20 Science-Backed Ways to Fall Asleep Naturally & Quickly

You know the feeling: You're awake in bed, all-too-aware of the fact that the clock keeps ticking in the wee hours of the morning. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about 30% of adults have occasional bouts of sleep concerns1 and struggle to fall asleep—even when they're tired.

Our bodies have an internal clock that is regulated by the rising and setting of the sun, called the circadian rhythm. When it's light outside, our bodies receive the internal signal to be awake and active and, as the sun sets, we receive the internal signal that it is time to rest.

According to physician and stress expert Eva Selhub, M.D., "Our [internal] clocks are actually fairly screwed up because we don't abide by nature's rhythms." She explains that everything from staying up late to eating a poor diet can mess with the circadian rhythm. 

In order to get our best sleep, it's important to stay in sync with the body's natural rhythm. Selhub says, "The more regular your sleep, the better regulated your circadian rhythm will be."

When it comes to falling asleep, magnesium can help3 in a couple of ways.* First, it aids in stress management4 and promotes a sense of calm, both of which are important for preparing to fall asleep.* Additionally, it activates receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that supports relaxation and sleep.*

Renowned integrative physician Robert Rountree, M.D., explains, "It helps the whole body calm down," adding that magnesium, "does basically all the things you want to do to get the body ready for sleep and to help maintain sleep."

According to the American Psychology Association, 45% of adults report lying awake at night due to stress in the past month. 

One proven way to quiet your mind and relax: meditation. A systematic review of seven meditation studies found evidence to suggest that meditation reduces sleep-interfering cognitive processes5 (like stressful thoughts) and improves sleep quality. 

Mindfulness meditation, in particular, is linked to better sleep quality and feeling better the following day. 

In a small study comparing sleep hygiene education and mindfulness meditation education, individuals who learned meditation techniques reported better sleep quality6 than those in the sleep class after six weeks. 

As part of the circadian rhythm, the body's core temperature naturally drops at night. As such, it has been found that cooling down prior to bed helps you fall asleep more quickly7.  

Electronic devices like smartphones and computers emit blue light8. This can be problematic before bed because blue light interferes with melatonin production, causing the brain to think it is still daytime.  

Reading is a great way to relax before bedtime. However, make sure to read a good old-fashioned paper book rather than an e-book. E-readers, as electronic devices, have been shown to have negative effects on sleep, circadian rhythm, and alertness due to the blue light they emit. 

In fact, in one study participants took on average 10 minutes longer to fall asleep on nights they used an e-reader compared to nights they read a paper book. Researchers found that the e-readers suppressed melatonin production and decreased reported "sleepiness."

Even with your trusty blue-light-blocking glasses on, you'll still want to log off Instagram before bed. Social media use, especially in the 30 minutes prior to bed, is associated with sleep disturbances in young adults, including trouble falling asleep. 

Interestingly, a study of 1,788 young U.S. adults found that even social media use during the day can negatively affect sleep10. Study authors suggest this could be due to the emotionally, cognitively, and physiologically stimulating nature of social media. 

And certainly getting into a political argument or viewing disturbing news stories near bedtime is not a great way to wind down before bed.

Music might help lull you to sleep. Research suggests that listening to music can be effective at improving sleep quality, especially in individuals who need additional help falling asleep11.

One type of music that has been investigated for its effects on relaxation is meditative binaural music12. In this type of music, the listener hears two different tones, one in each ear.  

Need another excuse for a good self-care soak? According to a large meta-analysis, taking a bath one to two hours before bed can improve overall sleep quality and how quickly you fall asleep.  

Nothing's quite as relaxing as a good massage. They reduce stress15 and pain16, stimulate the release of feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine17, and relax tight, sore muscles18, making it easier to fall asleep. 

The light bulbs we use in our homes also put out bright, blue light. The result is similar to the detrimental effects of electronic devices. Namely, the brain gets the signal that it is daytime, and we remain wide-awake.

To prepare yourself for sleep, it's a good idea to turn down all lights a couple of hours before bedtime.

Also, be aware that certain types of bulbs put out more blue light than others, such as LED and fluorescent bulbs. Although they are less friendly to the environment, incandescent bulbs are the best choice as far as limiting blue light exposure.  

Regular exercise has many benefits, from heart health to bone strength, but did you know it can also help you sleep at night? In fact, one small study found that participating in a six-month exercise program helped participants fall asleep almost 10 minutes faster19 on average.  

While any consistent exercise is good, aerobic exercise, in particular, is associated with improving deep sleep.

Napping during the day can throw off your circadian rhythm, causing your body to become confused about when it should be asleep.

If you've had a bad night of sleep, it can be tough to skip the coffee, but studies indicate that caffeine consumption21 can interfere with sleep, which could mean another night of tossing and turning. 

Caffeine can make it take longer to fall asleep21, and people tend to sleep for a shorter amount of time and wake up more often. One study even found that caffeine consumption six hours before bed still interrupted sleep quality and reduced sleep time by more than an hour.

Sure, alcohol might make you feel drowsy and relaxed, but when it comes to getting some good zzz's, research says to skip it. Drinking alcohol within four hours of bedtime is associated with disrupted and poor-quality sleep.

As holistic psychiatrist Ellen Vora, M.D., explains, "Though it can make it easier to fall asleep, it decreases the quality of sleep and makes it harder to sleep through the night," which means, you'll wake up groggy, not energized. 

Another vice that can mess with your shut-eye: nicotine. Using nicotine within four hours of bedtime is linked to poor-quality sleep and waking during the night.  

A large body of evidence suggests that meal timing22 can have many important effects on our body's functioning, including our sleep-wake cycle.

Researchers suggest meal timing is one of the ways that our body sets its internal clock23. When we eat at the wrong times, it can throw our internal timekeeping mechanism awry, wreaking havoc on our sleep patterns.

In fact, several studies22 have found a link between eating late dinners or eating more calories late in the evening and short sleep duration (less than five hours). Although more research is needed to understand the optimal eating patterns for better sleep, it's probably a bad idea to eat late dinners or a heavy pre-bed snack if you want to get to sleep on time.

If you're sleeping in a bed that's less than comfortable, it's only natural that you're going to have a hard time falling asleep.

A mattress that's too lumpy or hard, or bedding that is too hot or scratchy is just plain irritating, and it distracts you from relaxing properly.

If you find yourself feeling dissatisfied with something about the comfort of your bed, it's important to correct it in order to create the best environment for relaxation and rest.

To sleep well at night, it's important to keep our circadian rhythm on track. In order to do this, we must be exposed to bright light from the sun each morning. Sunlight contains the blue wavelength of light24 that communicates to our brain that it's daytime.

While this might seem odd given that we're trying so hard to avoid blue light in the evening, it's really all about timing. We need blue light at the correct time of day to tell our bodies when it's time to be awake and when to sleep.

One study, involving 109 office workers who were exposed to bright morning light, found that they had better self-reported mood and sleep. In addition, research indicates that blue-enriched light25, like morning sunlight, can improve sleep, alertness, and performance.  

Tossing and turning all night can be frustrating. But there are many safe, proven ways to help you fall asleep naturally. Try these tips and see what works best for your needs.