If you usually sleep well but can't fall asleep on a particular night, you may be
stressed or worried about still being awake. A calm book can take this o your mind and help you return to
a sleepy state.
It can help to get out of bed for this step, and return once you're feeling sleepy. [22]

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5. Write down your thoughts. Take a quarter of an hour to put your thoughts to paper. A simple positive

story about your day can unstick your mind from the mental processes keeping you awake.[23] You can
also try writing down what you're worried or stressed about, or anything you're anxious about doing the
next day whatever helps you relax.

6. Resist the urge to grab your phone or laptop to pass the time. The light from these devices can
interfere with your body's natural sleep cycle. While reading or journaling are great ways to relax on the
occasional night when you struggle to fall asleep, technology can make things worse.
7. Take an over-the-counter sleep aid occasionally. These drugs shouldn't be used regularly, as they can
be habit-forming and can interfere with the overall quality of your sleep. It's ne to take one once in awhile
for a rare night when you need to fall asleep quickly, but don't let it become a habit.[24]

1. Create a regular sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same times every day helps your
body to know when it should get tired. With a busy work schedule and social life this task can seem
dicult, but regulating your sleep schedule will be incredibly benecial to you and your health in the long
run. Make a point to be in bed by the same time every night and set an alarm for the same time every
morning. Eventually, you wont have to keep track of these times anymore and your body will regulate your
sleep for you.[25]
Napping works for some people, but not for everyone. If you nap, set your alarm for 2045 minutes

for a quick refresher, or 90120 minutes if you're way behind on sleep.[26] Pay attention to how you
sleep that night to see if naps disrupt your schedule.

2. Break bad sleep habits. One of the most eective ways to address your chronic insomnia is stimulus

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2. Break bad sleep habits. One of the most eective ways to address your chronic insomnia is stimulus
control therapy. This means identifying patterns and bad habits associated with your insomnia, and taking
steps to remove them from your sleep routine. Here are some examples to keep in mind:[27]
Stay in bed only when you feel tired. If you are awake in bed for more than 20 or 30 minutes, move
to another room and read a calm book.
Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex, not daytime activities.
Wake up at the same time every day, regardless of sleep length.
Avoid daytime naps.

3. Improve your sleep environment. Keep your room dark and quiet, blocking stimuli with blackout curtains
and soothing white noise. If your mattress is uncomfortable, ip it over, cover it with a foam pad, or
replace it.
4. Turn your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary. This means keeping it clean, free from junk and
distractions, and fresh. Change the sheets weekly, u up the pillows daily and try to get at least a little
fresh air circulating through it each day. Keeping your bedroom as a night-only area also helps
enormously. If your sleep problems don't improve, try to move all daytime activities to other rooms and use
your bed only for sleeping and sex.[28]

10/17
5. Temporarily restrict your sleep amounts. This counterintuitive treatment has good potential to help your

5. Temporarily restrict your sleep amounts. This counterintuitive treatment has good potential to help your
chronic sleep issues.[29] This is not for everyone, as it may exhaust you for a couple weeks, but some
people nd the end result worth it:[30]

Set a morning wake up time. Commit to getting up at this time every day, no matter what.
Calculate the average amount of sleep you get each night. Add half an hour, then round up to 5.5
hours if the total is lower.
Only spend that much time in bed, no matter how tired you feel. For example, if you set the time at
6 hours, do not go to bed until 6 hours before your wake up time.
At the end of each week, if you feel tired during the day, move your bedtime 15 minutes earlier.
(Another approach: if you spent less than 10% of your time in bed awake, move your bedtime
earlier. If you spent more than 20% of the time awake, move it later.[31])
Repeat each week until you are sleeping better and feel good during the day. Stick to this nal
schedule.
6. Enroll in cognitive behavior therapy. Of all behavioral treatments, this is the one most likely to improve
your sleep. It requires one-on-one sessions with a therapist trained in this approach, since the goal is to
discover the exact thought processes, misconceptions, or anxieties related to your insomnia.[32] Through
this therapy, you will gure out which sleep patterns are right for you, and how to take sleep problems in
stride.

