Falling asleep is easier for some than others. If you are someone who cannot fall asleep right away, you may be in the market for methods to help you out.
Luckily, the solution to your problem can be easy and fun. There is a handful of games that can aid you in getting a good night’s rest. These may be mobile games, or they may be games that you can play inside your mind.
Read on to learn about some of the best games that might help you fall asleep.
1. Meditation Games
The first step to falling asleep is to relax your mind. Meditation games can help you to do just that.
You can start meditating by yourself. One method is to picture yourself packing every loud thought in your brain into its own box. Then, imagine yourself pulling each of those boxes out of your mind and discarding them in your room. This form of meditation is an effective way to clear your head.
Alternatively, you can download a mobile meditation app. The app Meditation Game is known for helping people with insomnia. It is available for Android and iOS.
2. Counting Sheep
Counting sheep is one of the most well-known methods of falling asleep. The game has been around since the twelfth century.
There are a few different ways to count sheep. Some may choose to close their eyes and count imaginary sheep. Alternatively, there are posters explicitly designed for this activity. These posters often include several animated sheep for you to count until your eyelids grow heavy.
Cell phone apps and websites also allow users to count sheep until they fall asleep. Websites like “I Can’t Sleep” will display the number on the screen while the user follows along.
3. Storytelling
A fun game that might help you fall asleep is a storytelling game. Some creative folks choose to conjure a fantasy world in their minds. At night, they can leave their thoughts behind and escape here. Following along as fictional scenarios play out in your mind can be very relaxing and may distract you from loud thoughts.
If you struggle to come up with your very own fictional world, try out a story prompt website. Find a prompt that you like and write your own story in your mind until you fall asleep.
There is also the option to listen to an audio drama podcast. Spotify and Apple Podcasts have audio dramas from every genre for listeners to shuffle through. If you cannot make your own story, this is a great option to hear someone else’s.
4. Counting Games
Counting games are easy to play alone. There are many different ways to go about a counting game. Try out one of the following counting exercises:
- Counting backward from 100
- Counting backward from 1000
- Counting backward with only even numbers
- Counting backward with only odd numbers
- Counting with multiples of three
- Counting backward with multiples of five
- Counting backward with multiples of seven
Different counting exercises require different amounts of focus. Depending on the root of someone’s insomnia, they may choose an easier or harder exercise.
5. Puzzle Games
Puzzle games give your brain something to do. They keep your mind healthy and active, but they can also help to tire you out.
Try out the following puzzle games before bed:
- Tetris
- Sudoku
- Candy Crush
- Monkey Wrench
- Sembl
These games are available online. They are also downloadable as mobile apps for Android and iOS. Tetris, in particular, is a fan favourite for people who have issues falling asleep.
6. Letter Games
Letter games are simple to play by yourself.
One example of a letter game is to think of an object for every letter of the alphabet. A variation would be to think of a specific type of noun for every letter. For example, finding an animal for every letter. A for Aardvark, B for Bat, etc.
You can also try playing a similar game, but instead of the alphabet, use your name.
Another fun letter game is to think of a word. Then, think of another word that starts with the last letter of the first word. So, if the first word is “dog,” the second word could be “grape.”
This game is a light mental workout while also being very relaxing.
7. ASMR Games
Many insomniacs resort to ASMR to fall asleep. ASMR stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response.” It is very relaxing and almost sedative.
Some people choose to listen to ASMR artists that publish YouTube videos, podcasts, or TikToks.
However, some prefer a more interactive approach to ASMR. For example, the Super Slime Simulator app for Android and iOS makes viewers feel like they are playing with real slime. They hear all of the noises, but they have control over making them.
8. Word Games
Wordsmiths might be inclined to try out a few word games to put themselves to sleep. Some of the most popular word games are:
- Word searches
- Crossword puzzles
- Scrabble
- Words with Friends
- Wordiest
- Wordle
- Cryptogram
- Wordzee
These games are available as mobile apps. This way, smartphone users can play in the dark with no clean-up.
9. Tile Hop
Tile Hop is a mobile app for Android and iOS. Players bounce a small ball from tile to tile in time with the music.
The game requires a lot of focus, so it is the perfect app to clear your mind as you try to fall asleep.
Some versions of the game use an EDM soundtrack. If this is too much for bedtime, turn down the volume.
10. Card Games
There are plenty of card games available as cell phone apps and on websites. Find an app to play the following card games late at night:
- Solitaire
- Go fish
- Poker
- Patience
- Rummy
Card games require focus and concentration to beat an opponent, which helps to clear the mind.
Wrap Up
We hope that you liked our suggestions for games that might help you fall asleep. Games are a great way to take your mind off of the real world. Some are mindless, and some require more concentration. Both types can be useful when it comes to falling asleep.
Remember, if an inability to fall asleep persists, consult a licensed physician.
