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Even though we have such busy lifestyles, more and more people are struggling to fall asleep. Sleep-deprived netizens have been scrambling to find solutions that will help send them off to dreamland.
Various studies have shown that people should get at least seven hours of sleep every night.
University of Witwatersrand Sleep Laboratory said that in South Africa, there is very little available in the private and public medical sector in terms of treating sleep disorders.
Dr Scheuermaier says sleep deprivation (insomnia) or disorders can be the root cause of several dangerous conditions.
Screen time also interferes with a good night’s rest.
“Blue light is the predominant spectrum on screens, and it sends signals to our brain that it is actually ‘awake time’ as opposed to ‘sleeping time’, Dr Scheuermaier said when she spoke to The Citizen last year.
“It impacts sleep cycles and sends mixed messages to your body. You may be tired, but your mind says it’s time to be out and about.
ALSO READ: Understanding sleep and how to get more of it
While social media has its pros and cons, TikTok does have its benefits as well.
TikTok user and fitness coach Justin Agustin took to the social media platform and shared a military sleep method which was designed to help US soldiers fall asleep within two minutes anywhere, even in a conflict zone.
Agustin shared this sleep hack with his 1.7 million followers.
According to the fitness coach’s research, this method was mainly used by fighter pilots who need 100% of their reflexes which can decrease if they didn’t get enough sleep.
Shut down each part of your body from head to toe. Relax your eyes, your cheeks, your jaw and focus on breathing.
Make sure you relax your body literally, easing the tension in your shoulders and dropping them as low as you can.
Keep your arms loose, including your hands and fingers.
@justin_agustin Technique to falling asleep in 2 minutes! Insp. AsapSCIENCE on YT #sleep #fallasleep #insomnia #insomniac #learnontiktok #howto ♬ You – Petit Biscuit
Take a big deep breath, exhale, relax your chest, your stomach, down to your thighs, knees, legs and feet. Agustin says one needs to imagine a warm sensation going through your body when doing this exercise.
He says it is important for you to clear your mind of any stress or thoughts. You can achieve this is by doing two things.
First, imagine lying in a canoe on a calm lake with a clear blue sky, or imagine lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room.
If you get distracted, repeat these words for ten seconds: “Don’t think, don’t think.”
This practice is supposed to be done for six weeks, every night and the majority of people who practise this technique are able to fall asleep within two minutes.
According to health website HealthLine, the sleep hack was created by the United States Navy Pre-Flight School.
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Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele
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