Quick Summary:
- It takes most people around 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep once they are in bed and ready to sleep.
- Falling asleep might be challenging due to health issues, drugs, sleep disorders, and your unique nighttime ceremony.
- Consult a doctor if you aren’t getting enough sleep or are having trouble sleeping.
Many people find it difficult to fall asleep, leaving them to wonder: How long does it take?
An individual’s sleep environment and routines are essential in determining when they will fall asleep, which we all want.
Surrounding noise levels, temperature of the room, and nighttime routines can all have a big impact on how long it takes to fall asleep.
Furthermore, several medical disorders, stress, and anxiety can all make it more difficult to fall asleep.
How long does it take to fall asleep on average?
Sleep latency is the term used to describe how long it takes you to go to sleep.
Most people take about 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep after getting into bed and ready to sleep.
You may have an underlying sleep problem if you go to sleep earlier or later than usual.
According to a study, if it takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, the quality of your sleep will suffer.
Sometimes you might have trouble falling asleep, and that’s quite natural.
Why does it take so long to fall asleep?
Several factors can cause you to take a long time to fall asleep, including:
1- Insomnia
Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, disrupts the ability to fall asleep quickly and maintain restful sleep.
These are some common causes of insomnia:
- prolonged periods awake at night and difficulty falling asleep are common symptoms of insomnia. When someone has ample opportunity to sleep but is unable to do so, they are said to have insomnia.
- Stressful times or significant changes in life, such as losing one’s job, being divorced, or experiencing the death of a loved one, are common causes of insomnia.
- Some individuals only have sleeplessness for a few days or weeks at a time, while others experience chronic sleeplessness that lasts for three months or more. A person’s lifetime of chronic insomnia may also include occasional episodes of it. depending on whether it’s a severe sleep disorder or just a period of stressful life.
2- Circadian Rhythm Disorders
A circadian rhythm disorder may cause trouble falling asleep.
An individual’s circadian rhythm regulates the body’s daily cycles, including temperature, metabolism, and sleep.
Mismatches in the circadian rhythm could cause trouble this happens when people who work night shifts or rotating shifts may have some mismatches in the circadian rhythm as well.
When an individual sleeps in the morning, light specifically blue light from electronics is one of the strongest factors that affect the circadian rhythm.
3- Medications
Some drugs and medications may interfere with falling asleep like:
- Stimulants, including caffeine.
- Some asthma medications.
- Some antidepressants.
- Beta-blockers.
- Steroid medications.
- Some over-the-counter cold medicines.
it’s important to note that alcohol and tobacco can all cause problems with falling asleep, also if you think your medicine may be keeping you from sleeping, make sure you consult a doctor before quitting it or altering the dosage.
4- Psychological factors
Some psychological factors that may affect your nighttime sleep like stress, anxiety, and a racing mind can significantly prolong your sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).
These mental emotions activate the body’s fight-or-flight reaction, making it difficult to fall asleep well.
5- Activity levels
If you are not physically active during the day you may take longer to get in deep sleep. However, studies have shown that if you exercise you have a better sleep quality.
What if I Fall Asleep Too Fast?
There are several factors can cause you to fall asleep quickly, including:
- Sleep Deprivation: Sleep deprivation occurs when a person is not getting enough sleep to function. The human body has a natural system that helps it in falling asleep when it requires rest. The longer a person stays awake, the stronger the desire to sleep becomes. Sleep deprivation leads to faster sleep onset compared to well-rested individuals.
- Sleep Debt: Sleep debt is the total amount of sleep that an individual has lost over time compared to the amount required for optimal functioning. When someone continuously fails to obtain enough sleep, they build up a sleep debt. Sleep debt, like financial debt, must be repaid. Ignoring sleep debt can lead to several health difficulties, including poor impacts on cognitive performance, mood, and overall well-being.
- Medical Conditions: Excessive drowsiness brought on by certain medical conditions can make a person fall asleep more quickly. For instance, conditions affecting the heart and lungs, nervous system disorders, and brain injuries can all accelerate sleep. People sometimes get persistently high levels of sleepiness for unknown reasons.
- Physical exhaustion: Energy Depletion caused by physical exhaustion can cause you to fall asleep quickly. Your body has used up a lot of energy while you’re physically tired, which leaves you feeling depleted. Your body’s natural desire to rest and recuperate may be triggered by this energy depletion, hastening the beginning of sleep.
Further reading:
Signs You May Not Be Getting Enough Sleep
You may be not getting enough sleep if you have one or more of these symptoms:
- Have trouble concentrating or recalling details.
- Have gone through mood swings, such as anxiety and depression.
- Have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, depending on an alarm. clock to wake you up, or find yourself hitting the snooze button frequently?
- Feel sleepy or lethargic in the afternoon.
- Find it difficult to stay awake during meetings, lectures, in warm environments, while traveling by car, or following a large lunch.
- During the evening, you doze off on the couch.
- You are fast asleep—less than five minutes after bedtime.
- During the day, you feel worn out, agitated, and tired; yawn a lot.
How to Fall Asleep Fast
Try these techniques to help you fall asleep more quickly:
- Avoid caffeine in the evenings and afternoons.
- Exercise — but not right before bed.
- Try to relax your muscles gradually (PMR).
- Practice a deep breath.
- Avoid blue light before bed.
- Lower the temperature.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
- Establish a quiet nighttime routine.
- Keep your bed exclusively for sleep and intimacy.
Further reading:
Conclusion
Making small lifestyle adjustments, such as limiting screen time before bed, can make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Also If you have persistent sleep issues that interfere with your everyday life or if you are concerned about your sleep patterns, you should consult a doctor.
Your doctor can help you uncover any underlying causes of your sleep problems and offer therapies or lifestyle modifications that will improve your sleep quality.