Sarah Jacobs

Sarah Jacobs

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TIP: How to fall asleep FASTER

I'm very lucky that I'm a good sleeper. I've talked to SO many people who have a hard time falling asleep. My husband tosses and turns for (he says) an hour every night before drifting off. I say "he says" because I literally fall asleep in about 30 seconds, and am dead to the world as he's desperately trying to drift off to dreamland. He could be playing tennis on his side of the bed and I'd have no idea.

He says it's because he can't turn is brain off at night. He's thinking of everything that went on that day, everything he needs to do tomorrow and for the rest of the week, and he's not able to fall asleep while he has so many things on his mind. 

My mind, however, MUST have an off switch, because I shut down completely when it's time for bed. Whatever is going on can wait until I wake up in the morning. 

If you're like my husband, and anxiety/worry is keeping you from getting quality sleep, here's something you'll want to know:

A new study found the easiest way to fall asleep faster is to MAKE A TO-DO LIST before bed, of all the stuff you need to accomplish over the next few days. 

Psychologists at Baylor University monitored the sleep patterns of about 60 people between the ages of 18 and 30. 

Half of them spent five minutes writing to-do lists before they went to bed.  The other half made a list of all the things they'd accomplished that day.  

And the ones who made to-do lists fell asleep nine minutes faster.  Which might not seem like much, but it's on par with what some prescription sleep meds can do. 

It doesn't have to be a long list.  Even a few bullet points can help.  But it's even better if you're thorough.  People who wrote longer, more specific to-do lists fell asleep faster than people who wrote shorter, more general ones.

So try this tonight! When it's time for bed, make a list of the things you need to accomplish tomorrow, and then get in the bed and try to get to sleep (I hope this goes without saying, but turn the lights off, turn off the TV, put down the phone/tablet, close your eyes and be still. It's amazing how PRETENDING you're already asleep helps you to actually BE asleep). I'd love to know if this works! And I'm going to see if I can convince my man to give it a shot, too!

[TIME]


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