Getting enough sleep and reducing stress is important. It’s even more important for soldiers, who need to reduce grogginess so they don’t make mistakes. But, how can they sleep and relax when bombs are exploding around them and the only place to sleep is in a ditch?

A technique was devised by the US Army to help soldiers sleep in less than ideal conditions. And if you’re anything like the 50 – 70 million other US adults who struggle with a sleep disorder, you might want to try these methods out for yourself.

Military Method for Sleep

The military method for sleep can be used by anyone. While it is designed to help you sleep in 2 – 3 minutes, it might take a little practice to make it work for you. Experts say it needs to be done for at least 6 weeks to see great results. Follow these steps to fall asleep using the military method:

• Get into a comfortable position on your bed or wherever you want to fall asleep
• Relax your entire face, including your jaw, forehead and all the muscles around your eyes
• Breathe in and breathe out slowly while focusing on tension leaving your body
• Let your shoulder blades relax and your arms hang loosely by the body
• Breathe in and out while letting your body sink into the surface beneath you
• Continue to inhale and exhale steadily while letting your hips, legs and feet relax
• Imagine a warm feeling flowing throughout your body from head to toe
• Now start to visualize yourself lying in a black velvet hammock or maybe lying in a canoe, floating on a calm lake
• Clear your mind by repeating the words ‘don’t think’ ten times

Military Method for Stress

The military method for stress is the Box Breathing Technique used by Navy Seals to stay calm in stressful situations. Box breathing is a type of paced breathing that goes like this:

• Sit in a quiet space
• Close your eyes gently
• Check in with your body and notice any points of tension
• Release these by breathing evenly and imagine them flowing away
• Bring to mind the vision of a box
• Imagine a cursor on the top left corner of the box
• Breath in for four watching the cursor slide to the right side
• Hold your breath for a count of 4
• Allow the cursor to fall down the right side of the box
• Breath out for a count of 4 while the cursor slides along the bottom of the box
• Hold your breath for another count of 4 while the cursor makes it back to the starting point
• Repeat the process up to 4 times
• You can increase your box cycles over time if you wish

For more tips and techniques to help you sleep better and feel better, visit the BetterSleep app today.