The actual question is, will you be among the 96% of those who can use this military technique to fall asleep in two minutes?
All of us have experienced it, or at least, those of us who experience high levels of anxiety have. As we lay in bed, exhausted beyond belief, our minds raced, making it impossible for us to go asleep. We reached for the sinister blue lights on our phones, thinking to ourselves, “If only there was a way to fall asleep instantly?”
It turns out that there is, albeit given who I am, I’ll probably be in the unfortunate four percent for which it doesn’t work. Nevertheless, perhaps there is still hope for you.
Though science hasn’t yet developed a “on-off” switch for our brains, there is a military sleep technique that may be the next best thing.
Fitness instructor Justin Agustin used his platform to spread the word about this technique, which he claims works for an astounding 96 percent of individuals and can even put you to sleep in under two minutes.
How then does it operate?
The US Army, it seems, created the method primarily for “fighter pilots who need 100% of their reflexes” and for combatants who must be able to nod off in noisy, demanding environments.
You will go to sleep in a matter of minutes if you settle in and pay attention to your breathing.
Once you’ve mastered that area, you may begin to’shut it down’ by gradually relaxing your entire body, beginning with your forehead and facial features.
Make every effort to ensure that nothing is tight and that your arms are relaxed by your sides.
Feel the warmth rising from your head to your fingertips. Then, relax your chest by taking a deep breath; then, relax your thigh, stomach, legs, and feet.
You must visualize the warm feeling traveling from your heart to your toes.
Finally, the difficult portion.
Ideally, you should be free of any tension in order to aid in your own sleep.
Picture yourself in a cozy spot, such as curled up in a velvet hammock or relaxing on a heated boat on a serene lake.
For 10 seconds, tell yourself to “don’t think” if you are experiencing intrusive thoughts about the time you told a waiter to enjoy your dinner and you feel like you’re thinking about something else.
Hopefully, you will be able to fall asleep after this.
Though Agustin’s video may seem too wonderful to be true, comments on it show that there is some validity to the approach.
“I’m a military brat and was taught this,” one commenter said. This was also taught by a seasoned psychology professor I had in college. It is undoubtedly effective.”
Another said: “Pretty sure this is closer to what is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation which was developed by an American physician in 1908.”
And that’s it – pleasant dreams!
Woman Opens Her Door and Sees Crying Little Girl Who Claims Her Mom Is in the House — Story of the Day
A young woman’s impulse to help a grieving little girl ended up turning her life around and bringing her happiness.
How many of us can claim that destiny came knocking on our door? Yet that is what happened to Anna Uriel. In Anna’s case, destiny took the shape of a little girl with big brown eyes, her hair in a braid.
Anna answered the doorbell and found herself staring down at a little girl no more than six years old in a pretty gingham dress. “Hi sweetheart,” she said gently. “I think you have the wrong house.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The girl shook her head. “No, this is my mommy’s house. Please can you call her?”
“I’m sorry, hun,” Anna said. “I’m the only person who lives here.”
The child started crying. “Please, please! I need my mommy!”
“Hun, where is you daddy?” asked Anna.
“He’s at home. He says mommy’s gone forever, but I know it isn’t true. She’s here!” the girl sobbed.
Anna crouched down and looked the little girl in the eye. “Sweetie, I promise you your mommy’s not here. How about I give you some warm milk and cookies and I take you home to your daddy?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
The girl looked up at Anna sadly. “Okay,” she whispered.
Anna turned to lead the girl into the house, but when she looked around again she was gone. Had it all been a dream? Anna walked next door and knocked on Mrs. Freman’s door.
She told Mrs. Freman about the mysterious little girl. “She vanished so quickly I almost felt it had all been a dream!” Anna concluded.
Mrs. Freman poured Anna some tea. “Your house used to belong to a little family. They had a little girl. Nice people. But the mother became very ill and after she passed away her husband sold the house. That must be the child.”
“Poor thing!” Anna sighed. “To lose her mother so young!”
