Ever thought about how military members manage to sleep in the middle of the stress and danger of a battle zone?
The answer is: it takes practice.
Back during World War II, U.S. Navy pilots used a 6-step method that — allegedly — helped them fall asleep in 2 minutes or less after 6 weeks of practicing.
Now, there hasn’t actually been any modern research to back that up.
But it's still worth a shot because it combines some of the most researched ways of falling asleep, including:
● Deep breathing exercises
● Progressive muscle relaxation
● Visualization methods
So let's talk details...
The Military Method for Falling Asleep in 2 Minutes or Less
Relax your face. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Relax all of your facial muscles, imagining that your face feels heavy and let it sink into the pillow.
Let your shoulders drop. Release tension from your shoulders by relaxing them away from the ears, then relax arm muscles from top to bottom.
Relax your chest and upper back. Take a deep breath and gently exhale, letting your chest feel heavy and relaxed. Notice your back sinking into the bed.
Relax your legs. Start with your thighs and feel your muscles get heavy, and then work your way down to your lower legs and feet.
Clear your mind. Clear your min for 10 seconds. Think of a peaceful, beautiful place and nothing else. If that doesn’t work, try slowly repeating the phrase "don't think" to yourself over and over for about 10 seconds.
Practice regularly. It can take up to around 6 weeks to master these systematic relaxation techniques. But with time, your body (and brain!) can start to tie doing these steps to falling sleep.
If you try...let me know how it goes!
These kinds of techniques can make a noticeable difference in your overall well health, but sometimes we all need a little extra help to get on track.
So if you keep telling yourself “I’ll start Monday…”
Or if a little slip or “cheat day” keeps turning into weeks of poor choices and low energy…let’s chat.
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REFERENCE:
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