Have Trouble Sleeping? Put Your Phone Away & Try This 2-Minute Falling Asleep Technique
Do you have trouble falling asleep? 💤
Well, we’ve all been there. Its 2 a.m. and you’re tossing and turning. Every time you look at the clock another 30 minutes have gone by, and still not a wink of shut-eye.
According to the American Sleep Association, 50–70 million US adults suffer from sleep disorders. It’s estimated that around 20% of people worldwide suffer from sleep deprivation.
Insomnia can be common if people are under a great amount of stress, experiencing big life changes, or having emotional difficulties.
If you suffer from insomnia, a lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalances, which lead to weight gain, slower reaction times, irritability, memory problems, depression, and headaches.
Why sleep is so important for us:
• Sleep boosts immunity
If you seem to catch every cold and flu that’s going around, your bedtime could be to blame. Prolonged lack of sleep can disrupt your immune system, so you’re less able to fend off bugs.
• Sleep can slim you
Sleeping less may mean you put on weight! Studies have shown that people who sleep less than 7 hours a day tend to gain more weight and have a higher risk of becoming obese than those who get 7 hours of slumber.
• Sleep boosts mental wellbeing
Given that a single sleepless night can make you irritable and moody the following day, it’s not surprising that chronic sleep debt may lead to long-term mood disorders like depression and anxiety. When people with anxiety or depression were surveyed to calculate their sleeping habits, it turned out that most of them slept for less than 6 hours a night.
• Sleep prevents diabetes
Studies have suggested that people who usually sleep less than 5 hours a night have an increased risk of developing diabetes. It seems that missing out on deep sleep may lead to type 2 diabetes by changing the way the body processes glucose, which the body uses for energy.
• Sleep wards off heart disease
Long-standing sleep deprivation seems to be associated with increased heart rate, an increase in blood pressure and higher levels of certain chemicals linked with inflammation, which may put extra strain on your heart.
Why do you have problems with sleep? 😴
There might be quite a few reasons for having sleep issues. I won’t cover medical problems here, as I want to emphasize the impact of modern technologies on our life.
In the century of mobile technology, almost everyone is on their phone before sleep. This is a major problem why we have trouble sleeping. The reason for this is the blue light emitted from screens that reduce the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep cycles.
Modern technologies are trying to solve this issue by changing the light of your screen to warmer colors, e.g. the Night Shift on the iOS and Mac OS.
Does it really work?
According to a recent study by Light Research Center study on the effectiveness of Night Shift, warmer light suppressed melatonin slightly less than the average blue light, but there was no significant difference. So we can assume it won’t prevent you from any sleep issues.
So the first thing you need to do to prepare for sleep is putting off your phone at least 1 hour before falling asleep.
A secret military technique to fall asleep in 2 minutes
A good night’s sleep can make the difference between a great and a horrible day. 😭➡😊
So if you’re one of the millions of people in the world who suffer from a sleep disorder or you want to fall asleep faster, learn the foolproof trick of getting to sleep in 2 minutes or less straight from the U.S. army.
It appeared that this method is not new at all. This technique was first described in a book from 1981 called Relax and Win: Championship Performance by Lloyd Bud Winter.
How it works 📃
- Prepare for sleep. Set the alarm clock for the morning, put your phone away. Relax.
- Relax your facial muscles and tongue. Tighten them up first, and then slowly let your muscles loosen.
- Relax your shoulders, then your arms. Let a wave of relaxation flow down your thighs, your knees and legs. Let it go down your feet.
- While doing this focus on your breath: breath in and out. Let your chest relax further.
- Clear your mind. If thoughts aren’t going away repeat “letting go of thoughts…letting go of thoughts…letting go of thoughts”. It should work well.
The irony is that you can actually use your phone to get relaxed. 📱 There are some decent apps that can help you fall asleep faster. People say that guided meditation and nature sounds contribute to relaxation faster. So instead of scrolling your Instagram feed before sleep, try to listen to some relaxing sounds that can actually benefit your health and general wellbeing.
✈The pilots practiced the method over and over, and 96% of them achieved success after six weeks of practice. These weeks of practice are a worthwhile investment because once you have it down, you can nap and sleep anywhere, which will dramatically improve your quality of life.
Let me know what have you tried to fall asleep fast. Do you use any apps? 💤
