Exactly How Long It Should Take You To Fall Asleep, From A Neuroscientist

To find out how long it should take to fall asleep, we asked neuroscientist and author of Biohack Your Brain Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D.

She adds that if you don't get to sleep within 20 minutes, that doesn't mean you're not going to get good sound sleep. "If it takes you an hour to get to sleep, that's OK. It's not worth getting stressed about," she says.

When you have an idea of how long it usually takes you to fall asleep, you can account for that when planning your bedtime. This bedtime should stay relatively consistent, though Willeumier notes that on nights when there's underlying stress or anxiousness, you might want to start winding down even sooner since it may take you a bit longer to fall asleep.

"Most of the time, people aren't sleeping because their mind is still spinning. So we have to find ways to calm that down, which is why I love magnesium,"* she explains. Magnesium is an essential mineral, and certain forms of it can help enhance sleep quality, support a healthy circadian rhythm, and promote a steady state of relaxation.*

When you dim your lights, ideally you'll also stop using electronics that emit stimulating blue light, like cellphones and laptops.

Making sure your bedroom temperature is somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit also helps prepare the body to sleep, she says.

And to ensure you're not going to bed stressed, Willeumier recommends doing something calming, such as meditating, journaling, taking a warm bath or shower, reading, or listening to nature noises. (You can check out more of her tips for better sleep here!)

It takes most people around five to 20 minutes to fall asleep—but don't worry too much if it takes you a bit longer. The less we stress about falling asleep within a certain window, the more likely we are to relax and naturally drift off to dreamland.