If You Have Trouble Falling Asleep, The Quarter-Hour Rule Is Going To Revolutionize Your Life

You know when your parents told you that by your bedtime, you needed to be lying down, whether you were fast asleep or staring at the ceiling? Well, the quarter-hour rule rejects that. Instead, the quarter-hour rule requires getting up for 15 minutes and going to bed when you start to feel tired.

According to researchers at the National Health Service in the UK, when insomniacs aren't able to sleep when in their bed, they start to associate it as a place for being awake. Instead, you should get up, preferably going to another room to do an activity that will make you tired. Try listening to calming music, reading a book without too much action, or snacking on foods guaranteed to help you sleep at night, like cherries, bananas, or cereal.

Although it's called the quarter-hour rule, you don't need to watch the clock religiously. Estimate what 15 minutes feel like, and spend the time doing things that make you sleepy. When you start to feel your eyes drooping, go back to the bedroom and see if you can get any shut-eye.