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21st November 2025
03:48pm GMT
The older we get, the more we seem to care about sleep, and unfortunately, the harder it becomes to actually fall asleep.
We've all been there; it's 3 am, but we somehow just can't stop tossing and turning.
Doctors and research suggest that we should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night, so it’s no surprise we start feeling a little dopey when we’re not regularly getting those hours in.
If you’re someone who struggles to fall asleep, you’ve probably already tried most of the classic remedies, such as counting sheep, a warm glass of milk before bed, reading a book, and chamomile tea. But have you heard of this military-approved method fighter pilots swear by?
Soldiers use this trick to fall asleep quickly and grab whatever minutes of rest they can in active war zones, while fighter pilots rely on it to stay well-rested and keep their reflexes sharp.
According to fitness coach Justin Augustin, there is one particular method that can help people fall asleep in just two minutes, and it is believed to work for 96 per cent of the population.
You are probably thinking the same thing we were, this is just too good to be true, so let’s just get straight to it.
First of all, you start by getting yourself comfortable on the bed, or wherever it is you want to go for a kip.
It's important you start off by trying to relax your entire body.
The technique tells us to begin by relaxing our scalp before moving down to our temples and forehead. Then we relax our arms and legs and imagine a warmth spreading from our head to our fingertips.
As well as focusing on those different body parts, deep breaths will help us to feel even more relaxed.
The method, first shared in the 1981 book Relax and Win: Championship Performance by American track and field coach Lloyd Bud, instructs us to clear our minds from anything that might be causing us stress, whether it's work-related, relationships, or whether you've switched the light off in the hallway.
If you picture yourself in a calm and peaceful environment, such as in a Swiss field or by the beach, you're probably seconds away from dropping off.
Now, despite this being a miracle method for some, it might not be an instant fix for you. Augustin warns that it could take as long as six months to be able to perfect this method.
So take this as your sign to give it a go, and maybe before you know it, you'll be able to catch some z's in under two minutes.
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