You crawl into bed after a long day, feeling the touch of clean, slightly cold bed sheets on your skin, slowly laying your head on a soft pillow, almost hearing the angels sing sweet lullabies in your ear and… Find yourself staring at the ceiling in the middle of the night, trying to understand how did CatDog actually poop. Following our 3-S rule, you will fall asleep almost immediately ‒ and no poop will bother your mind at night.

S-1: Set the right atmosphere

Entering the bedroom, what is the first thing you feel? Is it an irresistible desire to shut your eyes, wrap up in a blanket and sleep like a baby until the next day? Or is it the urge to watch a new Netflix show everyone’s discussing on Twitter, the need to finish that last piece of work, the motive to do anything but sleep?

What we mean is, how much of a bedroom does your bedroom feel? Every room in every apartment or house has its own purpose ‒ kitchen is for cooking and eating, bathroom is for hygiene routines, etc. It’s tempting to grab some snacks from the kitchen and munch on them in a cozy bed, but in doing so there’s a high risk to blur your brain’s perception of what the bedroom is for.

For example, having a writing desk a few metres away from the bed will make your brain associate this space with an office, and what do people usually do in the office? That’s right ‒ they work. Not exactly the thing you’re trying to do when the night comes, is it?

Take care of your bedroom ‒ buy thick curtains to block the sunlight when necessary, invest in a changing colors light bulb (to choose the calm, cozy color that will 100% promote your sleep) and get rid of or hide all that reminds you of anything but sleep. And yes, even books may come under fire.

S-2: Shut off your thoughts

When in bed, do you keep thinking about the to-do list for the next day ‒ at what time to wake up, how long will it take to do all morning rituals, when to go grocery shopping or order a delivery, etc.? We understand your frustration ‒ these thoughts are worse than any earworm. To stop this unnecessary stream in your head, you can do the following:

Before going to bed, find a clear sheet of paper or a notebook and just start writing. Whatever comes to your mind should find a reflection on paper, even if it’s nonsense. By doing so you let the unconscious take  control, helping clear your mind.

Multiple studies have shown the benefits of meditation for people’s overall health. Breathe in, then slowly breathe out. Whatever thoughts come into your mind ‒ acknowledge them and let them go with an exhale. Just a few minutes of meditation will help the body tune in to proper rest, bringing you to a sense of harmony and peace. Besides, you can easily fall asleep already in the process of such meditation.

S-3: Say “yes” to sleep accessories

Did you know that the slightest noises can influence the quality of your sleep, even if you didn’t wake up because of them? Well, now you do. This study suggests that upon hearing extraneous sounds, your sleep becomes fragmented, which can result in this drowsy feeling in the morning. That’s why it’s recommended to use noise-cancelling earplugs and sleep masks even if you’re not a light sleeper ‒ they simply are dependable guardians of your good sleep time.

Conclusion

Sometimes it’s hard to fight the unexplainable will of your brain to keep you awake. Our 3-S rule to fall asleep almost immediately is in setting the atmosphere (make sure you have your bedroom prepared for sweet dreams), shutting off your thoughts (calm down with the help of meditation) and saying “yes” to sleep accessories (don’t forget to have your earplugs and a sleep mask on).