How can I fall asleep fast at night?
Last Updated: 29.06.2025 01:32
For several decades—until about seven years ago—I struggled terribly with sleep. Every night, I would lie awake for hours, tossing and turning, exhausted but unable to drift off. It felt like mental agony—an unrelenting restlessness that kept me trapped in wakefulness. Even when I did fall asleep, it was brief and unrefreshing, leaving me drained and lethargic throughout the day.
The simple yet powerful way to overcome this struggle is to practice present-moment awareness, not just at night but throughout the day. Sleep is not something we achieve by force—it is something that happens when we allow the mind to settle naturally.
A Shift in Awareness: The Key to Effortless Sleep
The Solution: Present Moment Awareness - Throughout the day.
Despite the persistent struggle, I was fundamentally against the idea of using medications or alcohol to induce sleep. Instead, I simply endured these sleepless nights for years, hoping for a natural solution that never seemed to come.
My transformation began when I embarked on a journey into awareness. Through deepening my understanding of the mind, I realised that the primary reason for my insomnia was not my body—it was my overactive mind.
The mind, when left unchecked, becomes a control freak—it resists surrendering to sleep because it perceives it as a loss of control. But when you cultivate awareness and allow mental noise to subside, the body naturally shifts into deep, restorative sleep without resistance.
• Shift from thinking to awareness. Instead of compulsively analysing the day or planning the future, bring attention to your breath, body, and the stillness of the present moment.
Why Do People Struggle to Fall Asleep?
Effortless Sleep is Possible
Then, around eight years ago, everything changed.
Falling asleep effortlessly is not a distant dream. It is a natural state—one that is accessible to anyone who learns to quiet the mind and rest in stillness.
• Let go of control. Recognise that sleep is a natural process—you do not need to “do” anything for it to happen.
Today, I barely spend five minutes awake in bed before I fall into a blissful, restful sleep. Each morning, I wake up feeling refreshed, energised, and with a spring in my step. This profound and unexpected shift led me to mentor others on sleep, write a book on the subject, and share my insights through countless articles and posts.
If you have had a moderately active day, received some natural daylight, eaten a light, early dinner, and reduced screen exposure an hour before bed, your body should naturally fall asleep within twenty minutes of lying down.
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But for many, this does not happen. Why?
Because the mind remains overactive, unable to let go. It clings to thoughts, worries, and unresolved mental noise, preventing the body from fully relaxing. The more you try to force sleep, the more elusive it becomes.
• Observe your thoughts without engaging with them. Let them pass like clouds in the sky, without getting entangled in them.
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