Do you struggle to fall asleep quickly? The Navy Sleep technique can help you to fall asleep and achieve better quality sleep. This article will explore ‘what is the Navy Sleep technique’ and how to use it to improve your sleep.
What Is the Navy Seal Sleep Technique?
The Navy sleep technique is an 8-minute napping technique popularized by a former Navy Seal Jocko Willink in 2019 through a podcast interview.
To do the sleep technique, lie down on your back with your feet elevated such that they are above your heart. You then set an alarm for 8 minutes–some people prefer 10 to 12 minutes–and let yourself fall asleep.
According to Jock, when you wake up, you will feel energized and refreshed as if you had slept for 8 hours.
How the Navy Sleep Technique Can Improve Your Sleep Quality
You can use the Navy Seal sleep technique to improve your sleep quality in two ways: either to catch a nap during the day or to fall asleep fast and deeply at night.
Several studies show that napping has numerous benefits. First, it increases your alertness and energy levels. In the early afternoon, energy levels decrease, and one may feel sluggish.
This is due to hormonal changes in the body caused by the circadian rhythm signaling that causes the metabolic system to start slowing down in preparation for the rest cycle. Furthermore, eating a heavy meal can also cause sluggishness.
Taking a short nap, up to 30 minutes, can improve your alertness, concentration, and cognitive functioning. It also reduces fatigue and promotes mental clarity, memory, and stress reduction. Therefore, you can use the Navy Seal technique to catch a quick nap in the early afternoon or if you feel tired.
You may set your timer for 8 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Experiment with different nap times to establish what works best for you.
However, according to the Sleep Foundation, a study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of naps according to their length of time indicated that subjects who napped for 10 minutes or below had the best outcomes. They did not feel groggy but rather woke up feeling energized.
You do not want to nap for too long as it causes grogginess and may interfere with your sleep quality at night. Therefore, avoid napping for more than 30 minutes and later in the afternoon or early evening. Sleep experts recommend napping before 3 pm to avoid interrupting your night’s sleep.
Napping contributes to better sleep quality at night by helping to regulate your hormones throughout the day and maintain a normal circadian rhythm.
How to Use the Navy Seal Technique to Sleep Better at Night
If you have difficulty falling asleep or have insomnia, you can use the Navy Seal sleep technique to fall asleep fast and deeply. Set up a conducive sleeping environment before settling into your bed.
For example, try laying in a pitch black room. Then, lie on your back with your legs elevated on a pillow. Instead of setting a timer for 8-12 minutes, set your alarm clock to your usual wake-up time.
Allow yourself to relax. When you begin to feel drowsy, gently kick away the pillow from your feet for better comfort throughout the night. You may change your sleeping position to your most preferred one.
Additional Tips for Better Sleep Quality
- Manage stress. Stress and anxiety are key sleep disruptors. It causes high cortisol and adrenaline levels in the body, prohibiting the production of melatonin. There are various ways you can manage stress for better sleep, including breathing exercises, practicing mindfulness, meditating, journaling, exercising, and listening to calming sounds.
- Establish a consistent bedtime routine. Establish a specific bedtime and create a routine around it that allows you to wind down to sleep easily and deeply. A sleep routine can include a long bath or shower, calming sounds such as meditation music, natural sounds, and white sounds, reading, sleep meditation, and journaling. It also helps to keep away from your devices for at least 30 minutes before your sleep time. If you must use your devices, ensure they have a blue light blocker.
- Sleep at the same time each day. It creates a habit that makes falling asleep easily at a given time.
- Create a tranquil home environment and bedroom space. It makes it easy for you to relax and calm down. Set the bedroom temperatures at a comfortable, cool level. Use blackout curtains to ensure total darkness and ensure that the room is quiet. If there are distracting noises or lighting in your immediate environment, you can use a white noise machine or wear eye masks respectively.
- Invest in good-quality mattresses, pillows, and beds for adequate support and optimal comfort. Research different pillows and mattresses to establish designs and features best suited for your weight and sleeping position.
- Avoid coffee and other stimulants after 3 pm as they disrupt your sleep, which can lead to sleep deprivation.
- Exercise regularly. Exercising has numerous benefits that improve sleep quality. First, a workout boosts energy and promotes daytime alertness so that you do not need to nap in the middle of the day. Secondly, exercising helps to regulate your circadian cycle reducing symptoms of insomnia. Thirdly, it tires the body enabling you to fall asleep easily.
Conclusion
Although there isn’t extensive research to study the effectiveness of the Navy Seal sleep technique, there are numerous testimonials online of people raving about how easy it is to fall asleep for a nap with this military sleep method.
Therefore, you can use the technique to catch a nap before 3 pm or use it at night to fall asleep quickly.
More importantly, take measures to ensure good sleep quality. For example, managing stress, creating a bedtime routine, sleeping at the same time each night, and exercising.
