A summary of 6 popular sleeping techniques, originally published on https://snoozeuniversity.com/techniques-to-sleep-better/

1. 6 Popular Techniques to Sleep Better

2. The Military Sleep Technique
1. Relax the muscles in your face, including tongue, jaw and the muscles around
the eyes
2. Drop your shoulders as far down as they’ll go, followed by your upper and
lower arm, one side at a time
3. Breathe out, relaxing your chest followed by your legs, starting from the thighs
and working down
4. Spend 10 seconds trying to clear your mind, then picture a relaxing scene
(e.g. Sitting in a boat on a calm lake)

3. The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
1. Lie down and relax your body
2. Breathe in for 4 seconds
3. Hold your breath for 7 seconds
4. Breathe out for 8 seconds

4. Create a Fantasy World
Creating a fantasy world in your mind where you’re a character can give you a
world to “escape” to at night.
A few things to keep in mind here:
● Try not to think about things that are too exciting
● Don’t get bogged down in the fine details and overthink everything

5. Counting Numbers
There are a few ways you can do this:
● Count multiples (i.e. 3, 6, 9, 12...) up to a certain point before repeating
● Count backwards from a target (usually 100-200)
The idea is to give your brain something to focus on that is just complex enough
to be engaging, but simple enough so that it’s not stimulating.

6. Pretend to Be Tired to Trick Your Mind
Just like smiling can make you happier, you can also pretend to be tired to make
your brain think that you must be sleepy:
● Yawn
● Focus on how heavy your eyelids feel
● Close your eyes just a bit
● Walk slowly
● Talk slowly

7. Listen to “Boring” Podcasts or Guided Meditations
If you’re not a fan of music at night, there are plenty of podcasts and guided
meditations that can help you relax (podcasts are essentially a lazy way of
reading).
For example, listen to podcasts about history or engineering that will allow you to
zone out like you used to in school.