How to fall asleep fast, and what to do when you can't
Eight things that help you fall asleep faster, what to do when you're lying awake, and what the research says about popular tricks such as 4-7-8 breathing.
- Written by
- Krista L.
- Last updated
- Reading time
- 9 min read
Overview
To fall asleep fast, write tomorrow's to-do list, have a warm bath 1 to 2 hours before bed, stop caffeine by early afternoon and put screens away an hour before bed. If you're still awake after about 20 minutes, get up and go back when sleepy. Up to 30 minutes is normal.
Key points
- Falling asleep within 30 minutes is a sign of good sleep.
- A warm bath 1 to 2 hours before bed and a bedtime to-do list both helped in trials.
- Caffeine added about 9 minutes to falling asleep and cut about 45 minutes of sleep.
- If you can't sleep, get up after about 20 minutes and go back to bed when sleepy.
- We found no trials of 4-7-8 breathing or the military method.
How long should it take to fall asleep?
Up to 30 minutes is normal. An expert panel for the US National Sleep Foundation rated falling asleep within 30 minutes as a sign of good sleep, and taking more than an hour as a sign of poor sleep [1].
So learning how to fall asleep fast doesn't mean dropping off in 5 minutes. It means not lying awake for an hour or more. If you're tired all day, every day, you're probably not getting enough sleep, the NHS says [2].
If you're reading this at night with the screen turned down low, you're in good company. The steps below are gentle ones you can start this evening.
8 ways to fall asleep fast
These come from NHS advice and from trials. None works like a switch, and most work best when you do them every night.
1. Write tomorrow's to-do list
In a sleep-lab trial, 57 healthy young adults who spent 5 minutes writing a to-do list for the next few days fell asleep about 9 minutes sooner than those who wrote about tasks they'd already done Early [3]. The more specific the list, the faster they fell asleep. The NHS suggests the same if you often worry in bed [4].
2. Have a warm bath 1 to 2 hours before bed
A review that pooled 13 studies found that a warm bath or shower, at 40 to 42.5°C, taken 1 to 2 hours before bed helped people fall asleep sooner, even when it lasted only 10 minutes Moderate [5].
3. Have your last coffee by early afternoon
Across 24 studies, caffeine added about 9 minutes to the time it took to fall asleep and cut about 45 minutes of sleep Strong [6]. The researchers worked out that a mug of coffee should be drunk at least 8.8 hours before bed. The NHS says no tea or coffee for at least 6 hours before bed [2].
4. Put screens away an hour before bed
The NHS suggests not using phones, tablets or computers for an hour before bed, because their blue light can make it harder to fall asleep [4]. A printed book is a better choice.
5. Keep your bedroom quiet, dark and cool
Use curtains, blinds, an eye mask or earplugs if you need them, and keep clocks out of view so you're not watching the time [2][4].
6. Breathe slowly
Breathing at 10 breaths a minute or slower before bed improved how well people rated their sleep in a 2026 review of 9 studies. Studies that measured sleep directly were inconclusive Early [7]. Try breathing in through your nose for a count of 4 and out for a count of 6.
7. Go to bed only when you're sleepy
Going to bed before you're sleepy means more time lying awake. The NHS advises going to bed only when you feel sleepy [2].
8. Get up at the same time every day
A regular routine makes it easier to fall asleep, so keep it the same on days off too [4]. After a bad night, don't sleep in. Stick to your usual hours instead [2].
Do the military method and 4-7-8 work?
Nobody has shown they do. We searched for trials of the most popular sleep tricks and found very few.
| Trick | What it is | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| 4-7-8 breathing | Breathe in for 4, hold for 7, breathe out for 8 | No published trial of it for falling asleep. Slow breathing in general helped how people rated their sleep [7] |
| Military method | Relax your face and body muscle by muscle, then clear your mind | No trial found |
| Cognitive shuffle | Picture a string of random, unrelated objects | No published trial found |
| Two kiwis before bed | Eat two kiwi fruit an hour before bed | One small study with no comparison group, funded by a kiwi company [8] |
| Warm milky drink | A milky drink or herbal tea in place of tea or coffee | Suggested by the NHS [4] |
| Hot chocolate | A warm chocolate drink at bedtime | No trial found. Chocolate contains a little caffeine |
Most of these tricks are ways to relax and stop your mind racing, which is no bad thing. They just haven't been tested as a way to fall asleep faster. Think of them as a lullaby rather than a switch.
