How to train yourself to fall asleep in under five minutes
The military method: The popular military method comes from the 1981 book ‘Relax and Win.
The military method: First, relax your entire face, including the muscles in your mouth.
Controlled 4-7-8 breathing method: This breathing method uses controlled amounts of time for inhaling and exhaling that trigger.
Controlled 4-7-8 breathing method: Once your tongue is in place, let your lips part slightly and make a whooshing sound as you exhale.
Diaphragmatic breathing: Similar to the previous method but with less of a structure, diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing.
Diaphragmatic breathing: Lay on your back and place one hand on your upper chest and the other on top of your belly.
Progressive muscle relaxation: The idea for this method is to tense (not strain) your muscles and subsequently relax and release the tension.
Progressive muscle relaxation: The idea is to tense parts of your body—by raising your eyebrows high, smiling wide.
Paradoxical intention: You can actually trick yourself into sleeping by telling yourself the opposite.
Paradoxical intention: Research has found that people who practiced paradoxical intention fell asleep faster than those who didn’t.