How often do you find yourself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, hoping with all your might to fall asleep? Although sleep disorders could be to blame, sometimes all you need are the correct bedding and the right relaxation techniques to help you fall asleep faster.
We at Coop Home Goods believe that our sleep quality is directly impacted by our sleep environment. So, if you no longer want to stay awake all night, wondering if you’re ever going to fall asleep, read on!
How Long Should it Take You to Fall Asleep
Have you ever shared a bed or a room with someone who falls asleep the moment their head hits the pillow? If so, you’ve probably wondered how long it should take someone to fall asleep.
“According to our new research, in partnership with Northumbria University and carried out by Professor Jason Ellis, the time it takes us to drop off to sleep at night is a key indicator of our sleep health,” reports the Sleep Council.
The research shows that those who think they fall asleep within 10 to 15 minutes of their head touching the pillow are more likely to have good sleep health. Longer than 15 minutes and sleep health may be under pressure.”
Our founder actually started Coop Home Goods because of both his sleep and chronic pain issues. He realized that his sleep environment was super uncomfortable, and that by adding a super comfortable and supportive pillow, like the Coop Original or Coop Eden pillow, he was actually able to fall asleep faster than before.
Insomnia vs. Occasional Difficulty Sleeping
We all have trouble sleeping from time to time. Stress and anxiety are usually the culprits of occasional sleep trouble. Stress and anxiety activate our sympathetic nervous system, which controls our bodies’ fight or flight response. As you probably guessed, that’s not a great thing to have activated when you’re trying to go to sleep!
But how can you tell whether you have a sleep disorder or are just plain stressed out?
It’s all about the frequency and duration of those sleepless symptoms. “If your sleep issues last less than 3 months, you may have short-term insomnia. For many people with short-term sleep disorders, symptoms gradually get better,” says WebMD.
“Sometimes, these temporary episodes are due to stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, or job loss. An illness or change in routine are other possible causes. Symptoms will usually improve once the issue resolves, but short-term insomnia can occasionally develop into a more lasting condition.”
All right, now that we know the difference between chronic and temporary insomnia, let’s discuss how to tell whether or not you have a sleep deficiency.
Signs of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation symptoms go beyond feeling sleepy and developing undereye bags. According to Helpguide, any number of the following symptoms could be a sign of sleep deprivation:
- Tiredness and irritability throughout the day
- Frequent yawning
- Inability to focus
- Short-term memory problems
- Decreased sex drive
- Difficulty waking up/getting out of bed
- Afternoon slump
- Difficulty staying awake in meetings, warm rooms, or after a long meal
- Needing constant naps
- Falling asleep watching a movie or television
- Falling asleep instantly when you go to bed
- Needing to sleep late on weekends
- Mood changes
- Worrying about falling asleep hours before bedtime
If you’re experiencing the above symptoms, be sure to talk to your primary care physician. Your doctor can best help you create a plan to get your sleep back on track! However, if you’re experiencing occasional bedtime restlessness, read on for some tips and tricks on how to fall asleep fast.
What to Do When You Can’t Fall Asleep
Now that we’ve covered the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation, let’s talk about solutions! There are many techniques you can try to help you fall asleep fast. Let’s look into some of the most popular.
Relaxation Techniques
“Relaxation techniques are therapeutic exercises designed to assist individuals by decreasing tension and anxiety,” states a relaxation technique article published on StatPearls. “Many variations of relaxation strategies exist and can be facilitated by a variety of health professionals or learned via self-help modalities.”
Some of the best go-to relaxation techniques for falling asleep faster include:
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Breath-focused meditation (particularly the 4-7-8 method, in which you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds).
- Guided meditations
- Gentle, slow yoga
- Taking warm baths in the hours before bed
- Aromatherapy
Paradoxical Intention
Sometimes the best solution is the anti-solution!
“Paradoxical intention is a cognitive technique that consists of persuading a patient to engage in his or her most feared behavior,” states the Society of Clinical Psychology’s website. You’ve probably heard it referred to as a form of exposure therapy… but how does this work for insomnia?
“In the context of insomnia, this type of therapy is premised on the idea that performance anxiety inhibits sleep onset. Paradoxically, if a patient stops trying to fall asleep and instead stays awake for as long as possible, the performance anxiety is expected to diminish; thus, sleep may occur more easily.”
What if I Still Can’t Fall Asleep?
If you’ve been lying in bed for hours and can’t seem to fall asleep — and this type of situation has grown frequent — it’s time to call your doctor!
In the moment, though, the best thing to do is get out of bed. “Go to another part of your house and do something soothing, such as reading or listening to quiet music,” says the Sleep Foundation.
“Lying awake in bed for too long can create an unhealthy mental connection between your sleeping environment and wakefulness. Instead, you want your bed to conjure thoughts and feelings conducive to sleep.”
The Right Sleep Environment is Crucial
Something we haven’t discussed yet is sleep environment, a.k.a. your bed and bedroom. Poor lighting, warm temperatures, uncomfortable bedding, and lack of support from your mattress and pillows can all play a huge part in sleep quality, including your ability to fall asleep fast.
We here at Coop Home Goods understand how crucial the right sleep products are to getting a good night’s sleep, so we’ve engineered what we believe to be the best pillows and bedding out there!
Coop Home Goods Adjustable Pillows
We started Coop Home Goods out of personal necessity. Our founder was having trouble sleeping, and it was causing him neck and back pain. That’s why he designed an adjustable pillow that could be tailored to anyone and all sleeping positions — side sleepers, stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and those who change positions throughout the night can benefit from an adjustable pillow.
We make our pillows with a blend of cross-cut shredded memory foam and microfiber, enabling you to add or remove fill in order to sleep comfortably and fall asleep fast.
Our Original Pillow is great for those who prefer medium firm support, while our Eden Pillow is best for those who prefer something softer and infused with cooling gel. All Coop pillows come in queen and king size, so you won’t have to worry about them fitting your bed.
Coop Home Goods pillows are a result of five years of research and product testing! We looked at sleep and pillows from all angles before choosing our cross-cut memory foam and microfiber blend fill. We use all new memory foam in our pillows, which is GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US certified.
We also wanted our pillow to be durable and last a long time, so the entire pillow is machine washable. As per our care instructions, we recommend routinely washing the outer cover, but only washing the inner pillow once a year. At Coop, we believe in our pillows so much that we offer a full refund if you’re not getting the best night’s sleep of your life.
In Conclusion
You deserve a good night’s sleep, and that starts with a supportive pillow. Not all pillows are created equal. You want to find a pillow that adjusts to your own comfort and support needs. That’s why at Coop, we’ve taken everything into account to make adjustable pillows that are adored by people of all shapes and sizes.