We can be tired all day but when it comes to jumping into bed, all of a sudden that fatigue can vanish and we're left lying awake watching the hours pass by.
And whilst many people suggest putting your phone away and having a dark and quiet space, this is something that is very much easier said than done.
However rather than counting sheep or lying awake thinking about all the stressful things going on in your life, there is something you can do - and apparently it works for the majority of people.
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The special technique is used by the US army in a bid to help you relax and send you to sleep in just two minutes. According to research, more than seven in 10 adults do not get the recommended seven to nine hours’ sleep a night, which would explain why there's such interest in this method.
Glamour magazine said the technique has been proven to work in intense environments and because it is used by the army in high-stress environments such as war zones, others should find it a simple and effective method to fall asleep in their everyday life.
The technique is explained in the 1981 book Relax and Win: Championship Performance. It was developed to deal with the issue of exhausted soldiers being too stressed or alert to sleep. And those who use it swear by it.
So, how does it work? Firstly, you should know that it is similar to a body scan in which you relax your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
You start by relaxing your face muscles, tongue, jaw and the muscles around the eyes. Next. lower your shoulders as far down as they’ll go, then do the same with your upper and lower arm, one side at a time.
Finally, exhale and relax your chest, then move down to your legs, starting from the thighs all the way down to your toes.
Apparently, after six weeks of practice, this works for 96 per cent of people who try the technique, which has being doing the rounds on social media.
One TikTok commentator 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 said: “My doctor taught me this technique with slight variations when I had insomnia due to PTSD. Trust me it works 100% once you get it down.”
One Twitter user even said it may have cured his four decades of insomnia adding: “Hmm, might be a bit early to get excited but after 40 odd years of insomnia, I got a half decent sleep last night.. I'll be impressed (and a little annoyed) if it was that simple. Military method.
“I never have trouble going to sleep but usually wake up in the early hours and that's when I struggle. Normally at that stage I would toss and turn for ages but this technique stopped all that and allowed me to get back to sleep quite quickly.
"It's taken a few weeks of practice but touch wood, seems to be helping.”
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