Sleep problems - what causes them
Insomnia is the inability to sleep at all or sleep well at night, as the causes can be of a different nature. For example, stress, health, the medicines you take, or even the amount of coffee you drink. According to CDC data, in the U.S. alone, about 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems [ref. 1] and for Europe we found only one study from 2015, which included 54,722 respondents aged 50 and over from 16 countries. This study confirms that sleep problems are also quite prevalent among Europe's adult population, with prevalence rates ranging from 16.6% in Denmark and Italy to 31.2% in Poland. [Ref. 2]
The secret to falling asleep everywhere
For so many people with sleep problems, any advice would be helpful. Besides well-known activities, such as yoga, meditation or pilates, which bring relieve the tension from the nervous and muscular systems, there is another interesting technique that can help prepare the body for sleep.
"A secret military technique that is reported to help everyone fall asleep in just two minutes has been revealed recently," according to a publication in the U.K. Independent. The technique was featured in a video posted on the social network Tik-Tok by fitness "guru" Justin Agüstin. [ref. 3] Justin shares this tried-and-tested technique with his followers, claiming that the technique was originally developed for fighter pilots who need sleep for maximum concentration, even if it's on the battlefield. And if the technique really works in such harsh conditions, then we assume it would work in many others.
What is the sleep technique exactly
Start by lying on your back in bed with your hands to the body and slightly open legs. Relax the muscles on your forehead. Relax your eyes, cheeks, jaw and focus on your breathing.
Now relax the neck and shoulders. Make sure your shoulders are not strained. Drop them as low as possible and keep your hands free close to the body, including hands and fingers.
Imagine that a pleasant warm feeling passes from your head all the way to your fingertips.
Now take a deep breath and slowly exhale, relaxing your chest, abdomen to your hips, knees, legs and feet. Then imagine how the warm sensation is directed from your heart to the toes. At this point, it is really important to clear your mind of any worries.
If you still find it difficult to relax, you can imagine that you are lying in a canoe on a calm lake under clear skies, or that you are in a hammock in a dark room.
If you get distracted by intrusive thoughts or worries running through your mind, you should repeat the words "Don't think, Don't think, Don't think" in your mind for 10 seconds before returning to the imaginary boat or canoe scenario.
With regular practice of the technique within six weeks, 96 percent of pilots were able to fall asleep in two minutes or less. That's what Sharon Ackerman points out in another Medium post.