How to go to sleep fast and stay asleep through the night

Here’s why sleep matters so much – plus how to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Most adults wish they could catch more ZZZs for better health, sharper focus or simply to wake up feeling rested. Despite that desire, sufficient sleep remains elusive for millions. About one in three adults in the United States reports not getting enough sleep at night, and an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans live with chronic sleep disorders.

This widespread lack of sleep can quietly affect everything from mood and productivity to long-term health, while getting enough rest can help with everything from memory and immune function to heart health and emotional well-being. “Sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind,” says Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a pulmonary and sleep specialist at Huntington Memorial Hospital in California.

Here’s why it matters so much – plus how to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Sleep is far from a passive state – it’s an active and essential process during which the body performs critical maintenance and restoration. It matters so much that “instead of treating sleep as the last thing you cram in at day’s end,” suggests Dr. Wendy Troxel, a senior behavioral sleep scientist at the RAND Corporation, “make it the first priority that sets you up for success the next day.”

She explains that while you sleep, your brain consolidates memories, processes new information and clears out waste products that accumulate during waking hours. At the same time, your body repairs tissues, balances hormones, regulates metabolism and strengthens immune defenses. These processes help explain why poor sleep is linked to a higher risk of conditions such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression and weakened immunity.