Military sleep technique allows you to fall asleep wherever you are in minutes

Falling asleep can sometimes be a nightmare, even when you're physically exhausted.

While there are lots of tips around, from counting sheep to wearing an eye mask, it looks like your best bet could be this military sleep technique, which works in just two minutes.

Alamy / Andriy Popov

Yes, you read that right - there's a way you can make yourself fall asleep almost instantaneously.

This will undoubtedly be a godsend for anyone who gets into bed and more often than not finds themselves looking anxiously at their clock, dreading how little shut-eye they might end up getting before the shrill cry of their alarm clock.

The technique in question first became known back in 1981, when it was published by the US army in the book Relax and Win: Championship Performance.

As soldiers have to sleep in some pretty unconventional places, if it works for them, chances are that it most likely will do you some good from the comfort of your home.

Alamy / Anna Berkut

However, it is worth noting that the technique does take some practice, but 96% of those who gave it a whirl found that it worked well after six weeks of practice.

So, how do you get Mr Sandman to take you away to the Land of Nod?

1. You're going to have to relax all the muscles in your face, and this includes your jaw, tongue and around your eyes.
2. You then need to lower your shoulders, as well as your lower and upper arms - but it's important to do this one side at a time.
3. The final step involves breathing out as you relax your chest, then slowly work down to relaxing your thighs and the rest of your legs.

However, those are just the physical steps involved in this relaxation technique.

Alamy / Tetra Images, LLC

Up next is your mental clearance, which involves taking 10 seconds to completely clear your mind and think of one of three scenarios:

1. Being in a canoe with nothing but a clear, blue sky beating down on you.
2. Lying in a completely dark room in a velvet hammock.
3. Repeatedly say 'don't think, don't think, don't think' to yourself for 10 seconds.

And voilà! You should be off to sleep in no time.

As reported by the NHS, if you're wanting to function at your best during the day, you should be aiming to have between seven and eight hours of sleep at night.

Since we all know how horrible sleep deprivation can be, this technique is definitely one to keep in mind.

Topics: News, Army, Health

Emma Guinness