Falling Asleep Too Quickly May Be a Sign of Trouble 

Are you one of the lucky few who drift right off to sleep the second that your head hits the pillow? It turns out those who are quick to drift off to dreamland may not be getting as much rest as they think. The ability to fall asleep too quickly, nap at any time, or fall asleep anywhere may be an indication that a person has an undiagnosed sleep disorder.

How fast is too fast, and when should you seek professional help? The team at Silent Night Therapy can help shed some light on when falling asleep too quickly may be a troubling sign.

How Long Should It Take to Fall Asleep?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Different people require different amounts of sleep. Generally, the quality of sleep a person gets is more beneficial to their overall health and wellbeing than the amount of sleep. When a person falls asleep too quickly, it may be a sign that they are fatigued and need either more or better-quality sleep.

On average, a healthy adult should fall asleep within 15 minutes. If it takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, that could be one sign of insomnia. However, if it takes five minutes or less for a person to fall asleep when their head hits the pillow, it could be indicative of an unhealthy level of sleepiness.

Sleep Deprivation and Sleep Deficiency

Drifting off too quickly on a routine basis may indicate that an individual is suffering from some form of sleep deprivation or sleep deficiency. Sleep deprivation generally means that a person is not getting enough rest. Sleep deficiency is a broader term that means an individual:

• May not be getting enough sleep
• Sleeps at the wrong time of day
• Doesn’t experience quality sleep
• Has a sleep disorder that prevents them from sleeping properly

Sleep deprivation and sleep deficiencies can cause excessive sleepiness and fatigue. When the body experiences excessive sleepiness or fatigue, a person may fall asleep more quickly.

What Causes a Person to Fall Asleep Too Fast?

Several underlying conditions may contribute to a person being sleep-deprived and falling asleep too fast. An undiagnosed sleep disorder like sleep apnea may be one of those causes. Sleep apnea is a condition that causes a person to periodically stop breathing while asleep. When a person stops breathing, whether they are aware it is happening or not, their sleep pattern becomes interrupted. This form of fragmented sleep can cause sleep deprivation, sleep deficiency, and overall fatigue.

Some of the most common symptoms associated with sleep apnea include:

• Snoring
• Gasping for air
• Dry mouth or sore throat after waking up
• Night sweats
• Daytime fatigue
• Waking up frequently at night
• Difficulty concentrating
• Headaches
• Dental problems

If you constantly feel tired or fall asleep too quickly, you may have sleep apnea or another undiagnosed sleep disorder. The experienced team at Silent Night Therapy can help get to the root cause of your sleep issues and offer you a more restful and satisfying sleep experience. Don’t despair. Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders can be treated.

Ready to get a better night’s sleep? Contact the experienced team at Silent Night Therapy to schedule a free sleep consultation.