7. Seek guidance for relaxation therapy. You're probably familiar with a hyper-alert feeling, racing

thoughts, tension, or even muscle twitches while you try to sleep.[33] To reduce these feelings, picture
your muscles relaxing one by one, or imagine calm scenes as you breathe evenly and slowly. People with
your symptoms usually need several weeks of practice before this helps, and guidance from a
professional therapist makes a big dierence.[34]

Biofeedback is another approach you can look into. A therapist will hook you up to electric sensors,
and teach you to control unconscious muscle movements or other physical processes.
8. Practice staying awake. Strange advice for an insomniac, but taking control over your waking state can
help you shed anxiety and stress that keeps the problem going. This "paradoxical intention" treatment is
not as universally helpful as other approaches, and can be dicult to follow on your own.[35] A therapist
can help you set an individual plan, but they usually fall into one of these general approaches:[36]

The carefree attitude: Look forward to insomnia as an opportunity to do something fun or

productive. Imagine absurd, exaggerated catastrophes that your insomnia could cause, in a lighthearted way.
Shifting the focus: Get comfortable and turn o the lights, but keep your eyes open. Don't force
yourself awake, but give up any attempt at falling asleep. When you feel tired, tell yourself that you'll
stay awake a little longer and fall asleep when you're ready.

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9. Avoid caeine late in the day. If you frequently have trouble falling asleep, you may need to take a look
at your caeine consumption. Drinking caeinated beverages later than eight hours before you go to bed
means that the eects could remain in play while you're trying to sleep. Avoid coee, tea, and chocolate in
the afternoons and evenings.

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10. Turn o all electronics. To trigger sleep, your body increases certain hormone levels as it gets darker
outside. A laptop, cell phone, television, or any other electronic screen sends light signals to your brain
that can prevent this from happening. Remove all electronics with bright screens at least an hour before
bed so it will be easier for your body to get tired.
Take special care to avoid potentially stressful or stimulating electronic activities before bed. These
include social media, email, and most video games.
11. Quit smoking. You already know that smoking is bad for your overall health, but you may not realize that
it can also keep you awake longer at night. Smokers take an average of ve extra minutes to fall asleep,
sleep for less time, and have lower quality sleep. These eects mostly disappear if you quit.
At the very least, avoid nicotine in the evenings, and consider reducing the amount you smoke
throughout the day.
12. Seek alternative therapies. Acupuncture and Low Energy Emission Therapy (LEET) are two additional
options that can help your chronic insomnia. It's not clear why these treatments work, but there's pretty
good evidence that they are safe and eective.[37][38]

13.

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13.

Get a medical checkup. Many dierent medical conditions, mental disorders, and medications can cause

insomnia or make it worse.[39] Even if you don't think the doctor will nd anything, a brief exam and
conversation can help you understand the problem better. If you've tried one of the approaches above for
a couple weeks and you still have trouble falling asleep, it's denitely worth making an appointment.

3
Considering Other Factors
1. I have trouble sharing a bedroom with someone else. There are several common problems that can
arise when people share a bed or bedroom. Talk to the other person about the problem so you can solve it
or nd a compromise:[40]

If you prefer dierent temperatures, lower the thermostat and get a hot water bottle or extra blanket
for one person.
If the other person snores, gure out how to stop it.
If the other person moves around or kicks you, get a more comfortable mattress, or a wider one.
If the other person goes to sleep later than you, ask them to stay in another room until they go to
bed, or at least keep light and noise down.
If you and your partner prefer dierent levels of cuddling, snuggle before you fall asleep, then move
farther apart.
If your partner wakes you up touching you or initiating sex, talk to them directly about the problem.

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1. I get an urge to move around, or an unpleasant feeling in my legs. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is
a

1. I get an urge to move around, or an unpleasant feeling in my legs. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a
pretty common problem, often linked to an external factor such as diet, lack of exercise, medications, or a
medical condition.[41] Try walking around, stretching, or getting a leg massage or hot bath before bed. If
this doesn't work, talk to a doctor to pinpoint the cause.[42]

1. I have acid reux or heartburn. Reduce the size of your meals and do not lie down within three hours of
eating. Stack pillows to raise your head 68 inches (1520 cm) o the bed, supporting your neck in a
straight position.[43]Take steps to treat the problem if it happens regularly.
Acid reux and insomnia can create a vicious cycle, where the symptoms or medications related to
one problem can make the other worse. [44] Give your doctor regular updates on your sleep if this is
a chronic issue.
1. I might have a mental health problem. Most people with depression, mania, and some forms of anxiety
have trouble sleeping.[45]Learn more about these medical conditions, and talk to a doctor or therapist to
start treatment.

