I'm not sure about you, but I toss and turn for hours before finally falling asleep every night. Shutting your mind off after a long day can be extremely challenging, but we can't forget that for athletes, sleep is just as important as exercise and a healthy diet. Over the years the quality and quantity of sleep has declined. So, without further ado, here are 3 ways you can fall asleep faster tonight!
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The Military Method
- The United States Navy Pre-Flight school Created a routine to help pilots fall asleep in 2 minutes. Here are the steps as followed:
- Step 1: Relax all the muscles in your face, including the muscles inside your mouth.
- Step 2: Drop your shoulders to ease the tension and let your hands drop to the side of your body.
- Step 3: Exhale, relaxing your chest.
- Step 4: Relax your legs, thighs, and calves.
- Step 5: Clean your mind for 10 seconds, focusing on a relaxing scene.
- Step 6: If step 5 isn't working for you, try saying “don't think” over and over again in your head for 10 seconds.
- Step 7: Within 10 seconds you should be asleep.
- The United States Navy Pre-Flight school Created a routine to help pilots fall asleep in 2 minutes. Here are the steps as followed:
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4-7-8 Breathing Method
- This method mixes the elements of meditation and visualization. Here are the steps as followed:
- Step 1: Let your lips part slightly and make a whooshing sound as you exhale through your mouth.
- Step 2: Close your lips and inhale silently through your nose and count to 4 in your head.
- Step 3: Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Step 4: After, exhale with a whooshing sound for 8 seconds.
- Step 5: Avoid being too alert at the end of each cycle. Practice it mindlessly.
- Step 6: Complete this cycle for 4 full breaths. Let your body sleep if you feel relaxation coming on earlier than expected.
- This method mixes the elements of meditation and visualization. Here are the steps as followed:
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Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
- This is known as deep muscle relaxation and it helps you unwind. The idea is to tense your muscles and relax your muscles to ease the tension. Here are the steps as followed:
- Step 1: Raise your eyebrows as high as possible for 5 seconds.
- Step 2: Relax your muscles immediately and feel the tension drop. Wait 10 seconds.
- Step 3: Smile widely and create tension in your cheeks. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax.
- Step 4: Pause 10 seconds.
- Step 5: Squint your eyes shut. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax.
- Step 6: Pause 10 seconds.
- Step 7:Tilt your head slightly back so you're comfortably looking at the ceiling. Hold 5 seconds. Relax as your neck sinks back into the pillow.
- Step 8: Pause 10 seconds.
- Step 9: Keep moving down the rest of your body, from your triceps to chest, thighs to feet.
- Step 10: Let yourself fall asleep, even if you don't finish tensing and relaxing the rest of your body.
- This is known as deep muscle relaxation and it helps you unwind. The idea is to tense your muscles and relax your muscles to ease the tension. Here are the steps as followed:
Now make sure you train hard, eat well, and catch those zzz's!
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* Originally published on May 10, 2022, by Madison Machado