[Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.]
A friend suggested I read “Relax and Win: Championship Performance” by Sharon Ackerman— a book about reducing mental injuries by releasing tensions of competition and performance.
It’s when I came across this military sleep technique that teaches you to fall asleep in less than 2 minutes. I didn’t believe anything could put you to sleep so quickly until I read statistics — 96 percent success rate with only six weeks of training!
According to the book, this method is a guaranteed sleep formula despite drinking coffee or having loud noises in the background.
Since, American Sleep Association estimates that 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder due to any cause like — obesity, sedentary lifestyle, heart problems, diabetes., I was compelled to write about this military sleep technique.
Even if you don’t have a sleeping disorder or insomnia, it will enable you to sleep faster without having to stare at the ceiling or feeling the urge to surf the internet.
So, let’s begin!
What Is the Military Sleep Technique
The quick sleep formula has 3 important parts:
- Muscle Relaxation
- Focussed Breathing
- Visualization (Optional But Highly Recommended)
Here Are the Steps Involved:
- Free yourself from all the chores and sit on your bed’s edge. Ensure that your bedside light is off and your phone is on DND mode.
- Now relax your face. If you haven’t done it before, here’s an easy way — first, tighten your face through a wince, and then let your facial muscles relax naturally. Also, let your tongue drop down in any manner in your mouth.
- After relaxing your facial muscles, let gravity pull down your shoulders as if it has no energy of its own. Let your arms hang sideways.
- Now, inhale and exhale slowly, focusing on the “swishing” sound of your breath.
- You can follow the 4–7–8 breathing method: Count to 4 while taking a deep leisurely inhalation, 7 counts of holding your breath, and exhale through 8 counts.
- Allow gravity to soften your thighs and lower legs with each breath.
- As your entire body feels energy-less, repeat the phrase “Don’t think, don’t think” as a chant. You can also substitute this chant with any positive affirmation.
Optional but highly recommended: If you’re not good at silencing your mind(like me), visualize yourself sitting at a tranquil place like mountains, beaches, boats, a rocking chair, etc.
Within a few seconds, you’ll drift off to sleep.
The effectiveness of this method depends on practice and how well you can silence your mind from the “restless” thoughts of daily activities.
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