Forget the potato bed trend — these 3 tips are proven to help you fall asleep fast, say experts

Another week and another sleep hack has landed on my desk. Taking over TikTok is the ‘potato bed’ trend — a way to turn your bed into a cozy baked potato. Don't worry, we’ll explain more below.

But how effective can this trend be in helping you fall asleep fast? Sure, a cozy den to cuddle up in seems like the perfect idea in the dark winter months. However, the sceptic in me is less sure of the ‘potato bed.’

I’ve spoken to experts to find out whether you should jump on the trend and to get their expert advice on real, fool-proof ways to fall asleep fast, starting tonight.

What is the ‘potato bed’ trend?

You might be imagining all sorts right now, so I’ll put you out of your misery.

The potato bed trend means turning your fitted sheet inside out so the elastic corners are facing upwards on your bed, filling the edges with pillows to keep the sheet open and in a round shape and then filling the middle with blankets and more pillows.

This creates a cocoon kind of shape which you can then snuggle up in, surrounded by cozy blankets.

What do the experts think of the potato bed trend?

Like me, the experts aren’t so thrilled about the so called benefits of the potato bed trend.

“The potato bed trend may be okay for a one-off — perhaps for a sleepover — but to regularly sleep in this cocoon-like way can affect your sleep quality over time,” says Dr. Deborah Lee, health and sleep expert from Doctor Fox, working alongside Comfybedss.

“Not only does this trend give you restricted movement, which is vital for sleep quality, but it can leave you waking up with aches and pains in your body, due to having to cocoon yourself up to fit in the tight area,” the doctor explains.

Plus, you’re more likely to overheat. “When you overheat at night, your body can’t drop its temperature, which is imperative for you to gain restorative and deep sleep,” says Dr. Lee.

“Air needs to circulate around your face and body when sleeping — this is even more important if someone is prone to snoring,“ she adds.

While it might be a nice way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon nap, we don’t recommend you sleep through the night in your potato bed.

“Just because it might feel comfy doesn’t mean it’s doing you any good sleep-quality-wise," Dr. Lee explains.

3 fool-proof ways to fall asleep fast tonight

Have a warm bath or shower before bed

Did you know that in order to fall asleep, our core body temperature needs to drop. This happens naturally if our internal body clocks (circadian rhythms) are well regulated, but that’s not always the case.

To help this process, you can lower your own body temperature. One effective way of doing this is to have a warm bath or shower before bed. Moving from a hot bathroom to a cooler bedroom will cause your body temperature to drop.

"Brief passive heating promotes vasodilation, which helps the body shed heat afterward," says Dr. Leah Kaylor, a world sleep expert and licensed psychologist specializing in sleep for six years.

"This drop in core temperature is a natural cue for sleep onset and has been shown to reduce sleep latency by improving thermoregulatory efficiency," she explains.

Plus, you’ll hopefully be feeling relaxed and tension free after the warm water has soothed you.

Block out ambient noise and light

This sounds like an obvious step, but reducing the amount of noise and light in your bedroom can significantly improve your sleep — both sleeping through the night and falling asleep fast.

The most effective way of doing this is to try sleep earplugs. Whether you opt for the cheap foam options or spend a bit more for reusable soft silicone models, like Loop earplugs, you’ll notice a huge difference in how quickly you fall asleep and how little you wake up during the night.

Similarly, a blackout sleep mask will stop any disturbances from light pollution. Even if my bedroom isn’t bright, I like to use one because I find it helps my mind switch off.

"Using earplugs and an eye mask minimizes sensory input, allowing the brain’s arousal systems to quiet more quickly," explains Dr. Kaylor.

Cognitive shuffling

Cognitive shuffling is one sleep hack I can get behind — it personally helps me fall asleep in under 5 minutes.

By thinking of random objects and visualizing them, you essentially tell your brain it’s time to stop thinking rationally. This allows you to ‘switch off’ — fast tracking a natural process.

Start by using a word like SLEEP. Think of as many random objects that start with each letter. For example:

Sausages, sun, shadow

Log, lion, light

Elephant, egg, ear

Eel, eye, exercise

Pencil, pig, parcel

If you lose focus, just start again. And remember, the objects should not be related to each other or have negative connotations.

"This technique competes with intrusive thinking, reduces cognitive arousal, and helps the brain transition into sleep more smoothly," Dr. Kaylor explains.