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9 expert tips for falling asleep faster, easier and for longer this World Sleep Day
Do you dread the process of falling asleep? Has the amount of sleep advice on the web left you feeling confused and overwhelmed?
This Sleep Awareness Week 2025, we’ve decided to simplify it all and help you understand the 9 easy tips to fall asleep faster, easier and for longer, so you wake up feeling rested and refreshed.
To help us, we reached out to some of the top sleep experts in the world who shared their valuable insights for transforming your sleep and getting quality rest, night after night. So let's dive straight in...
9 experts tips for better sleep
- Drink sleepy tea – Dr Lindsay Browning on how bedtime tea can prepare you for a restful night
- Read a book – Dr Neil Stanley on how reading can help take your mind off the day
- Dim your lights – Dr Nicola Cann on how dimming lights in the evening can help you drift off faster
- Expose yourself to sunlight – Dr Chelsea Perry explains how getting some sunlight can regulate your sleep
- Good sleep posture – Dr Joseph Mercola explains the importance of maintaining a good sleep posture
- Keep electronics away – Joshua Piper, sleep clinician talks about how electronics can disrupt your sleep
- Exercise for sleep – Dr William Lu talks about how to exercise for better sleep
- Don't set sleep deadlines – Dr Tim Mercer, explains how forcing your body to sleep can be counterproductive
- Consistency is key – Andres Moran, CEO and co-founder of Complete Sleep, explains why consistency is the foundation of sleep
1. Drink sleepy tea to fall asleep faster
“Whenever I travel or go on holiday, I always make sure that I take my sleepy teabags with me," says Dr Lindsay Browning, neuroscientist, insomnia expert and author of Navigating sleeplessness.
Although she is a good sleeper normally, Dr Browning never takes her sleep for granted.
Drinking her favourite sleepy-time tea (she loves the Clipper Sleep Time tea) half an hour before bed is one of her nighttime routine steps she won't miss no matter where she is in the world.
“Doing a similar activity every day before bed can start to build up an association between your pre-bed routine and the onset of sleep,” she says.
Having a warm cup of tea gives you the same benefits as a hot shower which immediately calms you down and helps prepare your body and mind for rest.
Not a fan of tea? You can always find your ideal sleepy-time drink which can be anything from turmeric milk to a healthy (yet tasty) mushroom hot chocolate.
2. Read a book to ease anxiety
It is tricky to distract your mind from the stresses of the day and focus on sleeping. Forcing yourself to sleep will be counterproductive and may even end up causing more harm than good.
Dr Neil Stanley, who has been involved in sleep research for over 42 years, follows a simple yet effective routine of changing into his comfy nightwear and grabbing a book to read in bed.
In fact, there many studies which indicate that reading a book in bed can induce a sense of calm which leads to improved sleep quality.
"Worry, stress and tension are enemies of sleep, and so you need to put your day to bed long before you get into bed," says Dr Stanley.
"Reading switches my mind off the cares and worries of the day", he added. This effectively distracts him from the events of the long day and promotes relaxation and rest.
3. Dim your lights to promote sleep
Bright light has proven disadvantages to your sleep because it confuses your brain, making it difficult to understand whether it should remain awake and active or rest.
It suppresses melatonin (the sleepy hormone) production and disrupts your circadian rhythm (the body's internal clock which regulates your sleep and wake cycle.)
To create the perfect sleep environment, Dr Nicola Cann, a renowned sleep psychologist and founder of a telehealth sleep service, recommends dimming your lights and switching to overhead lights a couple of hours before bed.
This is something that she practices herself. "Light has a huge impact on sleep and this is something I’m particularly sensitive to. I then typically spend an hour winding down before going to bed," she adds.
4. Expose yourself to sunlight for restful sleep
As much as avoiding bright lights in the evening can help you sleep, it is equally important to expose yourself to the sun during the day for a peaceful night's slumber.
