The method is said to have been used by American soldiers when they wanted to fall asleep despite difficult circumstances. It is successful in 96 percent, claims the expert.
Pediatrician and osteopath dr. Jessica Andrade from Boston says it’s a method that will put you to sleep in minutes, and with practice, in 10 seconds.
The method is also called “military” because it is said to have been popularized by American soldiers, who used it to put themselves to sleep in difficult circumstances, writes the Serbian City Magazine. It was described for the first time in 1981 in the book “Relax and Win” (“Relax and Win”) by Lloyd (Bud) Winter, who was considered one of the best trainers of sprinters of all time. That is why some people call the method the “Bud Winter method”. The method includes three main points: muscle relaxation, breath control and visualization. In the process, we try to relax all the muscles in the body, from the head to the toes, and “empty the head”.
Some of you may notice that the technique is also very similar to autogenic training techniques. The military method reportedly works for 96 percent of those who try it, writes Jessica Andrade. New York-based sleep specialist Dr. Sanjeev Kothare but emphasizes that it is important for people who have problems sleeping or insomnia not to read or watch TV in bed. “Make the bed the only thing you associate with sleep,” she says. “When you’re ready to sleep, turn off the light so that melatonin, the sleep hormone, starts to rise in your body. Close your eyes, breathe calmly and focus on your stomach and do what the military method suggests – relax your whole body and keep only pleasant thoughts in your head.”
Muscle relaxation
Lie on your back, close your eyes and slowly travel your mind through your body. Start at the head. Imagine and also relax the muscles there. Continue with the eyes, facial muscles and lower jaw.
If you do not know how to relax your muscles, you can say to yourself: “My muscles are relaxed” until you feel that this is the case. Over time, you will get used to relaxing the muscles even without internal insistence.
Then mentally go down to your neck and shoulders. The shoulders should not be tense. Lower them as low as possible, and your hands should lie relaxed next to your body.
Fists and fingers should also be as relaxed as possible. Imagine the heat traveling from the top of your head to your toes like a wave. At the same time, breathe deeply and relax the muscles from the chest to the feet. Imagine the warm feeling again, only this time bring it down from your heart to your toes.
Arms and shoulders should remain as relaxed and limp as possible. The best way to find out that the muscles are really relaxed is if you try to move a part of your body (for example, your hand or your fingers on it), and you will feel as if you have to make a little effort to do so.
Breathing
Breathe with your diaphragm, which means that your belly should rise when you inhale, not your shoulders. You can breathe through your mouth, or you can breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Once your body is relaxed, take a deep breath and then slowly exhale. Breathe calmly throughout the relaxation.
Visualization
While you are relaxing, it is very important to try to clear your mind of all stressful thoughts. So imagine, for example, that you are lying in a boat in the middle of a lake, or in a hammock, or in some place where you feel good. Whenever you find that your thoughts have wandered off, repeat to yourself several times: “Don’t think. Don’t think.”
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