An expert has revealed how people can get to sleep in just five minutes by following five simple methods.
Dr Tim Bond, natural health expert and chemist at Dragonfly CBD, has shared some key tips in falling asleep quickly and effectively at night.
It comes less than ten days after the clocks shifted forward by one hour as we moved in British Summer Time (BST).
While many of us found the adjustment to be no bother, others have continued to struggle during the early days of the shift.
Dr Bond told the Mirror: “There is an Irish proverb that says, ‘a good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book’.
“Good sleep is vital. It allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up.
“Health sleep also helps the body remain healthy and stave off diseases and, without enough sleep, the brain can’t function properly, affecting concentration, clear thinking and memory processing.”
How to fall asleep in five minutes
Dr Bond has recommended these five tips to ensure that you can nod off in just five minutes after your head hits the pillow.
These include:
- Sit or lie on your bed and slowly relax every muscle in your body.
- Start with your face, tense the muscles and then let them relax and loosen naturally.
- Drop your shoulders and release any tension and let your hands drop to the side of your body.
- Breathe out, relaxing your chest. Relax your legs, thighs and calves.
- Repeat this exercise until your body feels completely at ease. Push at thoughts out of your head. When your brain feels completely clear, picture yourself in a relaxing situation.
Relaxing situations can include:
- You are sitting on a balcony looking at a calm sea view on a sunny day
- You are rocking gently back and forth in a rocking chair in a darkened room
- You are floating on your back in a swimming pool
- Or you can use any other relaxing scene that works for you. If this doesn’t work, try saying the words “don’t think, don’t think” over and over and you should be asleep in 10 seconds.
Other sleep tips
In addition to following these tips, it's important to understand that routine and exercise is crucial to getting a good night's sleep.
Routine is incredibly important, because if you keep to your regular sleep times your body will know what it should be doing.
Dr Bond added: "Winding down before bedtime will also help to prepare you. As part of your routine include elements of relaxation that suit you (e.g. warm bath; listening to an audio book or some favourite tunes), reduce screen time, and give mindfulness a try."
If you can, Dr Bond recommends getting some daily exercise in, which will "help release endorphins," which is the happiness hormone.
This will make "us feel better and more equipped to handle things, which in turn will give us a calmer mind when it comes to sleep".
He added: "Gentle relaxation exercises (such as light yoga stretches) before bedtime can also prove to be very useful, as they relax our muscles, getting us ready for rest."
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