A personal trainer recommends sleeping tips used by soldiers and fighter pilots to maintain overall health.
A personal trainer recommends sleeping tips used by soldiers and fighter pilots to maintain overall health.
Falling asleep quickly eludes many people. But a personal trainer shared a “mind-blowing” technique for falling asleep in only two minutes at any time and place.
Justin Agustin explained the method, which he says is often used in the military, in a video shared on TikTok on Jan. 19.
In the video, which has notched up almost 5 million views, Agustin explains: “Sleep for a soldier is crucial … even on the battlefield, when the environment is extremely uncomfortable, and there’s a lot of noise happening.
“Now, according to my research, this was developed mainly for fighter pilots who need 100 percent of their reflexes and focus, which we all know decreases with the lack of sleep.”
He explained the technique on TikTok as follows: “First, you need to calm your body and systematically relax and shut down each part of your body from head to toe, literally.
“Start by relaxing the muscles in your forehead. Relax your eyes, your cheeks, your jaw and focus on your breathing.
“Now go down to your neck and your shoulders. Make sure your shoulders are not tensed up. Drop them as low as you can and keep your arms loose to your side, including your hands and fingers.”
Agustin then told his viewers to imagine a warm sensation traveling down from their heads to their fingertips.
“Take a deep breath and slowly exhale, relaxing your chest, your stomach down to your thighs, knees, legs and feet,” he said.
“Again, imagine this warm sensation going down from your heart all the way to your toes.
“To do this, think of two scenarios. One, you are lying in a canoe on a calm lake with nothing but a clear blue sky above you. Two, you’re lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch black room.”
If the method is tried, and the person is distracted or cannot control their thoughts, Agustin says it is helpful to spend 10 seconds repeating the words “don’t think.”
He recommends practicing the technique every night for six weeks to secure positive results.
An estimated 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. Lack of sleep is associated with a variety of problems, including injuries, chronic diseases, mental illnesses and poor quality of life, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Edited by Fern Siegel and Kristen Butler