Community Q&A
How can I go to sleep right now?
wikiHow Contributor
Close down your phone/computer right now. Cuddle up to your spouse/pet/stued toy. Turn o the light.
Relax and use the suggestions in this article to help you sleep.
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 212 Helpful 1016
How can I get rid of the horrible thoughts of monsters and ghosts?
wikiHow Contributor
Try and think of something that you really want or sing a song in your head. Go to your happy place!
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 31 Helpful 129
I'm a "night owl", as people refer to me as. I go to bed at 3:12 AM and wake up at 10:00 AM -12:00 PM.
How do I change this? I want to fall asleep now, considering it's 2:53 AM.
wikiHow Contributor
Go to bed a half an hour earlier each night, so that it will not be a dramatic change for you. Read -- do not
use electronics, as reading helps you to feel tireder while digital technology wakes you up. Treat this as a
gradual process and most of all, don't fret when you can't sleep well, as it takes time to transition. Try to
look forward to early mornings rather than late nights.
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 30 Helpful 124
Why can't you take a nap in the middle of the day?
wikiHow Contributor
If you take a nap in the middle of the day, it will be harder to fall asleep that night because you won't be as
tired.
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 119 Helpful 420

How do you deal with stress that prevents sleep?

15/17

How do you deal with stress that prevents sleep?

wikiHow Contributor
Breathe deeply. Try yoga or meditation before bed, or take a warm shower or bath to relax your body and
mind. Write down your thoughts in a journal; when writing, youll be able to understand and work through
your stress. Plan how you can solve your problems in little steps, one at a time. Remain open to the
possibility that tomorrow will be better than you expect.
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 126 Helpful 413
Would it matter if you have a small light that is right by your bed?
wikiHow Contributor
For some people it helps but others prefer to have no lights on. You might like to try it both ways because
that will help you to nd out. Try over a weekend, when you can catch up on sleep if needed.
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 88 Helpful 293
Is nap a good decision? Because I can't force myself to take a nap when my parents ask me to.
wikiHow Contributor
A nap is not good idea late in the the day because your sleep will get completed and you could not sleep at
the time when you need to. This will result in late sleep. It is good when you do it at midday, so that you
can sleep in the night but don't overdo it.
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Not Helpful 180 Helpful 565
How do I fall asleep when my mind is busy?
wikiHow Contributor
Write all your problems down on a to do list or on paper, and tell yourself that you will deal with those
things tomorrow. You could also keep a journal near your bed for just this purpose, writing down anything
you just can't let go of.
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Not Helpful 11 Helpful 48
I haven't gone to sleep in 48 hours? What shall I do?
wikiHow Contributor
It's likely you won't have much control over continuing this awake phase -- your body will cause you to go
sleep very soon. Choose a comfortable place to sleep, lie down and close your eyes. Sleep will be fast
upon you. If, for some very rare reason, you cannot get back to sleep at all, seek immediate help from your
doctor.
Flag as duplicate
Not Helpful 24 Helpful 83
Are there any other tips for sleeping for kids specically?
wikiHow Contributor
Yes, check out the article: Fall Asleep (for Kids).
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Not Helpful 60 Helpful 149
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Ask a Question
Submit

Test Your Knowledge

16/17

Fall Asleep Fast Quiz

Tips
Try to not check the clock when you are trying to sleep. The distraction and
stress about time passing can make it harder to sleep. Turn the clock to face
away from you, or use a mechanical clock without a bright, electronic screen.
If you 'look' carefully while your eyes are closed, you might see small
blotches of color called "phosphenes". Some people fall asleep faster when
they watch them in a relaxed, passive state.
It might help to listen to an audiobook in the dark, to classical music, or to ambient sound tracks. Some
tablets and phones have apps that set a timer to shut the sound o automatically.
Try sleep meditation music or guided sleep meditation. Turn the volume low and concentrate on the music
or the words. These meditations usually have theta waves that help you relax and drift o to sleep.