"Seeing the sun first thing in the morning and later towards the evening really helps your circadian rhythm to stay on track," says Dr Chelsea Perry, founder of Sleep Solutions, a Westborough Massachusetts-based clinic where she focuses on treating sleep apnea and snoring.
According to her, your habits during the day have significant impact on how you sleep during the night and getting some sunlight is a crucial aspect of it.
"I try to get sunlight almost as soon as I wake up. A light therapy lamp is a good alternative if you don't have access to the sun," she adds.
5. Maintain good sleep posture to improve sleep quality
Can your sleep posture influence your sleep quality? Dr Joseph Mercola, board certified family medicine osteopathic physician, underlines the significance of lying in the right posture which can instantly elevate your overall sleep experience.
"Many people sleep in positions that put unnecessary strain on their neck and shoulders, leading to pain and stiffness over time," he explains.
"When you sleep on your back with proper neck support, you keep your spine in a neutral position, which helps your body fully relax and recover overnight."
The easiest way to ensure this is to invest in one of the best mattresses for your sleeping position and body type which will guarantee that your spine is well-supported, even if you're someone prone to tossing and turning during the night.
6. Keep away electronics to fall asleep easy
Just like how it's impossible to sleep in a noisy room, it's crucial to keep away anything that might stimulate your mind.
Electronic gadgets including your phones, work laptops and gaming systems do this in two ways.
The blue light from screens will suppress melatonin release which will delay the onset of sleep while scrolling through your phone or replying to work emails will stimulate your brain, thus effectively distracting you from taking rest.
"Make your bedroom a sleep haven. If you have a TV, laptop or games in there, then all of a sudden, sleep becomes quite a small probability amongst the rest," says Joshua Piper, a seasoned sleep clinician at ResMed UK.
This ensures that your brain develops an association between your bedroom and sleep.
7. Exercise for better sleep
Like we mentioned above, getting a good night's rest means changing more than just your nighttime routine.
While we are aware of how exercising has great benefits for our physical health and appearance it's impact on sleep is often overlooked.
Experts say that working out regulates your energy levels and boost melatonin production, making it easier to fall asleep and have an uninterrupted sleep throughout the night.
However, engaging in intense workout routines a few hours before bed will defeat the purpose as your body requires enough cooling time to relax. What is the ideal way to go about it then?
"During the day, I try to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight and 45-60 mins of exercise 3-4 days per week," explains Dr William Lu, medical director of Dreem Health, an online sleep clinic.
This helps him get restful sleep consistently every night. If you're still unsure what's best for you, check out our guide on how to exercise for better sleep.
8. Don't stress about bed "deadlines"
"It's vital that your sleep routine is not an itinerary," says Dr Tim Mercer, NHS GP Partner and GP Trainer at Opera Beds.
It does not matter if it starts early or late but it roughly should be in the same order every night. This reinforces the idea of rest in your brain viewing certain activities as mental "cues" which induce sleep.
"My sleep routine starts with the same thing every evening," says Dr Mercer. "I make a mug of mint tea and leave it to cool a little while while I clean the kitchen. This gives me a sense of closure on the day and distracts me from the stresses of work."
The act of making mint tea every night serves as a signal to himself to relax without letting it seem like working on a strict sleep deadline.
"When creating a sleep routine, keep it personal and sustainable. Small, gradual changes are more effective than drastic shifts," he adds.
9. Have a consistent sleep routine
You may try out and consequently drop multiple methods to get a good night's sleep, but always remember, consistency is key.
Juggling with different techniques and hacks to fall asleep fast will confuse your brain and end making it harder to doze off.
"The single most impactful element for good sleep is maintaining a consistent sleep-wake schedule—going to bed and waking up at approximately the same times every day, including weekends," says Andres Moran CEO and co-founder of Complete Sleep.
This consistency reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle and supports optimal hormone regulation that controls sleep quality.
Tom's Guide created this content as part of a paid partnership with Helix Sleep. The contents of this article are independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Tom's Guide.
