3 Ways To Get To Sleep Quicker

Since sharing a bed, I have consistently found it tricky to fall asleep. I mean, seriously tricky. It happens like this:

7:30 pm finish dinner, and move to the comfy couch for a TV marathon
9 pm start feeling sleepy, move upstairs to wash face and snuggle into bed with the cat and a last minute scroll on Instagram before Sam follows
9:15 pm start drifting off, so so snuggly
9:16 pm BAM HELLO WORLD I AM AWAKE AND CAN HEAR EVERY SINGLE NOISE YOU MAKE
10 pm Sam comes to bed and I try to get comfy with this huge person next to me
11 pm …..still trying
11:45 pm after a play fight, argument, sulk, big spoon and separation, I finally doze off

I have always been a solid sleeper, and once I am in the sleep zone nothing will pull me out of my slumber (bar a light shining near/on me, or the cat wanting 5 am attention (uh hello, always oblige)). However, since Sam and I have lived together it’s become something I really struggle with because of our different bedtime routine.

Before we lived together, and merely stayed at each other’s, it was simple. I’d get tired; Sam would go to bed too. Now though, there are a plethora of things he wants to do after I'm tired like catch up on his shows or play video games. Unfortunately, I lay upstairs able to hear every single sound he makes downstairs – does this happen to you?!

In a desperate attempt to go to sleep when I want to, not when I finally pass out from exhaustion, I have started doing the following three things. 

Darkness
I make sure the door is pushed up (something I usually hate), the curtains are fully drawn and that I have an eye mask at the ready for when it’s summer time. This has helped my body know it’s night time and that I need some zzz if I want to skip the concealer tomorrow.

Night mode
Apple ingeniously created Night Mode on their devices to try and help the night owls go to bed before the sun comes up. It basically makes the screen of your phone go yellow for a period of time, of your choosing, to try and stop the blue light from messing with your circadian rhythm. Since using it, I’ve definitely noticed a change in how quickly I fall asleep. Learn how to turn it on here!

Deep breathes
….but not just any deep breathes! I remember being little and hearing someone tell each part of their body to go to sleep:

“Goodnight toes, goodnight ankles. Goodnight shins, goodnight knees…”

I recently instigated this practice again and it’s been so useful and helpful in helping me dose off. I now feel my body going to sleep, getting heavier and comfier in the mattress until I reach somewhere around my chest…..and then wake up the next morning! It’s magic!

I realise Sam isn't to blame for my alertness, but I do appreciate that I need to find ways to shut out the noise because it’s not fair to make him come to bed too. So long as I am asleep before he comes upstairs, and he doesn't shine his phone torch in my eyes (every . freakin' . night) we’re good!

Would you try the ‘Goodnight’ sleep trick? Doesn't it sound silly?

Photo via Nili Lotan