11 Weird Tricks That Really Do Help You Go to Sleep

Try to stay awake

If you want to fall asleep faster, think about staying awake. “It sounds counterintuitive, but for those who find it difficult to sleep because they keep worrying about not falling asleep, do the opposite,” says Sujay Kansagra, MD, director of Duke University’s Sleep Medicine program and Mattress Firm’s sleep health consultant. Most of the time falling asleep is an involuntary process that takes virtually no effort on our part, but if we’re anxious, we do things like looking at the clock and calculating how little sleep we’re going to get, which then causes sleep performance anxiety. “Instead of worrying about falling asleep, think about staying awake instead. This often lessens anxiety and gives your mind a chance to relax enough to fall asleep. It’s a technique known as paradoxical intent, a cognitive behavioral therapy technique used to lessen the anxiety around falling asleep,” says Dr. Kansgara.