A lot of the comments here are about imagining blackness. Lately, I’ve been contemplating the infinite thinness of mathematical planes. I mostly do it when I try to sleep; maybe that’s a key; letting the brain associate certain thought patterns with going to sleep.
A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
61–70 of 238 posts
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#62I can actually vouch for this, but I discovered it independently for myself. I realized that the nights I couldn't fall asleep were nights my brain kept racing and thinking about different things. Kind of like a wikipedia rabbit hole where my mind keeps racing onto the next tangential thought. So I found a foolproof solution: Relax all my facial muscles and imagine an empty, black (literally #000) void in my mind's e…
I used to do something similar. These days I start planning my retirement. I imagine some deserted moon base orbiting a Saturn like planet orbiting a small red dwarf star ejected out of its galaxy into the void. No people, no chance of anybody or anything ever finding it. Trillions of years of quiet solitude before the star burns out. I've never gotten much farther than a few ideas into how it will all come together…
Hah I like this! For a while I used to imagine being on a spaceship on a long interstellar trip with my family on board with me. Planning where all the cabins were, what the living area looked like, views of interstellar space outside always used to send me off...
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#63I can actually vouch for this, but I discovered it independently for myself. I realized that the nights I couldn't fall asleep were nights my brain kept racing and thinking about different things. Kind of like a wikipedia rabbit hole where my mind keeps racing onto the next tangential thought. So I found a foolproof solution: Relax all my facial muscles and imagine an empty, black (literally #000) void in my mind's e…
It only works for me if I think of Vanta Black! Must try this though - my wife is often asleep in a minute or so while I take tens of minutes. I wonder how much using mobile devices in bed at night has affected sleep patterns.
Mobile devices- anything with a screen that emits blue wavelengths IIRC - are terrible for getting to sleep. I avoid mine except for turning my alarm on.
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#64Military for 24 years, never heard of this, but I learned to take naps in crazy situations: next to a hot landing zone, under an aircraft catapult, in cargo planes, etc. Only common denominators I can think of: exhaustion, a clear conscience, and trust in those around me.
> a clear conscience
if you're in the US military, at least, that part would be pretty much impossible (unless, of course, you're either brainwashed or delusional)
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#65A version of this I heard in Russia is similar. But they also suggest to open the mouth to ensure relaxation of face muscles and roll up one's eyes. The latter
moves eyes to their position during sleep.
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#66I have to give it a go. I am horrible at being able to fall asleep even after long tiring days. I typically get only about 4 to 5hrs of decent sleep on average. That said, I do wake up refreshed. At least I think I do.
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#675 yeara in military - bullshit
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#68If you suffer from alcohol withdrawal (NOT actual delirium, that shit is deadly dangerous) try popping valerian for few nights. Also podcasts work amazingly well, just make aure they are around 10 minutes long.
Not suffering from alcohol withdrawel, but I listen to MP3s of tv shows I know inside-out; works really well for me. I cannot sleep when it's silent.
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#69I used to have a terrible time falling asleep. At some point I stumbled on the technique of just "breathing like I'm sleeping" or just acting asleep based on memories of the ultra-relaxed state I was in just after waking. Probably some combination of the relaxed breathing and mental focus on breathing make it work. The real beauty of it is that now years later I can fall asleep anywhere in 3-5 minutes if I'm even slightly tired even without having to consciously think about this technique anymore.
Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes
#70I can actually vouch for this, but I discovered it independently for myself. I realized that the nights I couldn't fall asleep were nights my brain kept racing and thinking about different things. Kind of like a wikipedia rabbit hole where my mind keeps racing onto the next tangential thought. So I found a foolproof solution: Relax all my facial muscles and imagine an empty, black (literally #000) void in my mind's e…
Isn't this a form of meditation? Stay still and focus your mind on nothingness
it's impossible to keep all thoughts from your mind.
meditation is having focus on an anchor like breathing so you are aware of the thoughts that occur.
im not saying there's a wrong way to meditate, i just don't want people suffering to try the impossible and feel they have failed.
being aware you are lost in thought is a huge success.