Cape Town - Some people want a nice car. Others want to be rich. But most of us just want to be able to sleep in a few minutes so we can be well rested for the stress of the next day.
This TikTok video shows how to sleep in two minutes. This military technique has been around for a while, but thanks to fitness coach Justin Agustin, whose video went viral, we can now all learn how to sleep a little bit better at night.
Yes, minutes. Goodbye, insomnia, hello well-deserved rest.
@justin_agustin Technique to falling asleep in 2 minutes! Insp. AsapSCIENCE on YT #sleep #fallasleep #insomnia #insomniac #learnontiktok #howto ♬ You - Petit Biscuit
So what do you do?
Start by relaxing your jaw and facial muscles, including your tongue.
Drop your shoulders down as far as they’ll go. This will release any tension stored in the shoulders.
While keeping your arms loose by your sides, relax your fingers and hands. Exhale deeply to relax your chest.
Take the relaxation to the muscles in your legs and feet.
Now imagine a calming, warm sensation spreading from your head down to your toes.
While inhaling and exhaling deeply, make sure to clear your mind of the thoughts and stresses of the day. Forget about that meeting or that petty argument.
Now think about one of the following two images:
Either you can imagine lying on your back in a canoe on a calm lake. Picture yourself looking at the crystal-clear sky above you.
Or you can imagine lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room.
If your mind wanders, repeat the words, ‘don’t think, don’t think, don’t think’ over and over for about 10 seconds. Once you have done this, return to the visualisation until you fall asleep.
How does it work?
This technique was designed to help soldiers fall asleep fast at any time and in any situation. They did this by focusing on relaxation and alleviating muscle tension.
This then activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which essentially controls how much rest you get.
You are probably thinking something along the lines of “Wow, this is too good to be true.” While it is true, there is a small catch.
This sleep method rarely helps you fall asleep in two minutes the very first time you try it. So if you try it the same night you read this article, chances are you won’t get it right.
This is because, as with all things, you need to practise this technique for it to be effective.
Within about six weeks it’s said to be effective for around 96% of people.
It is also worth having a good bedtime routine that helps you unwind before hitting the hay so you’re in a more relaxed head space for sleeping.
While we should not just believe everything on TikTok, this has been proven to work. Several TikTok users have also shared their experiences of this technique.
TikTok user crystalmarieh00 said: “I’m a military brat and was taught this. I also had a veteran as a psychology teacher in college who taught this. It definitely works.”
Another TikTok user frantastik50 says: “My doctor taught me this technique with slight variations when I had insomnia due to PTSD. Trust me, it works 100% once you got it down.”
IOL