It has been said that we spend a third of our lives sleeping. But for many, it is far less than a third. Sleep deprivation caused by lack of sleep or inconsistent sleeping patterns is common among most of the U.S population. There are so many factors that could be causing us to toss and turn at night including stress and other underlying illnesses.
Outstanding debt, our health, our family’s well being, and safety are just a few of the things lingering over our heads. Instead of cotton candy clouds and peaceful bliss, many of us are greeted with anxiety and lead pipe dreams that keep us wide awake well into the early hours of the morning. Even if you manage to get three or four hours of shut-eye, you still wake up feeling foggy, tired, and even more stressed.
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For some, counting sheep does the trick and for others, taking a natural approach, such as Sleepsyl™ by Approved Science®, is the preferred method to try to fight back insomnia and get a night of quality sleep.
If these methods are not working for you, there is a third option that has actually been developed and perfected by the U.S Navy. All it takes is 2 minutes of your time and some practice…
What Is The U.S Navy Method?
For us average Joe’s and Susan’s, a few sleepless nights are not going to change the world and it certainly isn’t a life or death situation. Sure you may wake up feeling foggy and the presentation you were worrying about all night may have had a few hiccups, but it certainly doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. However, for those in the military and on the battlefield field, it is a different story.
Sleep is a luxury when you are enrolled in the Military. Between training and all the responsibilities, there is very little time left for sleep. And when that time does come around, it’s not that easy to fall asleep in an uncomfortable sleeping bag with the sounds of explosions in the background, not to mention the copious amounts of caffeine consumed throughout the day just to function properly. Eventually, this lack of sleep takes its toll, and soldiers begin to wear thin. The lack of sleep causes us to make poor decisions and our reflexes are certainly not as fast as someone who gets at least 8 hours of shut-eye a night.
This is the exact scenario that played out during WWII. The U.S Airforce noticed that pilots were making poor decisions due to the lack of sleep that was completely avoidable and unfortunately the consequences were fatal, which eventually turned into a vicious cycle of stress and insomnia.
Because of these fatal errors, the U.S Navy turned to science and psychology and developed a clever method to help soldiers fall asleep in 120 seconds regardless of what environment they were in and the time of day. The method was practiced over six weeks and the results were incredible. At least 96% of soldiers managed to perfect the method and fall asleep in less than 120 seconds.
While many soldiers still practice this sleep method, many others who aren’t enrolled in the Military use it to escape everyday stressors and get a quality night’s sleep by following these easy steps:
How To Fall Asleep In 2 Minutes
Get Comfy
The first step to drifting off to La La land is to get comfy. Soldiers and pilots have mastered the art of falling asleep upright in a chair using this sleep method. If you are at home, you can get comfy in your bed or on the couch. If you are in the airport or a similar environment and want to catch some z’s, with a little practice it can be done. The best way to get comfortable in an upright position is to sit back in the chair, set your feet flat on the ground, and let your arms go limp into your lap.
Relax Your Face
Now that you have assumed the comfy position, it’s time to work on those face muscles. Think of your face as the control center for all your emotions. Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath in while relaxing every muscle in your face. Try not to frown, squint, or smile. After taking a deep breath in and completely relaxing the muscles in your face, breathe out while relaxing your jaw, cheeks, mouth, and tongue. Your eyes should still be closed, but they should also be limp and relaxed. It shouldn’t feel like you are shutting your eyes tightly or forcing them closed. Once your eyelids are relaxed and heavy, it signals the rest of the body to follow suit.
Release Tension In Your Upper Body
Once your face is relaxed and you are still in a comfortable spot, it’s time to work on the tension we naturally hold in our upper body. Start by dropping your shoulders as low as you can. Imagine your shoulders dropping slowly all the way down to your lap. You should feel your neck muscles start to relax once your shoulders are limp. Breathe in deeply and exhale slowly while allowing every muscle in your neck and shoulders to relax as you breathe out.
Keep breathing in and out slowly while visualizing every muscle in your arms going limp as well. Start with your right arm, working from the biceps down, and continue onto the left until every muscle is relaxed and limp at your side.
Relax Your Legs
Still taking deep breaths in and out, it’s time to move on to your legs. Start with the right thigh. Picture it sinking into the chair and falling limp against the chair. Move your way down to the calf muscle, ankle, and then foot before moving on to the left leg. Continue taking deep breaths in and relaxing every muscle as you breathe out.
Every muscle from your neck, face, arms, and legs should be relaxed and limp.
Calm Your Mind
Spend the last 10 seconds on calming your mind and clearing your thoughts. This step is harder said than done and will require some practice. The key is to completely clear your thoughts so you are not thinking about anything like upcoming events or how your day went or what your dog is getting up to at home. By thinking of these things, your muscles will start to move or tense up, which means you will have to start the process all over again. It is these last 10 seconds that really send you off to dreamland.
To prevent yourself from thinking about different things, try picture one still image in your head, and keep focusing on it. Picture yourself on your couch drifting to sleep or lying in a hammock swinging gently in the breeze watching the sunset. Keep your focus on this image for 10 seconds. When every muscle in your body is relaxed and your thoughts have been paused for those crucial 10 seconds, you will be sound asleep in under 2 minutes.
As we mentioned, this process does take practice to master, but once you get the hang of it, sleepless nights will be a thing of the past.