“I can’t remember their name…” Mrs. Freman said. “It’s my memory…But the little girl… Her name was Cassie!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unplash
“Cassie,” Anna said. “If she comes back, I’ll call the police, take her home. She’s much too young to be wandering the streets alone.” But Cassie didn’t come back and Anna’s life continued as planned.
Anna had always believed in making plans. She’d planned to marry at 25 and to become a mother at 28, but for four years she and her husband had tried to conceive, and still there was no baby.
After a lot of painful treatments, Anna became pregnant, but sadly, she lost her baby when he was only a month old. The doctors told her her chances of having another were slim to none.
Her husband told her quite frankly that being childless was not in his plans, and he didn’t want to adopt. He walked out and left Anna devastated and alone with her shattered dreams.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
So Anna could understand Cassie’s pain, the empty place in her life and in her arms where her baby should be. Anna knew how hard it is to let go. She hoped Cassie would come back, but months went by without a visit.
Then one winter evening, there was a knock on her door. There in the doorway stood Cassie huddled in a winter coat, tears freezing on her little cheeks. “Please, lady, I really need my mommy. Daddy’s on the floor and I can’t wake him up. Please, please call my mommy!”
Anna was horrified. She grabbed her coat and her purse. “Honey, Cassie, right? Can you show me where your daddy is?”
Destiny can bring happiness to our door when we least expect it.
The child smiled radially up at Anna. “I knew you’d remember me, mommy! Come!” and she tugged urgently on Anna’s hand and led her to an apartment building three blocks away.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Anna found the front door open, and lying in the middle of a squalid room was an unconscious man. She tried to shake him awake. He stank of alcohol! She dragged him off the floor and onto the couch and walked into the kitchen. It was a disgrace.
Anna set a pot of coffee brewing and started to clean up. Cassie followed her. “Mommy, are you going to make cookies? I’ve missed your cookies!”
“Cassie, I’m not your mommy, but I’ll make you some cookies,” Anna told the little girl. Over the next hour, Anna restored some much-needed order to the apartment and popped a tray of cookies into the oven.
Soon the delicious aroma of cookies and coffee filled the house. Anna filled a mug with coffee and went back to the man. She shook him. “Wake up!” she ordered, “Your daughter needs you!”
The man opened swollen eyes and for a moment his face reflected a dawning hope. “Bess?” he whispered.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“I’m Anna, and your daughter came knocking on my door looking for her mother.” Anna’s voice was harsh. “She needs her father, so sober up and pull yourself together!”
The man struggled up off the couch. “I don’t need you or your help! Get out”
“I’m not here for you, you fool. I’m here for Cassie.” Anna snapped. “And remember, while you were here wallowing in self-pity she was knocking on a stranger’s door.”
Anna kissed Cassie goodbye and walked out. She never imagined she’d see Cassie or her awful dad ever again, but a week later, there was a knock on her door. A tall handsome man was standing there.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Hi,” he said nervously. “I wanted to thank you and to apologize…”
“I’m sorry,” Anna said bewildered. “Who are you?”
The man blushed. “I’m Jeffrey, Cassie’s dad. I wanted to thank you for what you did for Cassie — and for me. I was so lost in my grief I didn’t realize what Cassie was going through.”
Anna smiled. “It’s okay, I know how hard it is to pull through those dark days.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Jeffrey looked into Anna’s sad eyes. “You lost someone too?”
“My son,” Anna whispered, tears in her eyes. “After he died, my husband left…”
From then on, Anna started visiting Cassie and Jeffrey and the three of them helped each other through their grief. One day, Anna and Jeffrey discovered they were in love — Cassie already knew — and they got married.
Two years later, Anna was blessed by an unexpected miracle. She discovered she was pregnant and she and Jeffrey welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Cassie became the proudest big sister in the world.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
What can we learn from this story?
- Destiny can bring happiness to our door when we least expect it. Anna was sad and lonely until Cassie knocked on her door looking for her mother.
- Sometimes a wake-up call can turn a life around. Anna’s visit showed Jeffrey he had to stop grieving and focus on his daughter.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young widower who refused to allow his dead wife’s family to have contact with her daughter.
Leave a Reply