Sleep: Practical Tips to Fall Asleep Faster and Stay Asleep
Want to sleep better without gimmicks? A few small changes often make the biggest difference. Below you’ll find easy, real-world steps you can try tonight, plus what to watch for if medications or allergies are interfering.
Simple habits that work
Set the same wake-up time every day — even weekends. Your body’s clock responds to consistency, and that alone improves sleep quality within a week.
Wind down 30–60 minutes before bed. Turn off bright screens, dim the lights, and do something calming: read a paperback, stretch, or breathe slowly. Avoid intense workouts, heavy meals, or stressful emails right before bed.
Watch caffeine and alcohol. Skip caffeine after mid-afternoon. Alcohol might knock you out fast but fragments sleep later in the night. If you nap, keep it short (20–30 minutes) and before 3 pm.
Tweak the bedroom: aim for a cool room (about 60–68°F / 15–20°C), block light with curtains or an eye mask, and reduce noise with earplugs or a simple white-noise app. Use your bed only for sleep and sex — that helps your brain link the bed to rest, not work or scrolling.
If you toss and turn for more than 20 minutes, get up and do something low-key until you feel sleepy again. Lying awake stresses you out and trains your brain to stay awake in bed.
When medications or allergies get in the way
Some drugs make sleep harder or change sleep patterns. Antidepressants like bupropion (see our "Wellbutrin Sr" guide) can cause wakefulness for some people. Anticonvulsants such as phenytoin (Dilantin) also affect sleep in certain cases. If a new med lines up with worse sleep, talk to your prescriber before stopping anything.
Allergies and nasal congestion can wreck sleep. A nasal steroid spray can improve breathing at night — check our article "How Fast Does Fluticasone Nasal Spray Work?" for timing and tips. Chronic sinus issues or infections (see "Cephalexin for Treating Sinus Infections") deserve a doctor’s look when sleep suffers.
Supplements can help short-term. Melatonin often helps reset sleep timing, while magnesium or herbal options may relax some people. Don’t mix supplements with prescriptions without checking with a clinician.
If simple habits don’t help after a few weeks, consider cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). It’s as effective as sleeping pills for many people and teaches long-term skills.
Sleep affects mood, focus, and health. Try one change at a time so you can tell what helps. For related reads on breathing, meds, and supplements that touch sleep, search our site for "Fluticasone nasal spray," "Wellbutrin Sr," and "Butterbur." Small tweaks add up — and better sleep starts tonight.
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