To fall asleep, listen to calming sounds like nature (rain, waves), ambient music, or noise (white, pink) to mask disturbances, or try sleep-specific podcasts (e.g., Sleep With Me, Get Sleepy) with nonsense stories or guided meditations; even familiar audiobooks can help quiet a busy mind, but avoid stimulating content. Experiment to find what soothes your racing thoughts, whether it's binaural beats, soft classical, or slow podcasts.
Fall asleep to these podcasts
10 hours before bed: No more caffeine. 3 hours before bed: No more food or alcohol. 2 hours before bed: No more work. 1 hour before bed: No more screen time (shut off all phones, TVs and computers).
Playing loud, fast-paced, and unpredictable songs can wake you up during the night and, in turn, lower your sleep quality. We recommend picking music that is relaxing and calming. Most music contains lyrics, so if you find this distracting, perhaps you would rather pick something more instrumental or classical.
How to do the Navy SEAL nap: a step-by-step guide
A prime example is the box breathing technique, famously used by the Navy Seals, known as the 4-4-4-4 method. This simple yet effective method involves a cycle of inhaling for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and then pausing for 4 seconds before the next inhalation.
The 4-7-8 breathing technique, also known as “relaxing breath,” involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety or help people get to sleep.
To 100% fall asleep, combine a consistent schedule, a cool, dark room, and a wind-down routine (no screens, relaxing activities like deep breathing or hot baths) to calm your mind and body, using techniques like the 4-7-8 breath or military method if you're still awake, and get up to do something boring if you can't sleep after 15 minutes to break the anxiety cycle.
The track Weightless, by the band Marconi Union, has been dubbed, “the world's most relaxing song.”
Classical music, ambient soundscapes, or even slow jazz can be a relaxing ADHD sleep aid. 💙 Unwind to Nature's Symphony, which combines a nature soundscape with soft music.
The koala is the animal that sleeps approximately 90% of the day (20-22 hours), a necessity due to its low-energy eucalyptus diet requiring intensive digestion, making it the ultimate champion of sleep in the animal kingdom, followed closely by sloths and bats.
The 80/20 Rule means that you stick to your healthy, consistent sleep schedule 80% of the time. You then can make exceptions to your schedule 20% of the time. The 80/20 Rule allows you to “live life” and enjoy those special moments with your family.
On average, Japanese sleep about 7 hours and 20 minutes a night, - the least among 33 OECD member countries. And the number of insomniacs is growing. But even as more people suffer from insomnia, help can be hard to find.
11 tips to get more deep sleep and REM sleep at night
The healthiest noise for sleep depends on preference, but pink noise (steady rain, waves) and brown noise (deep rumble, heavy rain) are often cited as healthiest for deep, stable sleep by calming the nervous system, while white noise (hiss) is great for masking disruptions, with all working best at low volumes to mask jarring sounds, creating a more consistent soundscape for better rest.
Common choices and the potential side effects include:
The #1 worst habit for anxiety isn't singular, but avoidance (procrastination), poor sleep, and negative thought patterns (like catastrophizing) are top contenders, creating vicious cycles where anxiety fuels these behaviors, and the behaviors, in turn, worsen anxiety by preventing healthy coping and creating more stress. Other significant habits include excessive caffeine, poor diet, too much screen time, and social withdrawal, all disrupting the body's ability to manage stress effectively.
A song created back in 2016 is what some call “the most relaxing song in the world.” Titled 'Weightless' and produced by artist Marconi Union in collaboration with sound therapists, the song can reduce anxiety by up to 65%, making it the perfect tool for battling insomnia and sleeplessness.
The 3-2-1 bedtime method is a simple sleep hygiene strategy: stop eating 3 hours before bed, stop working 2 hours before bed, and stop using screens (phones, tablets, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping your body transition to rest by reducing stimulants and digestive load for better sleep quality. A more detailed version adds 10 hours (no caffeine) and 0 (no snoozing) for a 10-3-2-1-0 rule.
The "3-2-1 bedroom method" isn't one standard thing, but often refers to either sleep hygiene rules (stop food/alcohol 3 hrs before bed, work 2 hrs before, screens 1 hr before) or creative floor plan solutions for small homes, like turning a sunroom into a bedroom or dividing a large room to get more sleeping areas, especially when adding a third bedroom is needed, focusing on clever layouts and dividing spaces efficiently.
Gen Z stays up late due to a combination of technology (blue light, endless content), significant stress and anxiety (FOMO, financial/global worries), biological shifts (natural teenage circadian rhythm), and "revenge bedtime procrastination," where they sacrifice sleep for personal time, often in bed, scrolling social media. This digital-heavy, high-stress lifestyle creates overstimulation and a misalignment with natural sleep patterns, leading to chronic sleep deprivation, notes the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Health Foundation.
A big event or a buildup of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety — for example, a death in the family, work stress or ongoing worry about finances. Personality. People with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others are.
Whether you prefer a cold drink or a warm bedtime drink, here's our list of the best drinks before bed to help you drift off.