7 Sleep Doctors Reveal Their Favorite Tricks for Falling Asleep Fast

Sleep doctors toss and turn sometimes—but it’s never for long. That’s because they use scientifically-sound methods to lull themselves into dreamland. Steal their techniques so you can finally get a good night’s rest.

Blow bubbles
It sounds ridiculous, but blowing a few bubbles—like the kind that comes in a plastic bottle that you played with as a kid—right before bed can help you fall asleep faster, says Rachel Marie E. Salas, M.D., a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

It’s like a deep breathing exercise, which helps calm your body and mind, she says. And since it’s such a silly activity, it can also take your mind off of any potential sleep-thwarting thoughts.

Why Do Doctors Really Hit Your Knee with a Tiny Rubber Hammer?

Sure, sure, to test your reflexes. Everybody knows that. Isn’t the delayed kick in the pants when the doctor turns his back a slapstick mainstay? Harpo invented it. Or was it Curly?

Anyway, testing reflexes is the objective, but why hit that little sweet-spot below the kneecap specifically? Why doesn’t Dr. Feelgood just lob a quick sucker-punch at you to check your flinch factor?

For starters, the knee gets top billing in the reflex test for one simple reason: it’s easy to access. You’re sitting on the table in that backless gown, fighting humiliation and cold. It’s merciful that nobody’s asking you to hop on one leg while you pat your head and rub your belly. There’s your knee in all its unadorned glory. Sit tight, this won’t hurt a bit.

Study Drop: Ditch the Vitamins, Doctors Say

by Marjorie Korn 

Is taking a multivitamin in the morning as routine for you as brushing your teeth? This is one healthy habit that some doctors are urging you to ditch. In an editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine published this week, the authors are blunt: "stop wasting money on vitamin and mineral supplements." There's no good evidence that vitamin supplements offer health benefits, they say. What's more, there's some evidence that high doses of certain supplements -- beta-carotene, and vitamins E and A -- could potentially be harmful.