Warnings
Perfume, air freshener, or other strong scents may keep you awake. Try doing without for a few days, or
opening more windows to get a cross breeze.
Counting sheep rarely helps, and could keep you up longer. [46]

Sources and Citations

1. https://www.dairynutrition.ca/facts-fallacies/health-concerns/sleep-and-tryptophan
2. http://www.immunehealthscience.com/foods-with-melatonin.html
3. http://www.sleepdynamictherapy.com/index.php/temperature-issues-and-sleep-disorders/
Show more... (43)

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How to Fall Asleep in Less Than 30 Seconds

stevepavlina.com/blog/2013/07/how-to-fall-asleep-in-less-than-30-seconds/

10.07.2013.
Does it take you a while to fall asleep at night? Do you nd your mind dwelling on various thoughts before youre
able to nally drift o and relax into sleep? Do you nd that you just arent sleepy enough when its time for bed?
Realize that if it takes you 15 minutes on average to fall asleep each night, thats more than 91 hours per year
that youre wasting. This is the equivalent of spending more than two 40-hour workweeks just lying in bed
waiting to fall asleep.
And if you have insomniac tendencies and take more than an hour to fall asleep each night, youre spending
more than nine 40-hour weeks on that pointless activity every year. Thats a tremendous amount of wasted
time.
If youd like to change this situation, keep reading. Ill explain the details and share a process for training your
brain to fall asleep almost instantly when youre ready to go to bed.

Drop Caeine (at Least Initially)

First, if you drink coee, tea (including green tea and white tea), yerba mate, cola, or any caeinated beverages
on a semi-regular basis, this method wont work very well at all, so I strongly recommend that you get o all
caeine for at least 2 weeks before you attempt to make improvements in this area. Read How to Give Up
Coee if you need help with that. I also advise that you drop chocolate during this time as well, including cocoa
and cacao, since those contain stimulants too.
Even a small cup of coee in the morning can disrupt your ability to fall asleep quickly at night. You may also
sleep less restfully, and youll be prone to awaken more often throughout the night. Consequently, you may wake
up tired and need extra sleep.
Simply eliminating all caeine from your diet can improve your sleep habits tremendously. So if you havent
already done that, please do that rst before you attempt the training method I explain later in this article.
If you really love your caeine though, the good news is that its okay to add it back once youve gone through
this adaptation training. It will still disrupt your sleep a bit, but once youve mastered the habit of being able to fall
asleep in 30 seconds or less, then most likely youll still be able to continue the habit even if you consume some
caeine during the day.

Train Your Brain to Fall Asleep Faster

A decade ago it might have taken me 15-30 minutes to fall asleep most nights. Sometimes it would take more
than an hour if I had a lot on my mind. And very occasionally I could fall asleep within 5 minutes or less if I was
very sleepy.
Today its fairly normal for me to fall asleep within 30 seconds or less, and often Im able to fall asleep in less
than 1 second. My best is probably around 1/4 of a second.
How do I know this? Because I have a witness that tells me how long I was out. I also know that I was sleeping
because I awaken with the memory of a dream. If my sleep time is only a second or a fraction of a second, then
its obviously a very short dream. Some time dilation occurs though, so a 1-second dream may feel signicantly
longer perhaps as if 5-10 seconds have passed within the dream world.
Is this narcolepsy? No, narcolepsy is very dierent. I dont just fall asleep at odd times throughout the day, and I
dont have excessive daytime sleepiness. Most days I dont take any naps. One thing I do have in common with

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narcoleptics is that I can start having dreams immediately when I fall asleep, whereas most people dont enter
the dream state for at least an hour. I regard this as a positive adaptation though, not a problem or defect.
I cant normally force myself to sleep when Im not at all sleepy. But when Im ready to go to sleep, I can go to
sleep very quickly without wasting time trying to fall asleep.
Im not able to do this 100% perfectly. If I have a stressful day and theres a lot on my mind at night, I may nd it
more dicult to relax and go to sleep. But most of the time under normal, average conditions, I can get to sleep
within 30 seconds or less.
I reached this point not by the exertion of conscious will but rather through a long-term process of sleep training.
So dont think that theres some mental trick that you can use right away to make this happen instantly. However,
once youve trained yourself to this point, the process is eortless. Youll be able to do it automatically. It will be
no more dicult than blinking.

