Sleep is one of the most important processes that allow us to “recharge” and get enough strength to do everything new, so the quality of sleep is of great importance.
Recently, there has been talk of the military sleeping style on social media. Practicing this technique for 6 consecutive weeks should help you master it, so that you can fall asleep in less than two minutes.
The credit for developing this method goes to Bad Winter, the Olympic sprint coach, who also studied sports psychology.
In his book Relax and Win: Championship Performance, Winter describes a method he developed for the US Naval School to help pilots fall asleep immediately when they need to rest before flying, despite noisy, stressful or dangerous conditions.
How to use the military sleep method?
Published the platform “Fairy Well Mind” (verywellmindA report explaining the military sleeping method according to the following steps:
- take deep breath: Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths.
- relax your face Slowly relax all the muscles in your face, starting at your forehead and moving down your cheeks, mouth, and jaw. Focus on one part at a time. Breathe deeply and release any muscle tension you are holding there. Don’t forget to relax your tongue and the muscles around your eyes.
- Drop your shoulders and arms: Once your face is relaxed, move down to your neck, shoulders, and arms. Relax your neck and let any tension build up there. Drop your shoulders down and let yourself sink into the bed. Focus your attention on one arm and slowly work your way down, relaxing your biceps, forearm, hand and fingers. Do the same with your other arm.
- Scroll down: Once you’ve relaxed your shoulders and arms, slowly shift your focus to other parts of your body, relaxing them one by one. On your way down, relax your chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Then focus on one leg, relaxing the thigh, knee, shin, ankle, foot, and toes. Do the same with your other leg.
- Clear your mind: Once you’ve consciously relaxed every part of your body, from top to toes, focus on clearing your mind. You can do this by focusing on a calming image. For example, imagine yourself lying on a meadow under a blue sky, or imagine yourself sleeping peacefully in a velvet hammock in a dark room. If visualization doesn’t work, say the words “don’t think” repeatedly in your mind for 10 seconds. If other thoughts distract you, put them aside and focus your attention back on your imagination or recitation.
Once you’ve consciously relaxed every part of your body, from top to toes, focus on clearing your mind (Shutterstock)
What colors help sleep?
And because getting a good night’s rest has become one of the most complex challenges in the modern world, there are many factors that affect sleep.
In addition to the stimuli, the rhythm of life, and the long nights, it was found that colors also have an effect on sleep.
In a report published by the magazine “La Monte s Maraviosa” (lamenteesmaravillosa) Spanish, writer Sarah Gonzalez Juarez says that colors directly affect emotions, neural activation, and even the decisions we make, according to what studies have shown, and the colors of the bedroom, especially the paint on its walls, affect comfort.
Here are the appropriate colors for sleep:
the colour blue: It is considered the most suitable color for feeling comfortable and stimulating sleep, and helps people fall asleep for more hours, as it is the color of the sea and the sky and gives a sense of peace and security.
the yellow color: It enhances comfort, especially its light tones (such as pastel colors). Although it belongs to warm colors, yellow creates a sense of balance, harmony and joy.
green color: It is good for sleep, as it is directly related to freshness and nature, and it has a calming effect. In this case, it is also recommended to use its lighter shades.
White color: In addition to being a neutral color, it enhances focus and can be easily combined with any other decoration. It is associated with peace, elegance and serenity.
What is the effect of staying up late and lack of sleep?
In a report published by The New York Times, writer Oliver Wang said: Research review A recent publication in the journal Trends in Neurosciences on the long-term neurological effects of sleep deprivation in both animals and humans points to mounting evidence that lack of sleep likely leads to long-term brain damage and an increased risk of degenerative disorders. neurosis such as Alzheimer’s disease.
And the writer indicated that periods of severe sleep deprivation are harmful to health, as forced insomnia has been used for centuries as a tool of punishment and torture.
In the first experimental study of sleep deprivation, published in 1894 by the Russian scientist Maria Manasina, pups were forced to stay awake through constant stimulation, and died within 5 days. Examining their bodies afterwards, Manasena noted that “blood vessels had bled and fatty membranes had eroded,” concluding that “total sleep deprivation is more dangerous than total food deprivation.”
What is the effect of pillows and scents on sleep?
We may make some mistakes when designing our bedrooms that prevent us from enjoying a good sleep. A report published by Bright Side (BrightsideThere are many factors that affect sleep, from the pillow we sleep on to the smells we smell while we sleep.
Smells have a relaxing effect on the nervous system as they help us sleep, so you should choose the scents you like and not overdo them at night.
You should also choose the mattress that suits your way of sleeping, in addition to choosing the appropriate bed linen.
Choosing the perfect pillow plays an important role, as pillows filled with lint may cause an allergic reaction if it is not clean enough.
Synthetic pillows quickly lose their shape and need to be replaced. While the fleece pillows are very firm, they are mold and dust mite resistant.
Foam pillows have also become popular, as the shape of the pillow adapts to the build of the shoulder, neck and head to take the load off the spine.
The height of the pillow should be sufficient to keep the shoulders, neck and head in a position equal to the spine. Pillows that are too high or too low may add extra burden to your spine and make your sleep uncomfortable. The pillow cover should be exactly the same size as the pillow.
