1. place an onion cut in half under the pillow
What? Onions in bed? You may be surprised, but you should be fooled and give this trick a try. All you have to do is put a raw onion, cut in half, on a plate and place it under your pillow!
This is actually a folklore that has been passed down in Europe for centuries as a way to relieve insomnia. In recent years, it has been scientifically proven that allyl sulfide, a peculiarly pungent component of onions, has a sedative effect that calms the agitation of the brain. It also calms the mucous membranes of the nose and helps to dissolve nasal congestion, which deepens breathing and reduces stress. The smell is a little strong, but it is an easy and surprising hack for a good night’s sleep that you can do right now with things you have at home.
2. Sleep with “only one of your legs” out from under the covers.
When you go to bed at night and feel that it is somewhat difficult to sleep, do you ever unconsciously put only your toes outside the covers? In fact, this is the most powerful and logical hack for falling asleep.
Our soles and palms have special blood vessels called “arteriovenous anastomoses” that efficiently release heat from the body to the outside. In order for humans to fall into a deep sleep, it is necessary to lower the temperature of the brain, internal organs, and other central parts of the body, or deep body temperature, well. This is the method we will introduce here. When you have trouble falling asleep, try taking only one of your legs out from under the covers. By intentionally releasing heat, your brain will judge that your body temperature has dropped and you are ready to sleep, and you can expect a surprisingly smooth onset of sleep.
3. sniffing a lover’s “worn T-shirt” and going to bed
The romantic feeling of “smelling your lover’s scent puts you at ease” actually has a powerful, scientifically proven effect on restful sleep.
A study conducted by a Canadian university found that subjects who slept with a “worn T-shirt with their partner’s scent on it” under their pillow dramatically improved their sleep quality to the same level as when they took over-the-counter sleep aids (melatonin). Humans subconsciously derive an instinctive sense of security from the smells of familiar people. Smelling familiar smells helps the brain to relax, and leads to a state of deep relaxation. This is the method introduced in this article. Borrow a pre-washed T-shirt from someone you feel comfortable with, such as your lover or marriage partner, and wrap it around your pillow. However, please note that if the smell is too strong, it may have the opposite effect.
4. cool the “inside of the wrist” with cold water for 10 seconds only
If you use cold water before bed, you may be thinking, “Won’t that do the opposite and wake me up?” You may think, “But in fact, the exact opposite occurs.
On nights when you have trouble sleeping, try quickly cooling the “inside of your wrist” with cold water for about 10 seconds. The inside of the wrist is called the “pulse point,” a special place where large blood vessels run so close to the skin that you can feel the pulse. By cooling this area with pinpoint accuracy, cooled blood circulates throughout the body and efficiently lowers the “deep body temperature,” which can be expected to help you fall asleep. This hack is truly a lifesaver for nights when you can’t sleep because your body is on fire after taking a bath, or in the summer when it is somewhat uncomfortable even with the air conditioner on. Using ice can be too cold, and even water can be counterproductive if cooled for a long time. The best balance is to cool it down with cold water for only 10 seconds.
5. gently pull and rotate “both ears” in a circular motion
When you get into bed, lightly pinch both earlobes and gently pull them outward and slowly rotate them in a circular motion for about a minute. This very simple massage will have the effect of switching your brain into sleep mode.
In fact, the area around the ears is the only place where branches of the vagus nerve, which relaxes the body, are distributed near the surface of the body. Massaging and directly stimulating this area has been shown to calm the heart rate and lower pesky stress hormones that interfere with sleep hormone secretion. No special tools are needed, and you will feel your entire body relax in just one minute while under the covers. Use it as a magic switch to regulate your autonomic nervous system at night when daytime stress is dragging you down.
6. move the “eyeballs” left and right with eyes closed
Do you ever go to bed and still have trouble sleeping because you are anxious about tomorrow’s work, etc.? If so, try closing your eyes and moving your eyeballs from side to side.
This is the latest brain science hack, which is also advocated by neuroscientists at Stanford University and is becoming a hot topic on social networking sites overseas. Research has shown that incorporating this eye movement suppresses the activity of the amygdala, a region in the brain that senses anxiety and fear. As a result, the heightened autonomic nervous system is quickly calmed down, and you are guided into a natural state of relaxation. To be more specific, just get into bed, close your eyes, and keep your eyes darting rhythmically from side to side for about 30 seconds. Try this simple technique at night when you can’t sleep because you’re worried about tomorrow.
7. the U.S. military style sleep method
The ultimate sleep technique reportedly developed by U.S. military pilots who must sleep under stressful conditions and in noisy environments is the “U.S. Military Style Sleep Method.
The most important point of this method is the conscious and thorough “de-stressing” of the body. First, lie on your back on the bed, relax your facial muscles, and relax your shoulders as if you were sinking deep into the bed. Then, relax all the muscles in your arms, thighs, calves, and feet, focusing on your body in turn. When your body feels completely relaxed and heavy, you are ready to finish. Chant in your mind, “Nothing to think about, nothing to think about…” for 10 seconds. This will have the effect of releasing the physical tension and switching off the mental switch to the mode for sleep.
8. playing “noise”.
Are you under the impression that “you sleep better in quiet conditions when you go to bed?” In fact, a surprising fact is that the quality of sleep is more easily improved by playing certain “noises” (noises) rather than silence.
In the past, “white noise” like a TV sandstorm was the mainstream, but the latest sleep research has focused most attention on “pink noise,” which pleasantly accentuates the lower frequencies. Specifically, this type of noise includes the sound of rain falling in a steady rhythm and the sound of waves lapping against the shore. It has been reported that playing this pink noise at a low volume continuously during sleep stabilizes the brain waves and extends the duration of “deep sleep (non-REM sleep),” which occurs in the first half of sleep. You can easily find it on free smartphone apps and video websites, so please give it a try.
9. on the contrary, keep your eyes open while thinking “don’t fall asleep”.
The most common reason for people suffering from insomnia is an almost obsessive impatience: “I have an early day tomorrow, so I have to go to bed early! This pressure is said to be the biggest cause of the brain waking up by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. In fact, this pressure is said to be the biggest cause of the brain’s arousal by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. This tricky trap is reversed by an approach called “paradoxical intention,” which is also used in the treatment of insomnia in psychology. When you get into bed, dare to open your eyes patchily in the dark and tell yourself strongly, “I must not fall asleep today, I will stay up all night and stay up all night. Strangely enough, it is reported to relieve the pressure of “I have to go to bed early” and make it easier to fall asleep. This is a psychological trick that you should try on nights when the more you think “I have to go to bed,” the more your eyes light up.
10. adults also have a blast when sleeping in a “cradle
It is a classic sight to see a baby sleeping peacefully in a rocking cradle, but in fact, the restful sleep effect of this “rocking” is the best relaxation method for adults as well. In an experiment conducted by an overseas university, it was reported that adults who slept in a “slow and steady rocking bed” like a hammock or rocking cradle had an overwhelmingly smoother onset of sleep than those who slept in a simple stationary bed. Furthermore, the duration of deep sleep tends to be longer, and the stabilization of brain waves can even be expected to improve “memory,” which is organized during sleep. It is precisely because we adults today are exhausted by the stresses of our society that we need to relax once in a while in a hammock or rocking chair and sleep while rocking mindlessly, just like a baby. They are also ideal for napping on holidays.
