How long does it take to fall asleep?
Most people fall asleep within 20 minutes of lying down to sleep. This is known as sleep latency. Sleep latency is the time it takes you to fall asleep. The average person takes about 10 minutes to fall asleep. However, people with sleep disorders or poor sleep hygiene may take longer to fall asleep.Sleep quality is also a factor in how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you are not getting quality sleep, you may find that it takes you longer to fall asleep. Sleep deprivation can also lead to longer sleep latencies.If you are having difficulty falling asleep, there are some things you can do to help yourself fall asleep faster. Practice good sleep hygiene and make sure your sleeping environment is conducive to good sleep. If you have a mental health condition, talk to your doctor about ways to manage it so that it does not interfere with your ability to get quality sleep.
The average person falls asleep in 7-8 minutes
It usually takes most people about 20 minutes to fall asleep after they close their eyes. This 20 minutes is generally broken up into stages 1-4 of non-REM sleep. It can sometimes take even longer to reach REM sleep, which is when deep sleep occurs. There are many things that can affect how long it takes to fall asleep such as stress, caffeine intake, and how comfortable your sleeping environment is.
Why does it take some people longer to fall asleep?
It’s estimated that one in three people have some form of insomnia, which is defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. While there are many potential causes of insomnia, here are some of the most common reasons why it can take people longer to fall asleep.
1. Caffeine: Drinking coffee, tea, or soda too close to bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep because caffeine is a stimulant. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to eight hours, so it’s best to avoid it in the evening if you’re trying to sleep.
2. Stress: When you’re stressed out, your body releases adrenaline and other hormones that make you feel alert and awake. This can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep.
3. Noise: Whether it’s traffic noise outside your window or a snoring partner next to you, noise can be a major sleep disruptor. If noise is keeping you up at night, try using a white noise machine or earplugs to help block it out.
4. Light: Exposure to light suppresses the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. So if you’re trying to sleep in a bright room or with the TV on, it can be more difficult to drift off into slumber land.
5. Temperature: A cool room is ideal for sleeping because it helps your body temperature drop, which signals to your brain that it’s time for bed
Ways to fall asleep faster
1) Establish a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Doing this will help regulate your body’s internal clock and make it easier to fall asleep at night.
2) Create a bedtime routine and stick to it. This could involve taking a warm bath, reading a book, or writing in a journal before bed. Do the same things each night so your body knows it’s time to wind down and go to sleep.
3) Keep electronics out of the bedroom. The bright light from screens (phones, laptops, TVs) can trick our brains into thinking it’s still daytime outside. This makes it harder to fall asleep at night. If you must use electronics before bed, try wearing blue-light blocking glasses or downloading an app that filters out blue light.
4) Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Darkness cues our bodies to release melatonin—a hormone that makes us feel sleepy—so close the blinds or wear an eye mask if need be. If outside noise is keeping you up at night, try using a sound machine or earplugs to help block out noise distractions. And lastly, keep the temperature in your bedroom cool (between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal). A cooler environment can help promote better sleep by lowering your core body temperature slightly—a drop of just 2 degrees is all you need for quality shut-eye!
5) Relax your mind and body with deep breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Deep breathing helps cue our bodies into “rest and digest” mode by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). PMR involves systematically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups throughout the body starting with the toes and working all the way up to the head—tensing muscles for 5 seconds then releasing them for 10 seconds at a time until all muscle groups have been addressed. Doing either of these exercises for just 5-10 minutes can help ease anxiety and promote better sleep.