Stopping Self-Conversation: 14 Ways to Fall Asleep Quickly

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It was dark outside the window for a long time. Eyes stick together, thoughts start to get confused. With the last of your strength, you wake up to bed, lie down, stretch sweetly … And after 15 minutes you realize that your brain has cheated you - it turns out that it still has enough energy to conduct a dozen or two internal dialogues. Sound familiar? Then this article will definitely be useful to you.

The main reason why you cannot sleep is internal dialogue. Often it is associated with worries about the events that have happened or with anxiety about the upcoming ones. But even productive thoughts are not very appropriate when it’s time for you to sleep.

As a rule, if you fail to fall asleep in 15–20 minutes, further attempts are doomed. It starts to feel like your mattress and pillow were made to torture you. As luck would have it, it is at such moments on the street that someone slams doors, arrives and leaves, and neighbors wander from room to room like somnambulists!

So your internal dialogue turns into whining and grumbling. To avoid this, you need not start it at all. To do this, you need to distract the brain from arguments and hypotheses. Try one of the following tips and fall asleep today.

1. Ball

We all know about sheep. But a much more effective visual image is a ball. Imagine a ball that sways smoothly, spreading waves around it. If you notice that you are distracted by thoughts, immediately return to the image of the ball.

2. Mental mouse

Imagine an object. Mentally move away, zoom in and rotate it, as if doing it with the mouse wheel. Building a detailed visual image helps to distract from disturbing thoughts. Just don't discuss the subject with yourself - just observe.

3. Method of scouts

Lie on your back, stretch, relax. Roll your eyes under your closed eyelids. Do not overdo it - your eyes should remain relaxed. This is the natural position of the eyeballs during deep sleep, so it is usually easier to fall asleep this way.

4. Four - seven - eight

Inhale through your nose for four seconds, then hold your breath for seven seconds and exhale slowly through your mouth for eight seconds. Thanks to this breathing, the adrenaline level will decrease, and the pulse will slow down. And concentration on the breath will distract from thoughts.

5. Autogenic training

Lie comfortably on your back. Stretch and begin to spread the feeling of heaviness and warmth throughout the body. Trace how the sensation spreads from the crown of the head to the tips of the fingers, then to the feet. Do not forget about the face - chin, cheekbones, eyes and forehead should be completely relaxed. Try not to move.

6. Time machine

Think back to the past day. Without emotions and assessments, just scroll in your imagination all the events that happened to you today. Try to remember more details, but observe from the side, as if you are watching a movie.

7. Restoring dreams

Think back to one of the pleasant dreams you had. If you don't remember your dreams, come up with it. Pay attention to the sensations, finish building the picture. This is your dream, and it can be as perfect as you want it to be. It is quite possible that, falling asleep, you will find yourself in it again.

8. Blinking in reverse

Close your eyes. Open your eyes for literally a split second and close again. Repeat after 10 seconds. Thanks to this "blinking" you will relax and will not begin to plunge into distracting thoughts.

9. Rapid eye movement

Open your eyes and quickly look from one object to another. Don't look at anything in particular. After 1–2 minutes, you will feel the eyelids begin to feel heavier. Resist the fatigue a little more, and then let your eyes close.

10. Fairy tale

Many parents are familiar with the situation: when you tell a child a fairy tale, you yourself begin to nod off. Tell a story to yourself. Come up with any, even the most delusional, plot - let it develop on its own.

11. Word game

Think of a three-letter word for each letter of the alphabet, then a four-letter word, and so on. Don't try to analyze - count the first word that comes to your mind. From such boring, monotonous activity, the brain usually "turns off" pretty quickly.

12. Trying to hear silence

Lie in a comfortable position and listen to the silence. Try to hear exactly the silence - not extraneous sounds outside the window or in the entrance. It is not very easy, but once you succeed, you will relax and fall asleep.

13. White noise

Find (or create) a source of quiet, monotonous noise. Listen to it very carefully, not allowing yourself to be distracted by thoughts. After a while, you will start to doze off.

14. Self-hypnosis

Relax as much as possible in a position that is comfortable for you. Calm your breathing. Relax even more, repeating phrases like "I am becoming more relaxed", "My body is getting heavier" to yourself. Then say (to yourself) "When I count to zero, I will fall asleep" and start slowly counting down. For example, you can count 50 exhalations.

In any case, do not forget to properly prepare for bed:

• The classic rule is that the last meal should be 2–3 hours before bedtime. However, if you are used to eating often, hunger will keep you awake as much as a full stomach. In this case, an hour before bedtime, drink milk, eat half a banana or a small amount of cheese.
• For good sleep, you need to move enough throughout the day (preferably in the fresh air). Get into the habit of walking before bed. Even a 20-minute walk can help you distract yourself from tasks and prepare your mind for sleep.
• Be sure to ventilate the room before bed. It is better if the window is ajar throughout the night. But if you're worried about freezing, at least ventilate the room well before going to bed.