Every time I try to go to sleep, my thoughts just take over. With the number of tthings that go on in my mind, it takes me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to fall asleep, especially at night. Ladies, if you can also relate to my predicament, heave a sigh of relief because you and I aren’t alone in this. Lots of people experience night-time insomnia or sleeping difficulties at night. But why does this happen and how can we fix it? Well, this is just what a well-known celebrity nutritionist Dr Siddhant Bhargava has answered!

Why is it so hard for you to fall asleep?

In general, if you have trouble sleeping anywhere, it may be due to stress, ageing, and other sleep issues such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome.

However, if that’s not the case and you experience sleepiness everywhere, such as on the couch, in the hall, or even in an armchair, but the moment you go to your bed and try to sleep it disappears, this issue is referred to as learned behaviour, according to Dr Bhargava.

Well, all those months and years of working on the bed, using your phone and eating on the bed, have made your body think that this is not a place to sleep. And that’s why your body struggles to fall asleep, especially in bed.

Here’s what Dr Bhargava shares in an Instagram post, “Personally I’ve always found it difficult to fall asleep. It takes me a while to properly shut down my thoughts and get into a nice, fulfilling and deep sleep and I know I’m not the only one. Here’s what I do to fall asleep quicker!”

Check out the post for yourself:

Tips on how to fall asleep faster:

1. Do not keep anything on your bed

You should not use your phone, laptop or watch TV while staying on your bed especially just before sleeping. Dr Bhargava suggests, “Do everything away from the bed and use that bed only to sleep.” Make your bedroom atmosphere comfortable to sleep in.

2. Relax your muscles

Now, when you lie down, start with relaxing the muscles of your feet so it feels that they are sinking into the mattress. Then relax your calf muscles, and then thighs. Dr Bhargava says, “Keep relaxing each muscle group intentionally. So that you are letting it loose and letting gravity take over. By the time you reach your head, your whole body should feel like it is in free fall into your bed.”

Also, read: How to sleep quickly? These 10 hacks will help you sleep better tonight

Once you reach this state of bliss, imagine that you’re in a place all alone – just you and your consciousness. This could be deep underwater or even outer space and imagine that you can breathe there. Let your mind wander into those depths. It will only be a few minutes until you drift off into a peaceful sleep.

How long should it take an average person to fall asleep?

The average human should be able to fall asleep in 7 minutes. Any longer than that means you have to do something about it. If nothing works, try these hacks suggested by Dr Bhargava.

Apart from them, follow these 6 tips to sleep better:

1. Do not take naps in the afternoon, so that you can fall asleep quickly at night.
2. You should avoid caffeine and alcohol intake because they can rob your sleep.
3. Try to stay physically active to stay in shape and healthy so that you can get proper sleep.
4. Make sure your mattress and pillows support your back and are comfortable.
5. Do not drink water just before you go to sleep.
6. Maintain a proper sleep routine like go to bed early, wake up early, do not use devices before bed, and keep your room dark and cool.

It’s time for some TLC, ladies!