It can be extremely difficult to fall asleep when dealing with insomnia—but attempting to apply popular online sleep remedies might actually...
It can be extremely difficult to fall asleep when dealing with insomnia—but attempting to apply popular online sleep remedies might actually be making the situation worse.
If you are among the 23 million Britons who have this condition, you will probably try anything to achieve a restful night's sleep.
This is the caution from Dr David Garley, aNHSGP and the physician at The Better Sleep Clinic who identifies and manages sleep-related conditions.
But although it might be the last thing you wish to hear, he stated, "If you exert too much effort to fall asleep, you often end up sleeping worse."
As soon as you attempt to address it and exert excessive effort, this is frequently when your insomnia begins to worsen.
It may appear somewhat contradictory, yet occasionally it involves lifting your foot from the accelerator and genuinely focusing on doing less.
His caution follows multiple "foolproof techniques" that promise a rapid solution for sleeplessness, which have gained popularity on social media, the most recent being the military sleep method.
The trend, which promises to help you fall asleep in just two minutes, has made a comeback after gaining popularity on TikTok, with certain videos showcasing the technique receiving thousands of views.
It was initially referred to as the "military sleep technique" by Bud Winter, a sprint coach who explored psychology and authored the book "Relax and Win: Championship Performance."
In the book, he stated it was created for the United States Navy Pre-Flight School, designed to assist pilots in falling asleep immediately during high-stress scenarios.
The method was outlined by Dr. Dean J. Miller, a sleep expert from Central Queensland University in Australia, inThe Conversation.
"Accounts of the military sleep technique may differ somewhat based on the source, but three elements remain the same," he wrote.
The initial step, he described, is "progressive muscle relaxation," which consists of "tensing and then releasing the muscles in the face, followed by the shoulders and arms, and then proceeding down to the chest and legs."
The following step, he mentioned, is "controlled breathing," defined as "breathing that is slowed down and regulated, focusing on extended exhalations."
The last step he describes is 'visualization,' which entails 'envisioning a peaceful setting, like drifting on still water or resting in a quiet meadow.'
Although there are various forms of the hack, Dr. Garley mentions that each of these steps is usually performed for about 10 seconds.
Some variations of the sleep trick found online go further. They add an extra step for those who overthink, involving repeatedly telling yourself "don't think" until you drift off to sleep.
This was part of the version a man attempted in a TikTok video posted to the account @stanbr0wney, which has been viewed over 14,600 times.
In the video, he stated that 'visualizing a calm location didn't help me at all,' but this last, additional step made it work.
"Reciting the words 'don't think, don't think, don't think' is what I recall last before drifting off to sleep," he mentioned.
It wasn't two minutes, but I grasped this method in under five minutes and fell asleep.
It could prove effective for certain individuals, Dr. Miller stated, due to its parallels with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
The NHS states that the treatment is occasionally provided alongside a in-person therapist or via an online self-guided program.
However, he clarified that it is not realistic for us to fall asleep in just two minutes, and that if you are able to do so, it may not always be a positive sign.
"Sleeping repeatedly within five minutes may indicate excessive daytime sleepiness," he cautioned.
For individuals with standard 9-to-5 jobs and a consistent routine, falling asleep in 20 minutes is regarded as typical.
If you're genuinely having difficulty, Dr. Garley suggests seeking professional assistance rather than depending on fads.
His medication is referred to as sleep restriction, which he described as "almost always" a key component of CBT-I.
"It is the conventional therapy for insomnia advised by the NHS, the British Sleep Society, and the American Association of Sleep Medicine," he further stated.
There are many elements involved, but typically, it requires moving your bedtime slightly later or significantly later.
In reality, he mentioned: "At times, they limit your time in bed to five hours, meaning you go to sleep very late and don't get enough rest."
Then you're rising up feeling very tired, yet managing to stay awake all day, only to end up in bed very late again.
On day three or four, you become so exhausted that you go to bed and fall asleep immediately, managing to sleep through the entire night.
This "indirect approach" is effective, he stated, as although "we don't have direct control over sleep, we do have significant indirect influence."
"One of the primary mechanisms governing our sleep is the concept that the longer we stay awake, the more tired we become," he explained.
This is due to a compound known as 'adenosine,' which he mentioned your body produces when you are awake — 'the higher the levels, the more tired you become,' he explained.
The more time you spend awake, the more tired you become. Therefore, although you can't force yourself to fall asleep instantly, you can choose to stay up longer.
If you woke up two hours earlier and went to sleep two hours later, you might end up going to bed with a significantly stronger sleep pressure.
This suggests you will probably fall asleep faster and remain asleep. It isn't direct control, but it offers significant indirect influence.
Common signs of insomnia are difficulty falling asleep, staying awake throughout the night, and experiencing fatigue upon waking, according to the NHS.
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- Are these TikTok sleep techniques indicate a harmless fad or a move towards risky orthosomnia?
- Is the fixation on 'ideal sleep' advice from TikTok potentially taking away your rest and mental calm?
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