How long does it take you to fall asleep? Any tips?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

My ice hockey team play quite late and it's often 11pm when I get home, but I used to struggle as I was so full of adrenalin that I was too wired to relax.

I found this really helped:

* Get yourself as comfy as you can in bed and regulate your breathing to match how you would expect it to be when you sleep. Drop your breathing to what you think it is like to be asleep. Once you've got your breathing low and shallow, like being asleep, I found I drop off to sleep much much easier.
* Avoid coffee, sports drinks, anything with sugar, glucose or caffeine in from about 7pm onwards.
* Take a shower and take your time. Don't dash in and out. The heat and water tends to be pretty calming
* Don't list things you have to do tomorrow or run through things in your head at night. Once you're home, it's turnoff time.
* On your way home, if you drive, sing your freaking lungs out all the way home to a CD or your favourite radio station. I cannot stress how much this really helps. By the time you get home, all the pent up frustration or stress of the day left when you were belting out Matchbox 20 songs (in my case!).
* Ring a friend or family member that you need a catch up with, and chat to them for 30-45 minutes. Simply talking to someone you want to talk to can help relax you and help you vent any frustraion you might have, with someone who understands.

Hope this helps and hope you get some good rest!

I heard if it takes longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep get up cause it shouldn't take longer. exercise especially aerobics or cardio during the day really helps a person sleep better. plus high protein foods or high fat foods later in the day are likely to keep you up. reading helps if not sleeping turn on the light and read until your sleepy enough where all you need to do is close your eyes and be a sleep in a few minutes. plus what goes through your mind right before sleep gets remembered better.

Never watch TV 3 hrs b4 you go to bed.
Never go to bed unless you get the sleep.
Never think about the sleep while on the bed.
Stop worrying that you are not getting the sleep.
Have food at 9 pm, go for a small walk ALONE.
Never chat at the last hour you go to bed.
Don't worry about what happend today;
bcoz god has a gift for you as TOMORROW.

HAVE A NICE SLEEP.

My Experience

I have the same problem. Once I panic that i'm taking too long to sleep my sleepiness goes away. I am also on ambien but i'm trying to wean off it. I've been taking this pill my pharmacist suggested called melatonin which is drug free and makes you feel drowsy. It worked for me last night.

I always count to four over and over again until the only thing i am thinking about is counting. This usually makes you forgett about anything that is making you anxious and before you know it you'll be asleep.

I usually cant fall asleep any quicker than an hour...and no matter what time i lay down, I usually can't fall asleep before 1.

try listening to music it helps me fall asleep fast for some reason just try it

Exercise helps me. Could you go for a 30 min run after work?

Hi.Well,as most of us know ambien loses it potency over a short amount of time,and will become less effective.Your anxiety is due to your fear of not falling asleep within the 1 hour range,and if you don't fall asleep within 1 hour...your anxiety really kicks in.And,now you have this thought of "Am I going to be able to get to sleep tonight before that 1 hour"...and so forth.Right? What you need to learn how to do..is break that cycle/habit.You can try changing your evening/nightly routine...by coming home,have your dinner as usual,take a nice long warm bubble bath..and while your soaking in the bath..relax,listen to soothing,relaxing sounds(not music),but sounds that are relaxing to you.The more attention you put on sleeping,then the more anxiety your going to have,and it will only build up and get worse....even within minutes.So,mix up your evening/nightly routine,relax,and listen to some soothing sounds before going to bed.And,most importantly...don't think about falling asleep,don't allow the anxiety to build.Do anything that will take your mind off the anxiety...drink some lavender tea,chamomile tea then relax in the tub.Hope things work out for you.Take care.

There are a lot of things that can help.
First, make your bedroom your sanctuary. Make sure it is as neat and clean as possible. No clothes piled up, no jumble of books by the bed, etc. Your bedroom should be reserved for sleep and sex (if applicable) only. Make sure your bedclothes are clean, comfy, and fresh. A lavender sachet in your pillowcase or bed-linen spray may be calming. Keep your bedroom cool, and use a humidifier to keep the air from being too dry. Some people enjoy a fan on low.
Eliminate all electronics (even, and especially, your cell phone) from the bedroom. The magnetic waves they emit disrupt sleep. Turn your clock facing away from your bed, or cover it. If possible, eliminate all light. Any light, even a nightlight in the hall or bathroom, will hamper your body's production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
To ready yourself for sleep, you can try taking a warm bath an hour before bed. Stop drinking beverages containing caffeine early in the afternoon or evening, at the latest. Do not exercise in the evening, that increases alertness.
A couple of hours before bed, limit beverages to prevent night-time trips to the restroom. A cup of herbal tea (such as Sleepy Time) or milk before bed may help make you drowsy. Don't go to bed hungry, but don't eat a big meal close to bedtime.
Do not use your computer or watch tv close to bedtime. The light, again, suppresses melatonin. Shut off as many lights as possible. Read, with just a reading lamp by your chair, or knit, crochet, or do any other relaxing, calming hobby you like.
Keep pets out of your bedroom. As much as we love them, they can keep us from getting a good night's sleep. Go to bed at the same time every night. If you aren't asleep within 20 minutes, get up and continue reading, or whatever, until you feel drowsy, then try again. Get up at the same time every morning, no matter how much or little you slept. Open the curtains or get outside in the sun as soon as possible, that will help reset your body's internal clock.
If all else fails, you can use a Melatonin supplement to help you get on schedule. They are available wherever supplements and vitamins are sold. They only work for about 3 weeks, then you need to take a two-week break from them.
These tips should help, they have worked for me before. Good luck.

Night owl.