What to do when you can't sleep
Don't force it. If you're still awake after around 20 minutes, the NHS suggests getting up and sitting somewhere comfortable. Do something relaxing, such as gentle yoga, reading or quiet music, and go back to bed when you feel sleepy [4].
This approach is called stimulus control. In a review of 241 trials in adults with long-term insomnia, it was one of the parts of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) linked with falling asleep faster Moderate [9]. Relaxation exercises, by contrast, added no clear benefit in those trials.
Why can't I fall asleep?
Usually it's something in the hours before bed. These are the most common reasons.
- Caffeine from tea, coffee, cola or energy drinks later in the day [6].
- Alcohol or smoking close to bedtime. The NHS says to avoid both for at least 6 hours before bed [2].
- Worry about the day ahead, which a to-do list can help with [3].
- Screens in the last hour before bed [4].
- Irregular hours, naps in the day or a big meal late at night [2].
- Exercise close to bedtime, for some people. If it affects you, be active earlier in the day [4].
Good habits like these are covered in our guide to healthy habits that stick.
Does magnesium help you sleep?
It may help a little, but the trials disagree. A 2026 review of 12 trials found modest benefits on some self-rated measures in some adults, with inconsistent results overall Mixed [10]. Our guide to magnesium for sleep covers the trials, the forms and the doses.
Melatonin is a prescription medicine in the UK. Our guide to melatonin in the UK explains the rules.
When to see a GP
Where Nooroots fits
Nooroots Triple Magnesium gives you 301 mg of magnesium a day from glycinate, citrate and malate, in three capsules. It's made for the evening, as part of your wind-down.
Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal psychological function.
Coming soon. Triple Magnesium isn't on sale yet.
Frequently asked questions
How can I fall asleep in 5 minutes?
No technique has been shown to do it reliably. Taking up to 30 minutes is a sign of good sleep [1]. The best-tested habits are a warm bath 1 to 2 hours before bed, a to-do list at bedtime and no caffeine after early afternoon.
Is it bad to lie awake in bed?
It's best not to lie there trying to force it. The NHS suggests getting up if you're still awake after around 20 minutes, and going back to bed when you feel sleepy [4].
What is 4-7-8 breathing?
You breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, hold for 7 and breathe out for 8. We found no published trial of it for falling asleep, though slow breathing in general helped how people rated their sleep [7].
Does kiwi help you sleep?
Possibly, but the evidence is weak. In one study, 24 adults with sleep problems who ate two kiwis an hour before bed for 4 weeks reported falling asleep faster. It had no comparison group and was funded by a kiwi company [8].
Does hot chocolate help you sleep?
We found no trial of it. The NHS suggests a warm milky drink or herbal tea in place of tea or coffee [4], and a milky drink without chocolate avoids the small amount of caffeine chocolate contains.
Does reading help you fall asleep?
The NHS lists reading as a relaxing thing to do if you can't sleep [4]. A printed book is a better choice than a phone or tablet, whose light can make it harder to fall asleep.
References
Every study here is listed so you can read it yourself. This guide is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your GP or pharmacist. We review it when new research is published.
- Ohayon M et al. (2017). National Sleep Foundation's sleep quality recommendations: first report. Sleep Health 3(1): 6–19. PMID 28346153
- NHS. Insomnia. Page last reviewed 19 March 2024. Accessed 17 October 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia
- Scullin MK et al. (2018). The effects of bedtime writing on difficulty falling asleep: a polysomnographic study comparing to-do lists and completed activity lists. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 147(1): 139–146. PMID 29058942
- NHS Every Mind Matters. How to fall asleep faster and sleep better. Accessed 17 October 2026. nhs.uk/every-mind-matters
- Haghayegh S et al. (2019). Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm shower or bath to improve sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews 46: 124–135. PMID 31102877
- Gardiner C et al. (2023). The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews 69: 101764. PMID 36870101
- Eide EM, Hernes HM, Grønli J (2026). Slow breathing techniques before bedtime and the effects on sleep: a systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews 87: 102284. PMID 41886931
- Lin HH et al. (2011). Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 20(2): 169–174. PMID 21669584
- Furukawa Y et al. (2024). Components and delivery formats of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia in adults: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry 81(4): 357–365. PMID 38231522
- Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD (2026). Magnesium supplementation for sleep in adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Dietary Supplements 23(5): 553–581. PMID 42661485
