Can't fall asleep at night?

I suffered from this for at least 3 years on and off. It's been difficult to sleep early of course. But yes, it's possible. In this article, I've shared exactly how I did it. Now I wake up early every day naturally. It took some work but eventually, it was worth it.

The problem:

I used to sleep late at night and wake up late in the morning. I could not fall asleep early. Hence woke up late, which became a never-ending cycle. (Relatable?)

The solution:

Step 1: Set your daily goal:

• Set a fixed time to put away electronics.

• Set a fixed time to go to bed.

• Set a fixed time to wake up.

Set a realistic goal. Rome was not built in a day.

Step 2: Strategic Sleep Deficit:

• Sleep a little less for a couple of days.

• If you need 8hrs, sleep for 6-7hrs.

• This will help you fall asleep a few hours earlier than usual.

It's like unplugging the charger when your phone is at 80%. It's good enough but you'll have to charge it earlier in the evening.

Step 3: The Night Ritual:

• Mute your phone and put away all the electronics.

• Prepare to go to bed at least 15 minutes before actually going to bed.

• Finally, go to bed on a set time daily.

Stay in bed even if you can't fall asleep and DO NOT grab the phone!

Step 4: The Morning Ritual:

• Wake up without snoozing the alarm even if not fully rested.

• Grab a glass of water and get some fresh air.

• Walking a bit or even just moving around helps.

After a week you won't feel tired doing this but enjoy it.

Step 5: Avoid naps:

• Avoid taking naps throughout the day.

• Try watching a movie or socialize with someone

• Keep yourself busy and stay a bit tired.

This will help to fall asleep earlier at night.

Step 6: Beware of weekends:

• The weekends will either make or break your routine. Stay extra cautious.

• Stay true to your routine and do not stay up late just because it's the weekend.

The first weekend during the process is the most important.

Step 7: Be consistent:

• Do this for at least a month.

• Make gradual time shifts as per your goal.

• Do it every day without fail

For me, the first week was the toughest while the last was a piece of cake.

Final note!

• After 4 weeks, I noticed my sleep routine was fixed.

• This might not be the most science-backed method but it worked for me.

• Start small. Make gradual changes to your current routine.

• Start this over a weekend to avoid workday hindrances.

The trick is to set a fixed time to sleep and also to wake up. Start small. Go to bed a bit early and wake up a bit earlier. Make gradual time shifts. I'm not an expert but yes, I keep experimenting and learning. And this is something that has successfully worked for me.