We’ve all been there: In bed, wide-awake at 3 a.m., tossing and turning and not being able to get to sleep. The next time this happens to you, try this U.S. military technique and you’ll apparently doze off within two minutes. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep, but many don't get the required amount, which can have lots of consequences. There are many scientific reasons why it might be hard for you to get to sleep at night, but one trick may thwart that: A method used by the U.S. military can reportedly help you fall asleep in 120 seconds, and has a 96% success rate after six weeks of practice, according to men’s lifestyle site Joe. The tips were first outlined in a 1981 book, Relax and Win: Championship Performance, by Lloyd Bud Winter. The technique involves two broad steps. First, completely clear your mind. That may be easier said than done, but it’s essential for getting to sleep quickly. The book suggests that it should take about a minute and a half to clear your mind, especially at first, and this time is in addition to the 120-seconds sleep technique. To clear your mind, the book suggests you first relax the muscles in your face, including your tongue, jaw, and the muscles around your eyes. Drop your shoulders as low as they’ll go, and relax your upper and lower arm on one side and then the other. Next, breathe out and relax your chest. Finally, relax your legs: your thighs and then your calves. The second step, after trying to clear your mind, is to picture one of three mental images: lying in a canoe on a calm lake with only blue sky above you, snuggling in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room, or repeating “don’t think, don’t think” for 10 seconds. The technique works for almost everyone, according to Joe. If you’re one of the 4% that it doesn’t help, the National Sleep Foundation suggests establishing a regular bedtime and wake-up time; keeping your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark; avoiding caffeine; not eating, drinking, or exercising within a few hours of bedtime; and putting away your smartphones, laptops, and other screens an hour before trying to sleep. Not getting enough sleep can make us grouchy and irritable, but it can also lead to more significant health problems. Lack of rest can impact the ability to learn and concentrate, and increase the likelihood of acne, according to the foundation. Sleep deprivation is also linked with cardiovascular diseases, like high blood pressure. Teen Vogue reached out to the Army to confirm they actually use this sleeping technique, and will update this article upon confirmation. The jury is still out on whether or not you'll actually fall asleep in 120 seconds using this method, but it's definitely worth a try. Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email. Get the Teen Vogue Take. Sign up for the Teen Vogue weekly email.<doc-sep>We all want to have a dreamy night's sleep, right? Sadly, for many of us, closing our eyes and drifting off can be an absolute nightmare. If counting sheep or reading a boring book before bed isn't knocking you out at night then you may need some military assistance. A simple US Army method is said to virtually guarantee help to anyone when it comes to falling asleep - and within just 120 seconds. Advert 10 The method is revealed in a book titled Relax and Win: Championship Performance and is said to have a 96 percent success rate of helping people to nod off - even on the battlefield. Which presumably also suggests the technique can hold up against your partner's snores or those late night fears about what you actually did last Saturday night. Advert 10 The system was developed by military leaders when they realised that many of their pilots were making horrendous and avoidable decisions due to stress and subsequent sleeplessness. They found that even when pilots had clocked off that they still couldn't relax enough to fall asleep. However, they found an extremely effective four-step solution. Er, not that I'd know. Honest, I've not been napping in work or anything. Advert 10 Step One: Relax your facial muscles. That includes your jaw, tongue, and the muscles around your eyes. Step Two: Quit hunching those shoulders! Drop them as low as possible before relaxing your upper and lower arm on one side, then the other. Step Three: Breathe out and relax your chest. Then, relax your legs, starting with the thighs and then your lower legs. Advert 10 Step Four: After ten seconds of deep relaxation, completely clear your mind. For this final step, the book's author Lloyd Bud Winter suggests picturing one of these three images to help you hit slumber town. Lying in a canoe on a calm lake with nothing but blue sky above you Being snuggled up in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room Saying 'don't think, don't think, don't think' over and over for ten seconds Winter doesn't mention inviting Tom Hardy or Emilia Clarke (or whoever rocks your boat) into any of these scenarios, but it definitely can't hurt to throw them into the mix too, right? Advert 10 Apparently the formerly secret method has a near 100 percent success rate after a few weeks of practice. So in time you should be able to fall asleep anytime and just about anywhere. With two thirds of adults in the UK suffering from disrupted sleep and as many as 16 million struggling with sleepless nights, this military technique could be just the ticket to get us all sleeping soundly again. Now if you don't mind, we have an imaginary black velvet hammock we'd desperately like to get back to.<doc-sep>
A sleep technique used by the military could help you nod off in under two minutes. It is said to have a 96% success rate after six weeks of practice and was reportedly developed to eliminate mistakes made by pilots because of tiredness. A survey in 2011 found that a third of people in the UK are severely sleep deprived and according to the NHS, adults should get between seven and nine hours a night. The technique was developed to improve accuracy and safety among military pilots (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock) Chronic lack of sleep has been linked to health problems including diabetes, heart disease and strokes. So how does the technique work? Relax the muscles in your face, including your tongue, jaw and the muscles around your eyes. Drop your shoulders as low as they’ll go before relaxing your upper and lower arm on one side, and then the other. Breathe out, relax your chest and then, finally, relax your legs, starting with your thighs and moving to your lower legs. Once you’ve relaxed your body for ten seconds, you must attempt to clear your mind of all thoughts. There are three methods that may help with this – according to the book Relax and Win: Championship Performance. 1. Picture yourself lying in a canoe on a calm lake with nothing but blue sky above you 2. Picture yourself snuggled in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room 3. Repeat the words ‘don’t think, don’t think, don’t think’ in your mind for ten seconds The sleep method was first written about in the 1981 book but some of the techniques are still being used today to help with sleep deprivation, which has been linked to PTSD in soldiers. But the US army have since published a disclaimer on the method, saying: ‘The bottom line when it comes to getting restful sleep is doing what works for you. ‘There is no magical formula other than listening to your body. Sleep is vital to sustaining energy, balancing emotions, work and fitness performance, as well as your overall health. Most people struggle with sleeping issues by either not getting enough, not sleeping restfully, or a combination of both. A recent study by the Uppsala University in Sweden revealed that disrupted sleep patterns alter metabolism and boost the body’s ability to store fat, making a strong link between obesity and shift work. The European Study of Cardiology also found that getting less than five hours sleep a night could be as bad for you as smoking.