Understanding the Training Process

The training process may take a long time months or even years, depending on how far you want to go but
its not at all dicult, and it neednt take a serious time commitment. In fact, the training will most likely save you
a signicant amount of time. The only challenging part is maintaining consistency long enough to get results.
First consider that its possible for you to fall asleep faster. Have you ever been really tired and sleepy at the end
of a day, and you fell asleep very quickly after getting into bed? Have you ever drifted o while watching a movie
or reading a book? Have you ever fallen asleep within less than 2 minutes after lying down? If youve done it
before, then consider the possibility that your brain already knows how to fall asleep quickly, and if you create the
right conditions, then youre capable of doing this again. You just need to train your brain to do this more
consistently.
The main reason that you arent falling asleep faster is that you havent trained your brain to do so. You may be
able to reach that point eventually, but youre not there yet. Similarly, you may be able to do the splits if you
engage in exibility training, but in the absence of such training, you probably wont be able to do the splits at all.
If you want to fall asleep faster, you must incentivize your brain to drop all other activity and immediately
transition into sleep when you desire to do so. That is the essence of this approach. If there are few
consequences for a lazy approach to falling asleep, then your brain will continue to be lazy and inecient in this
area. You havent given it a good enough reason to select more ecient behaviors.
Your brain is always active, even during deep sleep, and it operates in dierent modes of consciousness,
including beta (waking), alpha, theta, and delta phases. When you lie in bed waiting for sleep, youre waiting for
your brain to switch modes. An untrained brain will often take its own sweet time making the necessary state
change. So you may dwell on other thoughts or toss and turn or just lie awake until your brain is nally ready
to transition. This is a common experience. Without incentives to become more ecient, your brain will remain
naturally lazy by default.
Your conscious mind might very much like to go to sleep, but it isnt in charge. Your subconscious determines
when you fall asleep. If your subconscious mind is in no hurry to fall asleep, then your conscious mind will have
a hard time forcing it. In fact, your subconscious may continue to bubble up thoughts and ideas to occupy your
conscious mind, distracting you with mental clutter instead of letting you relax and slide into sleep.
A trained subconscious mind is obedient and fast. When the conscious mind says to sleep, the subconscious
activates sleep mode immediately. But this only works if youre feeling at least partially sleepy. If the
subconscious doesnt agree with the need for sleep, it can still reject the request.
The process Ill share next will teach your brain that putzing around isnt an option anymore and that when you
decide to go to sleep, it needs to transition immediately and without delay.

