Buzz
Need to drift off fast? A relaxation technique from the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School, dating back to the mid-20th century, is claimed to work in just minutes. It might not be a miracle, but it’s an effective method to calm your body and mind.
The steps, outlined in Relax and Win and summarized on Medium, involve relaxing each part of your body and then clearing your mind for ten seconds. Here's how to do it:
Relax the muscles in your face, including your tongue, jaw, and the muscles around your eyes.
Lower your shoulders as much as you can. Then relax each arm, starting with one side, then the other.
Exhale deeply, then relax your chest.
Finally, relax your legs, beginning with your thighs, followed by your calves.
Spend around a minute and a half going through each part of your body, relaxing completely, then clear your mind for ten seconds. According to Art of Manliness, Bud Winter (the creator of this method) recommends visualizing one of these mental images:
Imagine lying in a canoe on a tranquil lake, with nothing but a vast blue sky above.
Or relaxing in a black velvet hammock in a completely dark room.
Repeat the phrase “don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” to yourself for ten seconds straight.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because a similar technique—methodically relaxing each body part—is the foundation of nearly every sleep meditation track available. So, does it really work? Almost certainly, yes.
But is this method the quickest or most effective way to fall asleep? The Air Force website offers various sleep tips, but doesn’t mention a specific mandatory two-minute script. Meanwhile, the Army recommends that “The key to restful sleep is finding what works for you. There is no magic formula other than listening to your body.”
