Falling asleep is something we do naturally. But there are times when it takes too long and we spend what seems like forever tossing and turning in bed, counting the slower seconds as they pass. It’s not fun!

So if counting sheep doesn’t work (and it never has for me), then check out these ways to fall asleep fast.

turn off all the lights

That means every light.

So if you use an alarm clock, cover it up.

If your phone charger or anything else has the smallest light, cover it up.

The same goes for that little light on the front of your TV.

The closer you get to total darkness, the better.

cool down

Temperature is one of the variables in how quickly we fall asleep.

The problem is that the outside temperature often fluctuates, which, in turn, affects your heating or air conditioning.

So you’re sleeping in a room that is perhaps several degrees off from last night’s temperature, which is not a good thing since our bodies are creatures of habit and prefer consistency.

Adjust your thermostat and make sure your bedroom is at a lower temperature than the rest of the house if you want a quick good night’s rest.

Slow down before bed

Our mind does not stop instantly.

It’s more like a supertanker – it needs time to slow down.

That’s why it’s not a good idea to go to your emails or Facebook or wherever “one last time” before you go to sleep. You are waking up your mind and you will pay for that for an hour or so before your mind becomes slow enough to let you sleep.

Reading a book or magazine (real, not the ones found on electronic devices like the Kindle) is fine and can be a good way to help you relax. That’s why we tell children bedtime stories, and that way they often fall asleep earlier.

Which means you might consider listening to a book, especially if you’ve bought one of those high-tech pillows with built-in speakers.

take a bath

A nice warm bath is a good way to help you relax.

If you haven’t bathed, a hot shower will work the same way, just not as relaxing because most of us shower standing up.

Listen to a relaxation MP3

There are many different relaxation MP3s available.

Some are just peaceful sounds, like a camp fire or ocean waves lapping gently on a beach.

Others are guided meditations that will gently ease you into a more relaxed state.

However, others have special tones, such as built-in binaural beats, that help get your brain into the same state it would be in during normal sleep. There are no drugs or pills involved, just a few shades that you probably won’t even notice.

Or you could use a hypnosis track – most people feel quite sleepy when hypnotized, so using a purposefully recorded track can take advantage of that and help you fall asleep quickly.