The Process

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The Process
The process involves using short, timed naps to train your brain to fall asleep more quickly. Heres how it works:
If and when you feel drowsy at some point during the day, give yourself permission to take a 20-minute nap. But
only allow yourself exactly 20 minutes total. Use a timer to set an alarm. I often do this by using Siri on my
iPhone by saying, Set a timer for 20 minutes or Wake me up in 20 minutes. The rst one sets a countdown
timer, while the later phrase sets an alarm to go o at a specic time. Sometimes I prefer to use a kitchen timer
with a 20-minute countdown.
Begin the timer as soon as you lie down for your nap. Whether you sleep or not, and regardless of how long it
takes you to fall asleep, you have 20 minutes total for this activity not a minute more.
Simply relax and allow yourself to fall asleep as you normally would. You dont have to do anything special here,
so dont try to force it. If you fall asleep, great. If you just lie there awake for 20 minutes, also great. And if you
sleep for some fraction of the time, thats perfectly okay too.
At the end of the 20 minutes, you must get up immediately. No lingering. This part is crucial. If youre tempted to
continue napping after the alarm goes o, then put the alarm across the room so you have to get up to turn it o.
Or have someone else forcibly yank you o the couch or bed when they hear the alarm. But no matter what, get
up immediately. The nap is over. If youre still tired, you can take another nap later wait at least an hour but
dont let yourself go back to sleep right away.
I think its best to do your nap practice during the day if you can, but you can also do it in the evening, as long as
its at least an hour before your normal bedtime. Perhaps the best time for an evening nap is right after dinner,
when many people feel a little sleepy.
You dont have to take the naps every day, but do them at least a few times a week if you can. I think the ideal
practice would be one nap per day.
The next part of this process is to always wake up with an alarm in the morning. Set your alarm for a xed time
every day, seven days a week. When your alarm goes o each morning, get up immediately regardless of how
much sleep you actually got. Again, no lingering. If you need help with this, read How to Become an Early Riser ,
How to Become an Early Riser Part II , and How to Get Up Right Away When Your Alarm Goes O . Those
articles have helped many thousands of people improve their sleep habits.
Now when you go to bed at night, seek to go to bed at a time that will essentially require you to be sleeping the
whole time youre in bed in order to feel well rested in the morning. So if you feel you need a good 7 hours of
sleep each night to feel rested, and you plan to get up at 5am every morning, then get yourself into bed and
ready to sleep at about 10pm. If you take 30 minutes to fall asleep, then youre getting less sleep than you need,
and this is a disincentive to continuing that wasteful habit.
The message youre sending to your brain is that the time you have to sleep is limited. You are going to get out of
bed after a certain number of hours no matter what. Youre going to get up from your nap after a specic amount
of time no matter what. So if your brain wants to sleep, it had better learn to go to sleep quickly and use the
maximum time allotted for sleep. If it wastes time falling asleep, then it misses out on that extra sleep, and it will
not have the opportunity to make it up by sleeping in later. Sleep time squandered is sleep time lost.
When you go to bed whenever and allow yourself to get up whenever, you reward your brain for continued
laziness and ineciency. Its ne if you take a half hour to fall asleep since your brain knows it can just sleep in
later. If you awaken with an alarm but go to bed earlier than necessary to compensate for the time it takes you to
fall asleep, your still tell your brain that its ne to waste time transitioning to sleep because theres still enough
extra time to get the rest it needs.
Coee and chocolate are also crutches because if you dont get enough sleep, your brain can come to rely on a
stimulant to keep it going when necessary. If you remove these outs, then your brain will soon connect the dots.

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It will learn that taking too long to fall asleep equals not getting enough sleep, which means going through the
day tired and sleepy. By closing the door on potential outs like stimulants and extra snooze time, you leave only
one remaining option for a solution. Sooner or later your brain will determine that going to sleep faster is indeed
the solution, and it will adapt by transitioning into sleep much more quickly, so as to secure the full amount of rest
it desires.
Instead of continuing to give your brain the message that oversleeping is okay or that stimulants are available,
begin to condition it to understand that sleep time is a limited resource. Your brain is naturally good at optimizing
scarce physiological resources; it evolved to do so over a long period of time. So if sleep time appears to be a
limited resource, your brain can learn to optimize its use of this resource just as it has learned to optimize the use
of oxygen and sugar.
If you get sleepy during the day as a result of limiting your sleep time at night, thats perfectly okay. Take naps as
needed. Its okay to take multiple naps during the day if you need to, but keep them limited to 20 minutes max,
and dont have two naps within an hour of each other. Whenever you get up, stay up for at least an hour.
Once you get used to 20-minute naps or if you dont have that much time available for napping try napping
for shorter intervals. Give yourself 15, 10, or even 5 minutes for each nap. I sometimes take 3-4 minute naps
(with a timer), which are surprisingly refreshing, but only if I fall asleep quickly.
Teach your brain that a 20-minute nap means 20 minutes of total time lying down. If your brain wants to ruminate
during part of that time, it always means less sleep.
Also teach your brain that X number of hours in bed at night is all it gets, and so if it wants to get enough sleep, it
had better spend virtually all of that time sleeping. If it spends time on non-sleep activity, it always robs itself of
some sleep.
Once youve adapted and youre able to fall asleep quickly when you desire to do so, you can slack o on the
training process, ditch the alarm, and wake up whenever you want. Most likely the training will stick. You can
even add the caeine back if you so desire. But for a period of at least a couple months to start, I recommend
being strict about it. Take naps regularly, and use an alarm to get up at a consistent time every single day.
I still prefer to get up with an alarm most days. I dont need it to fall asleep quickly, but I tend to linger in bed more
than necessary without the alarm.
If this is too strict for you, I doubt youll succeed with this approach. If you give your brain an easy out, it will take
that out, and it wont learn the adaptation youre trying to teach it here.
Everyone is dierent, so how long it takes you to adapt depends on your particular brain. Im sure some people
will adapt fairly quickly, within a few weeks, while others may take signicantly longer. There are many factors
that can inuence the results, with perhaps the biggest one being your diet. In general, a lighter, healthier, and
more natural diet will make it signicantly easier to adapt to any sort of sleep changes. Regular exercise also
makes it easier to adapt to sleep changes; cardio exercise in particular helps to rebalance hormones and
neurotransmitters, many of which are involved in regulating sleep cycles. If you eat a heavily processed diet (i.e.
shopping mostly outside the produce section) and you dont exercise much, just be aware that I rarely see such
people succeed with worthwhile sleep changes of any kind.
One last item Ill share is that Im able to fall asleep fastest when Im cuddling someone, both for naps and when
going to bed at night. On my own I can get to sleep in under 30 seconds normally, but when Im cuddling a nice
warm female body, thats when I can often get to sleep in less than a second. So I invite you to experiment with
this if you have a willing cuddle partner who enjoys serving as a human teddy bear.
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Tonight, Fall Asleep Instantly With This Breathing Trick

