Nourish & Strong Free 7-day meal plan
Sleep and energy

How to fall asleep fast: what the evidence says works, and what to do when it doesn’t

Lying awake while the clock ticks forward is miserable. Here’s what sleep researchers actually recommend, how the viral tricks stack up, and what to do at 2 a.m. when nothing is working.

By the Nourish & Strong teamBuilt from 15 sources8 min read
A man in glasses reads a paperback by lamplight in bed while another person sleeps beside him, with a glass of water and a phone on the bedside table

The short answer: the fastest proven way to fall asleep is to go to bed only when you feel sleepy, get up if you’re still awake after about 20 minutes, and use a relaxation method such as slow breathing or muscle relaxation. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports both. Viral tricks like the military method haven’t been tested in trials.

Trying hard to sleep usually backfires. MedlinePlus notes that the more people with insomnia try to sleep, the more frustrated they get, and the harder sleep becomes. So the methods that work tend to take the effort out of it. If you’re tired all day as well, our guide to why you’re always tired covers the other causes worth checking.

How do you fall asleep fast?

You fall asleep fastest when your body is ready for sleep and your mind has stopped working on problems. Two approaches have the best evidence, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) guideline on insomnia treatment:

  • Stimulus control. Go to bed only when sleepy. Get out of bed when you can’t sleep. Use the bed only for sleep and sex. Wake at the same time every morning, and skip daytime naps. The AASM gives it a conditional recommendation, based on 8 trials.
  • Relaxation. Slow abdominal breathing, progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and releasing one muscle group at a time) and guided imagery. The AASM also gives this a conditional recommendation, based on low-quality evidence that still showed better sleep quality.

Neither is magic on night one. Both work by teaching your brain, over days and weeks, that bed is where you fall asleep.

Can you fall asleep in 10 seconds?

No method has been shown to put people to sleep in 10 seconds. We searched the research and found no trial of the military method or any other 10-second technique. Some of the steps inside these tricks, such as relaxing your muscles and slowing your breathing, do have support. The promised speed doesn’t.

Is the military sleep method effective?

The military sleep method hasn’t been tested in any published trial, so nobody can say how well it works. It’s a relaxation routine: you loosen your face, drop your shoulders and arms, relax your legs, breathe out slowly and picture a calm scene. That’s close to the relaxation therapy the AASM supports. Here’s how the popular tricks compare:

TrickWhat the research showsVerdict
Military methodNo trials. Its parts match relaxation therapy, which helped in 5 pooled trials for chronic insomnia (AASM).Worth trying, but the viral success rates are unproven
4-7-8 breathing (in for 4 counts, hold for 7, out for 8)No trial in people with ordinary insomnia. In a 6-week trial of 48 people with tinnitus, those who practiced it had better insomnia scores than those who only had an information session.Low risk, thin evidence
MelatoninThe AASM suggests clinicians not use it for trouble falling asleep, based on very low-quality evidence. The NHLBI says research hasn’t proven it treats insomnia. It does help jet lag (NCCIH).Not a fix for insomnia; ask your doctor first
Warm shower or bathA review of 17 studies found that water at 104 to 108.5°F (40 to 42.5°C), 1 to 2 hours before bed, for as little as 10 minutes, shortened the time it took to fall asleep.Reasonable evidence; time it early
White noiseA review of 38 studies rated the evidence that continuous noise improves sleep as very low quality, and noted it may also disturb sleep and hearing.Fine if it masks noise; keep it quiet

The review’s explanation: warm water draws blood to your hands and feet, which helps your body shed heat and lowers your core temperature. If you’re thinking about melatonin or magnesium glycinate, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. The NCCIH reports that 22 of 25 melatonin gummies tested in 2023 didn’t contain the amount on the label, with some holding 3.5 times more.

Does cognitive shuffling work for sleep?

Cognitive shuffling may help, but it hasn’t been tested on its own in a large trial. The idea is to fill your mind with a string of random, harmless pictures so there’s no room left for worry. Pick a simple word, such as "garden." For each letter, picture as many things as you can that start with it: grapes, a guitar, a goose. Then move to the next letter.

The closest research is a 2002 study of 41 people with insomnia. Those told to fill their minds with an interesting, detailed picture fell asleep faster than those given no instructions. A 2020 review of thinking strategies before sleep found that their effects ranged from helpful to useless to harmful, so if shuffling winds you up, drop it.

What should you do when you can’t sleep?

