Being able to sleep is one of the biggest challenges that we can face during a survival situation. Noise, stress, the need to remain alert for long periods of time and not having a suitable location to get some rest are just a few examples of what we can expect to encounter in the field. Aside from disturbances and distractions, it can also be a challenge to find the time for sleep as well. Consequently, it’s important to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities for rest when they crop up as opposed to having the luxury of enjoying a regular sleep routine.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tips and tricks out there that we can use to train our bodies and minds to calm down and enter into a light sleep on-demand. One technique in particular has been popular among troops since WWII, and it’s not that difficult to master with a little bit of practice. Take a look at the steps below, and chances are that you can benefit from this approach as well.
Relaxing the Body
The first step is to get the body relaxed by sitting in a chair with both feet on the floor and the legs slightly spread open. Rest your forearms on your thighs, let your hands dangle in the space between your legs, and sit with your back against the chair. Droop your chin so that it presses against your sternum, close your eyes and start taking steady, slow and deep breaths.
Start thinking about your muscles from your head to your toes, and relax them one by one as you work your way down your body. Focus on the ones around your eyes, let your jaw droop, and relax your mouth muscles. Relax your neck, let the shoulder muscles sag, and breathe slowly as you allow your chest and abdominal muscles to rest. Think about your arm muscles, abs and back, and how they are getting heavy but limp, and continue to follow this logic as you work your way down your entire body.
It only takes a minute or two before you will start to feel like a heavy, lifeless blob in the chair, and that’s half the battle. The next step is to get your mind to follow suit.
Relaxing the Mind
It’s thought that we can fall asleep within 10-30 seconds as long as our bodies are relaxed and our minds are calm. The hard part is being able to develop a strategy that can allow us to switch off our thoughts when we want, and this will undoubtedly take a little bit of practice. Generally speaking, the trick is to think of things that give us a sense of calm and tranquility.
Whether it’s imagining that you’re in a hammock on a warm, summer afternoon or in a comfortable bed in a dark room, it’s important to pick images that you can personally associate with pure relaxation. It’s also important to stay focused on those scenes and trick your mind into believing that you’re actually there. In most cases, the brain will switch to sleep-mode as soon as the mind is immersed in these scenes.
This may sound simplistic, but it’s very-effective, and the vast majority of soldiers who mastered this technique were able to put themselves to sleep even if they were surrounded by noise or resting in less-than-comfortable locations. However, it also took most of them about six weeks to train themselves to get to the point where they could fall asleep within 1-2 minutes. Consequently, it’s important to give yourself some time to develop this skill. However, if you are able to persist, chances are that you will be able to sleep when needed, even if it’s under less-than-ideal circumstances.
Try this for yourself, and keep your eyes open for other techniques that can help you to fall asleep on-demand. Just remember that it takes time and practice to get to that point. Start working on it now so that you can enjoy the benefits once disaster strikes.