4 Easy Tricks to Sleep Faster—and Better

It seems every wellness article we read lately proclaims the importance of sleep and how vital it is to nearly every function of the body. But what if getting shut eye doesn’t come easy to you once you hit the sheets? We spoke to a few pros to find the best ways to get you snoozing, pronto.

Swig Cherry Juice
Studies have shown that drinking a glass of tart cherry juice ($15; amazon.com) can be a sleep aide, says Robert Rosenberg, Prescott Valley, Arizona-based sleep specialist and author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day ($16; amazon.com). Tart cherry juice contains anthocyanin, a flavonoid that can increase tryptophan, an amino acid that then converts to melatonin—and melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate sleep, says Rosenberg. Translation: This chain reaction may help you doze off faster.

Dial Down the Temperature
One reason why you kick off the sheets and feel restless during the night? Heat is not conducive to sleep. Try this technique from N.Y.C. integrative doctor Frank Lipman, author of 10 Reasons You Feel Old and Get Fat...And How You Can Stay Young, Slim, and Happy! ($14; amazon.com): First, take a warm bath, which helps lower your body temperature. Then lower the thermostat. “Aim for around 60 degrees to 68 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep,” says Lipman.

Shut Down
One hour before bed, unplug and put away all of your devices (that means no scrolling through Instagram in bed). “Electronic screens and digital devices are stimulating to the brain,” says Lipman. “They can disrupt melatonin production and sleep quality, meaning that using them before bed will make it harder to fall asleep.”

Inhale Deeply
Before getting into bed, try misting your linens with a lavender spray. (We like Le Couvent de Minimes Pillow Mist, $19; lecouventdesminimes.com.) “Lavender stimulates a part of the nervous system that helps trigger relaxation and reduces anxiety,” says N.Y.C. naturopathic doctor Gabrielle Francis.