There's an ungodly amount of articles online about how to get out of bed in the morning, since apparently that's a topic people love to research. But what about actually getting in bed and falling asleep? Surely, to get out of bed, you would have to have gotten in bed at some point in time. And once your in bed, you have to fall asleep. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to wake up at 11am the next day to Google up articles on how to wake up earlier.



Falling asleep when you hit the sack is something that most people want to do quickly and effortlessly. Nothing beats a good night's sleep out of the window if you're tossing and turning for an hour after laying down. There's lots of solutions for this problem you can try - medication you can take, rituals you can perform, and a multitude of other options. Some work great - some don't. This article is going to explore the basis of the method I use to fall asleep at night; hopefully, it'll be of some use to you. The basic steps I use are:

1. Turn off the TV, computer, and other distractions 30 minutes before bedtime.

2. Dim all of the lights just enough so that it's dark, but I still can see.

3. Do something totally relaxing, like journaling, reading, or playing soft music.

4. Go to bed when 30 minutes are up, or before then if I feel sleepy enough.

Before I begin, I have to inform you that the method that you use to fall asleep will (most likely) be unique for you. Some people can watch TV for hours on end, shut it off, and in 5 minutes be out like a light. Most people aren't this lucky, though, so that's where this article comes in. Let's begin!

Turn off the TV, computer, and any other box of flashy lights, sounds, and distractions 30 minutes before bedtime.

(Yes, your computer has an off button, and no, it doesn't give you an electrical shock when you press it.)

Stimulation before sleeping is the #1 killer of a good night's sleep. If you're getting overly involved in that Law and Order: SVU episode to the point you're crying when the jury reaches their verdict - 3 minutes before your scheduled bedtime - you probably won't fall asleep very well. Turn off all of all of that stimulation at least 30 minutes before you go to bed, even earlier if possible.

If you absolutely must surf the internet, watch TV, play games, etc., choose sites/shows/games that are not violent, graphic, sexual, etc.. Nightmares are also killers of a good night's sleep.

Immediately after doing the previous step, dim all of the lights.

Now, you don't have to immerse yourself in a black, thick blanket of darkness and sit there for half an hour - you'll get bored and antsy. Instead, dim all of the lights just enough so that you can still see reasonably well and do basic tasks, like reading or meditating. When you're subjected to darkness, you start signaling to your brain to produce a chemical that makes you sleepier - melatonin. After just a little while, you'll start to feel a little sleepier, which will allow you to quickly go into sweet dreams. Hooray!

Next, do something totally relaxing for yourself.

?Totally relaxing? is a subjective phrase - what's totally relaxing to you may be 30 minutes in a personal Hell to somebody else. What are some relaxing things you can do before bed? Use this list to get you started on your own ideas:

? Listen to quiet music while meditating.

? Journal.

? Read a good book.

? Take a bath.

? Drink some chamomile tea.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure it's relaxing. The idea is to start winding down and slip into a peaceful state - the last thing you want to do before bed is something invigorating.

Is 30 minutes up? Time to go to bed!

Ah, the fun part! Time to attempt to sleep! If you still feel wound up at this stage, feel free to take a little more time in the previous step. You may find it takes you 15 minutes to become tired enough to sleep, or you may find you need an hour to get ready. Whatever the case, do what your body tells you. Don't try to force yourself to sleep if you know you can't fall asleep.

To cut out caffeine and exercise before bed? Your call.

Some people can drink a pot of coffee an hour before bed and have no trouble falling asleep - I fall in this category. Likewise, other people can exercise two hours before hitting the sack and have no trouble sleeping as well. It's entirely your own personal preference. If drinking half a cup of coffee will wire you up for 5 hours, then it's best to skip out on the drink.

Finally, test out my method. See if it works, and make changes if needed.

I'm not saying this method is a sure-fire way to fall asleep immediately once you go to bed. However, it's a blueprint that you will most likely get some very good results from. The only way to tell is to actually test it out for several nights and see how it works. If it gives you superb results, that's great - keep on doing it! If not, reevaluate the steps and make small changes. Perhaps turning off the TV for 30 minutes before bed is too little, and you need to boost it up to an hour. Or maybe you'd like to meditate for slightly longer before going to bed, as you'll feel more relaxed.