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A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

independent.co.uk

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Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#81

Post by msadowski »

1auralynn wrote: post #39
panorama wrote: post #13

I 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've actually found that forced "tangential" thinking makes me fall asleep really fast. Basically, free association but you have to move onto the next thing instantly (eg. Think of a feather and then it's like a comb and maybe the comb is green then green grass, etc). I just seamlessly transition into dreaming. The key is not dwelling but moving on right away so you don't get stuck on things like "where are my car ke…

That sounds really similar to what I often do. I often start picturing a tree, then I force one transition and feel like I let the brain switch images without my involvement.

It's really hard to describe it but here is a simplified example.

Tree -> zoom into the leaves which are actually a field of grass -> there is a small pond -> pond is now growing -> I see a sky now -> random colors and shapes are showing up... And it keeps on going and I don't even notice when I fall asleep.

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#82

Post by alexpetralia »

panorama wrote: post #13

I 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 also do something similar. Just count (1, 2, 1, 2..) on each breath for as long as I can. When I stop counting I know I've either become distracted or fell asleep. Focusing on one thing ironically (such as counting) tends to be better than letting my mind completely relax (where then it will latch onto any topic it finds).

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#83

Post by djaychela »

linker3000 wrote: post #51
panorama wrote: post #13

I 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.

I've taken to not using a screen within about an hour of going to bed, and never using the phone in the bedroom (because of association), and my sleep is much better - I fall asleep quicker, and study asleep longer. I tested the opposite on myself previously (intentionally using the phone in bed right up to lights out), and took longer to get to sleep, and woke up around 4-5am feeling not very rested.

Smartphones are the devil.

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#84

Post by sitkack »

LouisSayers wrote: post #25
panorama wrote: post #13

I 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…

Yup, I also use the same technique. I think of black, but I make it a little more interesting as the black of deep space. Like meditation, any thoughts that come in, and I focus back on the black. Generally, I don't even need to do this - I tend to fall asleep pretty fast.

I am floating on a planet made almost entirely of water, about 70-73f, small waves, nothing extreme. Very fine sand alternating with course sand, in about 2-3 feet of water. Overhead is something that looks like the milky way but isn't. The water is very buoyant and sand is close, there is no fear of drowning or predators. The stars are so close, it feels like you are voyaging through space.

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#85

Post by sitkack »

kannmig wrote: post #42

I personally first learned about the described technique at https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ , where the material seems to be better presented. Hope more people can benefit.

https://www.netflix.com/watch/80198397?trackId=14277283

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#87

Post by bambataa »

Fnoord wrote: post #77
nitins wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't this a form of meditation? Stay still and focus your mind on nothingness

> Isn't this a form of meditation? Yes, it is a form of mindfulness. > Stay still and focus your mind on nothingness "Nothingness" is the most difficult way to meditate. Its often seen as the way one meditates by people who are ignorant about meditation and mindfulness. Generally, there is one focus point. This could be sounds, it could be breathing, it could be visualisations, it could be focusing on walking. It cou…

After meditating for a few months this I have started to notice that the increased mental awareness can make it harder to sleep. I’m more aware of myself gradually falling asleep and sometimes that sudden awareness of ‘oh, I’m falling asleep’ is enough to wake me up a bit.

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#88

Post by de_watcher »

wruza wrote: post #59
1auralynn wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've actually found that forced "tangential" thinking makes me fall asleep really fast. Basically, free association but you have to move onto the next thing instantly (eg. Think of a feather and then it's like a comb and maybe the comb is green then green grass, etc). I just seamlessly transition into dreaming. The key is not dwelling but moving on right away so you don't get stuck on things like "where are my car ke…

Hmm, sometimes I wake up in few minutes after falling asleep and realize that my mind did exactly what you described, but without my intent. Just quickly changing thoughts with no focus, as if gc started its mark phase.

That's why I consider this behaviour as more like a symptom of falling asleep. When things get fast and weird it's the sign that the slow consciousness has almost disconnected.

Re: A military technique for falling asleep in two minutes

#89

Post by raducu »

LouisSayers wrote: post #25
panorama wrote: post #13

I 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…

Yup, I also use the same technique. I think of black, but I make it a little more interesting as the black of deep space. Like meditation, any thoughts that come in, and I focus back on the black. Generally, I don't even need to do this - I tend to fall asleep pretty fast.

I do the same, except not thinking about black, but just focusing my attention of the visual artefacts that pop up when I have my eyes closed. Just like meditation, but instead of focusing on a part of the body, I focus on the eyes and their visual artefacts when closed.
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