“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book,” says an old Irish proverb. Getting enough sleep Walking with your legs free is related to better health, the prevention of metabolic, neurodegenerative or cardiovascular diseases, a better mood and a longer life expectancy.
Those who go around in circles and count millions of sheep before falling into the arms of Morpheus wonder How long does it normally take a person to fall asleep?.
According toSleep.org, lMost people fall asleep within 10 to 20 minutes after turning off the lights.and doing so much earlier or much later indicates that something is affecting sleep, be it an underlying disorder, a health problem, or the substances and foods consumed in the previous hours.
Estimate accurately how long does it take to fall asleep It is complicated, but it can be measured at a scientific level: the concept that specialists handle is the sleep onset latency, an index of physiological sleepiness.
Counting begins when the lights go out and stops when an electroencephalogram, which measures brain waves, shows for the first time sleep signs.
Sleep latency is used in both polysomnography (a study of overnight sleep) and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT), which are daytime tests performed in a series of short naps.
These tests provide valuable data to determine whether a person has sleep disorders.such as insomnia, narcolepsy, or idiopathic hypersomnia, a disorder in which a person sleeps too much every day.
Between 10 and 20 minutes to fall asleep is ideal
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Just as taking ages to fall asleep is not a good sign, it is not considered normal for a person to fall asleep in less than 10 minutes: in many cases it is due to fatigue or the accumulation of lack of sleep over time.
You can also obey the consumption of sedative substances and depressants of the nervous system like alcohol, which has been linked in numerous studies to poorer sleep quality.
When a person gets enough sleep each night and is not taking sedatives, falling asleep too quickly may indicate an underlying sleep disorder.
Medical professionals use a diagnostic criterion of less than 8 minutes of sleep latency. Depending on what the tests indicate, there may be excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.
Factors that influence taking too long to fall asleep
If it’s been a while since you turned off the switch, but you’re still wide-eyed, You are probably experiencing insomniawhich may involve difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and not being able to get back to sleep.
According toMedline Plus, Insomnia can be acute or chronicwhen it lasts more than a month. The first is more common and can be caused by stress at work, financial, emotional or health problems, grief or traumatic events. Chronic pain is usually a side effect of other medical problems or the use of certain medications.
People with insomnia They often also experience excessive daytime sleepiness.Experts suggest getting out of bed and doing another activity if 20 minutes have passed and sleep has not occurred.
Another factor that can influence you taking too long to fall asleep It is about caffeine intakewhich you should stop at least 6 hours before going to bed, according to the available scientific evidence.
In some cases, Mental health problems are at the root of a person’s difficulty falling asleep. Both depression and anxiety interfere with your ability to sleep. In this case, you should consult a doctor.
Tips for falling asleep faster and when to see a specialist
To fall asleep more quickly, it is important to use your bed only for sleeping, keep the room clean, cool, dark and dry, and get up and go to bed at the same time every day, respecting your body’s circadian rhythms. Vigorous physical activity just before bedtime is not recommended.
Specialists also recommend reReduce or eliminate daytime naps, do not use technological devices before sleeping, avoid alcohol and coffee In the hours before going to bed, find your own relaxing routine and eat an early and light dinner, especially foods rich in tryptophan and melatonin.
If after doing sleep hygiene adjustments you continue to suffer trouble falling asleep quicklyconsult your doctor to determine the root of this disorder or the possible cause of your insomnia.
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