How to Fall Asleep In 15 Easy Steps

Whether it's insomnia or an aching back, getting to sleep can sometimes become a bit of a problem. How do we manage it (without the use of intense medications)? Here's a few steps that might help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

The 15 Steps:

1. Eliminate all sources of light in the room.
2. Turn off your computer and phone.
3. Set aside books, magazines, and any other various things that may distract you from your slumber. This includes pets.
4. Make sure your bed is made before you get in it! Lay flat on your back. Make sure that your back is straight, yet relaxed and set at a comfortable angle.
5. Keep your neck relaxed, and your shoulders and jaw dropped -- not tense.
6. If the temperature feels off, adjust it accordingly.
7. Play Pachelbel's Cannon, Nightingale by Yanni, or A Place to Dream by Llewellyn softly in the background.
8. Fold your hands over your belly button or lay them relaxed at your sides.
9. Close your eyes. Keep them closed.
10. When you breathe, do not move your shoulders. Push your diaphragm outward as you inhale and inward as you exhale.
11. When you inhale, spread your fingers apart on each hand. When you exhale, move your fingers back together. Focus on this until you can do it without feeling awkward.
12. Relax all parts of your body, starting from your head down to your feet. If you come across a spot that feels particularly stressed, focus on breathing into that spot. The stress may become more intense at first, but will slowly fade away.
13. Try not to move very much. This means DO NOT flop side to side.
14. Remember, don't open your eyes. Keep them shut, but not forcefully. Shut your eyelids gently and keep your face relaxed.
15. If you feel tension in your legs, try rubbing your toes or the top parts of your feet together in a slow, soothing pattern.

If these things still didn't work for you, there's always some other stuff you can try! Lavender, for example, is a great herb to help you sleep. Try buying some natural lavender bath wash or bath salts and soak in those right before you go to bed. They seriously work miracles. You can also try putting some lavender inside your pillow, and a warm wet washcloth to keep folded over your eyes. There's also a gel-like cover you can put over your pillow to keep it cool and absorb any hot flashes you may experience throughout the night. If you're willing to pay for one, I'm sure they would help as well.

Good luck getting to sleep, because you need it.