I’ve been struggling with trouble falling asleep for several years. Even if I go to bed early, I spend the next two hours tossing and turning or staring at the ceiling. Although I have tried to address the potential cause, the results have not been what I expected. But then I came across a trick that really helped me fall asleep faster.

The body regenerates during sleep, gaining strength to function well continuously. You tell yourself that as long as you’re somehow sleeping, that’s enough. But it’s not true. Sleep is one of the factors that affects the functioning of the whole body. Many diseases have their origin in insufficient or poor quality sleep.

For a long time I neglected this problem, did not address it, even though the body showed clear symptoms. When you are greeted in the morning in the mirror by circles under your eyes that make you look like a panda, it is impossible not to notice. Not to mention other factors such as minimal energy, fatigue during the day or weight gain. This is because hormonal imbalances occur. The hormone ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, increases and the hormone leptin, which affects satiety, decreases. Short sleep also increases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which in turn leads to fat storage in the abdominal area. Sleep affects many other processes, so everyone should ensure good sleep habits.

━━ ( Source: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock )

Solve the problem with a six-minute habit

When I tell you that you can solve your falling asleep problems in a few minutes, you’ll probably tap your head. After all, no problem can be fixed literally with a wave of a wand. Not in the moment, you’re right. However, if you stick to one activity regularly, you will be able to say goodbye to your troubles.

So what is the magic spell? Reading. Yes, simple reading can affect falling asleep. As a book lover, I welcomed this “treatment” with enthusiasm. Today’s hectic times cause us constant stress, which in turn takes a toll on our sleep. And according to a study by researchers at the University of Sussex, just six minutes of reading a printed book is enough to reduce your stress levels by up to 68%.

After six minutes, the so-called ‘deep reading’ effect kicks in. You forget about the world around you, your worries and everything that’s bothering you. Your mind relaxes and your body is relaxed as you fall asleep. “Getting lost in a book is the ultimate relaxation,” said neuropsychologist David Lewis, one of the study’s authors.

He notes that it’s not the genre that matters, but that the book entertains you. “It really doesn’t matter what kind of book you read, by immersing yourself in a truly engaging book you can let go of the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend some time exploring the domains of the author’s imagination. It is more than just a distraction, it is an active engagement of the imagination as the words on the printed page stimulate your creativity and cause you to enter a significantly altered state of consciousness.“

Advice on reading habits

Sitting down with a book and reading is really easy. However, I follow a few key points so I don’t set myself up for more health problems. I love reading in bed, but back and neck pain can come with it. That’s why I always prepare my environment so that I don’t sit curled up and feel as comfortable as possible. The time of day is equally influential, and I personally prefer to read before bed. I used to read by the light of a small lamp, but the lack of light goes hand in hand with strain on the eyes and deterioration of vision. So the advice is clear: get enough light. I also follow the rule of putting my phone away at least an hour before bed. I prefer to spend this time reading. The most important thing is regularity, otherwise the results will not come.