Getting more sleep is essential to overall well-being. People who sleep for five to six hours a night are 19 percent less productive than those who sleep seven to eight hours a night, while those who sleep fewer than five hours are roughly 30 percent less productive, according to a 2018 study.
It’s true that they’re awake for a longer period of time. However, they do less. Perhaps it’s because a lack of sleep can make any work that involves concentration, deep thinking, or problem-solving more difficult.
So little sleep is equivalent to drinking one or two beers in terms of attention and response speed as little as six hours of sleep and as little as four hours of sleep. Research demonstrates that sleep deprivation makes it more difficult to do any activity that involves more than one step, which is pretty much everything.
Finally, another study found that lack of sleep produces an increase in the brain’s reward centers, which are linked to food cravings. A lack of sleep is a direct result of a poor diet, which in turn leads to a poorer diet. (Yay.)
As a result, the vast majority of people are aware that they need more sleep.
But what if you have trouble winding down at night?
A technique known as the Military Method can help.
An Ingenious Way to Get to Sleep More Quickly
The routine was developed by the Navy Pre-Flight School to help pilots fall asleep, according to the book Relax and Win: Championship Performance by Lloyd Bud Winter
In just six weeks, 96 percent of the pilots were able to fall asleep in less than two minutes. After a cup of coffee and sat on a chair listening to a tape of machine gunfire. In this manner:
Your entire face should be relaxed at this point. Put your brows together. Slowly inhale and exhale. Relax your face muscles one by one. Starting with the muscles in your forehead and working your way down will help. Relax your jaw, cheeks, mouth, tongue, and the rest of your body. Let go of your eyes, too.
Take a few deep breaths and relax your body. Take a deep breath and let go of any stress. Take a deep breath and let go of the tension in your neck and shoulders. Relax your biceps, forearms, and hands by starting at the top of your right arm and working your way down.
Proceed in the opposite direction. Also, don’t forget to maintain a steady and deep breathing pattern.
Relax your chest by taking a deep breath out. That should be simple if you relax your shoulders and arms.
Straighten your limbs. To begin, place your right thigh on the chair or bed and let it sink in. Do the same for your calf, ankle, and foot after that. Then do the same with your other leg.
Now that you’ve gotten your thoughts in order, relax. It’s true that it’s difficult not to think about anything. My mind wanders to thoughts of not thinking at all. If that’s the case for you, try visualizing it. Relaxation is the key here. Assume that you are slumbering peacefully in the dark. However, if it doesn’t work…
Try saying “don’t think” for 10 seconds and see if it helps. At the very least, it will keep your mind off of whatever is keeping you awake otherwise.
Keep in mind that practice is the key.
The more often you practice the Military Method, the better you’ll get at relaxing, even if it doesn’t help you fall asleep faster the first few times. Let go of the reins.
Regardless of whether or not we’re “trying” to get to sleep faster, we all do so.
So why not get the ball rolling right away?