If you’re still awake after about 20 minutes, get up and go somewhere comfortable until you feel sleepy. That’s the NHS advice. Lying there and forcing it tends to make things worse. Here’s what to do instead:

  • Pick a calm activity. The NHS suggests gentle yoga, reading a book or listening to quiet music. Keep the lights low.
  • Turn the clock around. Keep clocks out of view and put your phone face down, the NHS says. Checking the time feeds the worry.
  • Write the worries down. A list of what you need to do tomorrow can help clear your mind, the NHS says.
  • Go back to bed only when sleepy. Repeat as often as you need to.
  • Get up at your usual time. Don’t sleep in after a bad night, the NHS says. Keeping your wake time is what makes tomorrow night easier.
  • Get up safely. The AASM notes that getting out of bed may need adapting for anyone at risk of falls. A lamp you can reach easily and a night light in the hallway help, says the National Institute on Aging.

If pain is what keeps you up, our guide to sleeping with lower back pain covers positions and pillows. For a full set of daytime and bedroom habits that make nights like this less likely, see our sleep hygiene checklist.

How long should it take to fall asleep?

There’s no exact normal, but regularly taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep is a common mark of insomnia. Many of the insomnia drug trials reviewed by the AASM required people to take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. The NHLBI says insomnia means trouble falling or staying asleep on at least 3 nights a week, and it counts as long-term once it lasts 3 months or more. An occasional slow night after a stressful day is normal.

When should you see a doctor about insomnia?

See a doctor if changing your sleep habits hasn’t helped, if you’ve had trouble sleeping for months, or if it’s making daily life hard to cope with. That’s the NHS advice. Also book an appointment if:

  • Someone has noticed you snore loudly, or gasp, snort or choke in your sleep. These can be signs of sleep apnea, which needs treatment (NHS).
  • You feel very sleepy in the day, especially while driving. Don’t drive when you feel sleepy, the NHS says.
  • Low mood, anxiety or pain are keeping you awake.
  • Your sleep changed around the time you started a new medicine. Don’t stop it on your own. Ask your doctor.

The NHLBI suggests keeping a sleep diary for 1 to 2 weeks before you go: bedtime, wake time, naps, caffeine, alcohol and exercise. The first treatment usually recommended for long-term insomnia is CBT-I, a 6- to 8-week talking therapy you can do in person, by phone or online. The NHS says pharmacy sleep aids may help for 1 to 2 weeks but shouldn’t be taken longer, so check with your doctor before taking anything for sleep.

If hot flashes or night sweats are waking you, our guides to menopause and sleep and night sweats go further.

Your next step

Tonight, pick one relaxation method from the table and practice it in bed. Set one wake-up time and keep it all week. If you’re awake after 20 minutes, get up, keep the lights low, and come back when you’re sleepy. If menopause is part of what’s keeping you up, the Menopause Meal Plan below takes one more decision off your plate each day.

The Menopause Meal Plan cover

More protein, less guessing

The Menopause Meal Plan

4 weeks of high-protein meals with grocery lists and prep plans, so you can stop guessing what to eat. Only $12.

Get the plan · $12See what’s inside

Quick questions

How can I fall asleep in 10 seconds?

No method has been shown to put people to sleep in 10 seconds. The tricks that promise it, such as the military method, haven’t been tested in trials. What does have support is going to bed only when sleepy, getting up after about 20 minutes awake, and relaxation such as slow breathing, which the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests.

What is the military sleep method and does it work?

The military sleep method is a relaxation routine: you relax your face, shoulders, arms and legs, breathe out slowly and picture a calm scene. We found no published trial of it, so claims about how fast or how often it works are unproven. Its steps are close to relaxation therapy, which the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests for insomnia.

Does 4-7-8 breathing work for sleep?

4-7-8 breathing may help some people relax, but the evidence is thin. No trial has tested it in people with ordinary insomnia. In one 6-week trial of 48 people with tinnitus, those who practiced it had better insomnia scores than those who only had an information session. Slow breathing is part of relaxation therapy, which has modest support.

Does melatonin help you fall asleep?

Melatonin isn’t a proven fix for trouble falling asleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests clinicians not use it for insomnia, and the NHLBI says research hasn’t proven it works for insomnia. It does help jet lag, the NCCIH says. Labels are often inaccurate, so talk to your doctor or pharmacist before trying it.

Why can’t I fall asleep even when I’m tired?

Feeling tired but unable to sleep is often down to a busy, worried mind or habits that keep your body alert. The NHS lists stress, anxiety, noise, a room that’s too hot or cold, and alcohol, caffeine or nicotine among the most common causes. If it keeps happening for weeks despite better habits, see your doctor.

How long should it take to fall asleep?

There’s no exact normal time to fall asleep, but regularly taking more than 30 minutes is a common mark of insomnia in research trials. The NHS suggests getting up if you’re still awake after about 20 minutes. Trouble sleeping on 3 or more nights a week for 3 months counts as long-term insomnia, the NHLBI says.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you’ve had trouble sleeping for months, snore loudly or gasp in your sleep, or feel sleepy while driving, talk to your doctor. Don’t start, stop or change any medicine or supplement for sleep without asking your doctor or pharmacist.

Sources