popsugar.com/tness/How-Fall-Asleep-Right-Away-36597887

14.12.2016.
12/17/16 12/14/16

How to Fall Asleep Right Away

December 14, 2016 by Lizzie Fuhr
29.7K Shares
Plagued by anxiety night after night? Relying on over-the-counter meds? Just not getting the sleep your body
requires? If any of this sounds all too familiar, this breathing trick will help you get to bed sooner no
prescriptions required.

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The exercise is called the 4-7-8 technique, and Dr. Andrew Weil calls it a "natural tranquilizer for the nervous
system." Study after study has linked meditation to lowered stress levels, and this easy-to-follow exercise will
help you reap some of the de-stressing benets that come along with consistent meditation practice.
Related:
The Denitive Guide to Getting Better Sleep
Beyond bedtime, Dr. Weil recommends performing this exercise whenever dealing with a stressful situation. The
next time you can't curb sugar cravings, get into a ght with your partner, or can't hit the hay because you're
overwhelmed, try it out for yourself. You'll start feeling more relaxed immediately. Here's how to do it:
1. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it
there through the entire exercise.
2. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
3. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
4. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
5. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
6. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat three more times for a total of four cycles.
For more explanation, plus a video tutorial, check out this video:
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / THEM TOO

POPSUGAR, the #1 independent media and technology company for women. Where more than 75 million
women go for original, inspirational content that feeds their passions and interests.

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Unable to sleep? Eleven ways you can trick yourself into

dozing o
mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/unable-sleep-eleven-ways-you-2300449

04.08.2016.
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We all know that a hot, milky drink and a warm bath are supposed to relax you before bed, but many of us still
cant slip into slumber.
Ten million prescriptions for sleeping pills are written every year in England alone and a survey by Crampex has
found that 86% of us suer from sleep disturbance.
But you can trick yourself to sleep by trying these expert natural tips... Or you can look at buying one of these
gadgets or apps.

1. Inhale through your left nostril

This yoga method is thought to reduce blood pressure and calm you. Holistic sleep therapist Peter Smith says:
Lie on your left side, resting a nger on your right nostril to close it. Start slow, deep breathing in the left nostril.
Peter, author of Sleep Better With Natural Therapies (13.99, Singing Dragon, out October 28), says this
technique is particularly good when overheating or menopausal hot ushes are preventing sleep.

2. Squeeze and relax

Relaxing all your muscles can prepare your body for sleep. Anxiety expert Charles Linden says: Lying on your
back, take a deep, slow breath in through your nose and, at the same time, squeeze your toes tightly as if you
are trying to curl them under your foot, then release the squeeze.
The author of Stress Free in 30 Days (7.12, Hay House) adds: On another slow breath, curl your foot up
toward your knee, then release. Breathe again, contract your calf muscles, then your thighs, buttocks, belly,
chest, arms, and so on until you have moved all the way up your body, squeezing and releasing the muscles one
by one.
When you have gone from head to toe, your breathing should be steady and you should feel ready for sleep.

3. Try to stay awake

Challenge yourself to stay awake your mind will rebel! Its called the sleep paradox, says psychotherapist Julie
Hirst (worklifebalancecentre.org). She explains: Keep your eyes wide open, repeat to yourself I will not sleep.
The brain doesnt process negatives well, so interprets this as an instruction to sleep and eye muscles tire
quickly as sleep creeps up.

4. Rewind your day

Remembering the mundane detail in reverse order clears your mind of worries. Sammy Margo, author of The
Good Sleep Guide (10.99, Vermilion) says: Recall conversations, sights and sounds as you go. It helps you to
reach a mental state thats ready for sleep.

5. Roll your eyes

Sammy says that closing your eyes and rolling the balls up three times can do the job. She says: It simulates
what you do naturally when you fall asleep and may help trigger the release of your sleepy hormone, melatonin.

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6. Just imagine
Visualisation meditation works best when you use at least three senses. Sammy explains: Imagine yourself in a
situation where you feel content a tropical paradise, sailing on calm waters, walking in ower elds.
As you explore your happy place imagine smelling owers, feeling grass or sand under your feet and hearing
water lap against the boat. You should soon feel relaxed and drift o.

Read More
Waking up a lot in the night? Your body could be trying to tell you something

7. Hum to yourself
This yoga meditation generates an all-pervading sense of calm, says Dr Chris Idzikowski, Edinburgh Sleep
Centre Director and author of Sound Asleep, The Expert Guide To Sleeping Well (7.19, Watkins Publishing).
Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, drop your shoulders , relax your jaw, but keep your mouth gently
closed. Breathe in through your nose as deeply as is comfortable, ensuring your abdomen, not chest, rises.
Dr Idzikowski says: Breathe gently out of your mouth, lips together so you hum. Try to hum for the whole outbreath. Notice how it vibrates in your chest. Focus fully on this vibration over six breaths then sit quietly for a
moment. Tell yourself I am ready for sleep, get up slowly and go to bed.

Read More
Sleep
8. Press here!
There are special points in the body which promote sleep when pressed gently but rmly. Dr Idzikowski
suggests: Put your thumb on the point between your eyebrows at the top of your nose, where theres a slight
indent. Hold for 20 seconds, release briey and repeat twice more.
Next, sit on the edge of the bed and put your right foot across your left knee. Find the slight indent between your
big toe and second toe and press in the same way.
Finally, still supporting your right foot, nd the point just below the nail on the upper side of your second toe.
Using the thumb and forenger of your right hand, gently squeeze the toe.

9. Find your trigger

The key to this trick is to start the habit as you drift o during a period when you are sleeping well, then you can
use it when you have diculty.
Do something unusual, such as stroking your own cheek, as you nod o, says hypnotherapist Sharon Stiles
(sharonstiles.co.uk). Focus all your attention on what the movement feels like, says Sharon. Over successive
nights, your body will learn to associate it with sleep and repeating it should convince your body its sleepy.

10. Take a breather

Breathing naturally slows as you fall asleep. The NightWave Sleep Assistant, 47.37 from Amazon.co.uk,
projects a soft blue light, which slowly rises and falls on the ceiling. Synchronise your breathing with the wave as
it becomes slower and you should fall asleep within a seven-minute cycle,

11. Make a worry list

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11. Make a worry list

Going over a to-do list in bed is a major cause of insomnia. Sharon Stiles says: Often its because youre
frightened of forgetting what needs doing. So before bed, write your list on paper so you can forget it until next
day. You could also imagine ling your thoughts in a cabinet. Youll be calmer and more likely to sleep.

Bonus Tips
Best temperature for sleep
Choose bedding thats breathable, comfortable and sleep-inducing. Nick makes up sleep kits for athletes with
contouring, pressure sensitive mattress toppers, linen and temperature-sensitive duvets and pillows from The
Fine Bedding Company (www.nebedding.co.uk ).
For more information on the best temperature for sleep try this article from WebMD.

Gadgets to help you sleep

Sleeping can be made easier with the help of some useful gadgets and apps. Why not try some of the ideas
below and check out our page for sleep gadgets.

Calm

The word meditation might make you think of spiritual mumbo jumbo, but brain training techniques can be
incredibly powerful for helping you drift o. Calm features a series of guided meditation sessions lasting up to 30
minutes that can help you clear your mind at night before you sleep. Other 'mindfulness' apps to look at include
Headspace and Buddhify.
You can download the app for free, but it will try and up-sell you into a subscription.

Read More
How to boost your health

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