5 ms·

The military secret to falling asleep in two minutes

46 points by tilt 5y ago

dazc 5y ago
[This article was originally published in March 2018] Maybe not a secret anymore?
5555624 5y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17905574 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17905574
Akronymus 5y ago
> You should then spend 10 seconds trying to clear your mind before thinking about one of the three following images: >You’re lying in a canoe on a calm lake with nothing but a clear blue sky above you >You’re lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room > You say “don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” to yourself over and over for about 10 seconds. So, I only have the last option available for me, due to aphantasia, which, in combination of not being able to just stop having a inner monologue makes the last option basically a no go either.
- ColinWright 5y ago
  I also have (in my case mild) aphantasia, and I'll not that it doesn't say you should picture these things, it says you should think about them. I find that thinking about these things does it for me, and I don't have to picture them at all. And reciting "Don't think, don't think, don't think, don't think, ..." over and over is a technique to help quiet the inner monologue, so that option isn't a "no go", it's a thing to try to assist you.
  - Akronymus 5y ago
    For me, trying to think of about an image just stresses me out. Will try the "don't think" though
- ineedasername 5y ago
  Maybe just skip step one, and jump right to the last of the next three: keep "don't think" to drown out the inner monologue. Pretty much what I do when my inner monologue is keeping me awake. Not perfect, but it works a lot of the time.
- mamcx 5y ago
  In the nigth my mind go a full speed too. I learn to have the same "dream" that I repeat (with dialogue an all that!) then help to make the characters mumble and say things without clarity. Some times it works!
zerop 5y ago
Have seen this earlier. Did it work for you?
- lm28469 5y ago
  It works because soldiers are exhausted by default, the problem isn't physical for them, it's mostly mental. If you take the average non exercising overweight westerner who sleep too much, eat too much and spend 75% of his day either sitting or lying down and watch netflix before going to bed there is no magic bullet to fall asleep fast. Exercise, eat properly, skip screens at night and have a solid sleep schedule, these are all you need, the rest will fall in place by itself. You don't get to optimise the last 0.1% of the process if the first 99.9% are trash
  - sumtechguy 5y ago
    Diet and routine does help. Many people in their late 30s and up I also recommend trying to reduce the amount of sugar and caffeine at least 3-4 hours before they sleep (ie 0 amount). I personally have used a meditation technique for years. This method looks like a variation of that. I think as long as you relax and have the meditation bits you brain will start to associate 'do this means sleepy time'. Basically relax, breath normal but regular, minimize thoughts, meditation exercise. Me personally my 'exercise' for it is to calmly "count to 50 I will not make it past 20'. I rarely get to 5. For me if my brain is 'calm and clear' sleep is usually no issue. But if there is something that is concerning then it is more difficult. There are a very few times I have to go up to 50 and start over 2-3 times to get it to work right. But usually only if I am stressed about something else. Routine is key also. But if the meditation is part of that your brain will do odd things. Even just thinking about this is making me feel sleepy :)
    - lm28469 5y ago
      Yeah caffeine is a big one too, even up to 6+ hours before bed time it can still disrupt sleep: https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170 https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170 I also do the counting thing, or other "actively try not to fall sleep" things
arriu 5y ago
I wonder how many other normal body functions could be optimized with regular practice? Six weeks as is the case with this article
gkfasdfasdf 5y ago
Same source material, without paywall and more detailed: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/
- bellyfullofbac 5y ago
  The Independent article is so annoying, the first 4 paragraphs are useless fillers, and they do the "let's aim for the illiterate" thing of having each sentence be a different paragraph...
zabzonk 5y ago
How about: Get drunk? Works for me.
- nobleach 5y ago
  Passing out and sleep are VERY different things.
  - zabzonk 5y ago
    I do know that, strange as it might seem.
- lm28469 5y ago
  If you're serious: lower sleep quality, physically damaging in the long run. I never had a good night of sleep after consuming alcohol, even as little as a 0.5L beer is enough to disturb my ability to sleep.
  - zabzonk 5y ago
    > lower sleep quality, physically damaging in the long run Well, 50 years of alcohol doesn't seem to have caused any problems for me. > I never had a good night of sleep after consuming alcohol, even as little as a 0.5L beer is enough to disturb my ability to sleep. Not so for me. Not everyone is the same.
    - lm28469 5y ago
      > Well, 50 years of alcohol doesn't seem to have caused any problems for me. Do you have an identical non drinking twin to compare ? Unless you have a genetic condition or are a literal alcoholic experiencing withdrawal symptoms I doubt sleep quality increase with any amount of alcohol, I have never seen any study remotely close to hinting that
      - zabzonk 5y ago
        > Do you have an identical non drinking to compare ? Do you have an identical drinking (I suppose you mean "person" here, but who knows) to compare (I suppose you mean "to") here? > I doubt sleep quality increase with any amount of alcohol Well, in my experience it "increases".
rotexo 5y ago
Isn’t systematic sleep deprivation part of military training too? Or is that just used in training for some branches? If so, I imagine that would be a big driver in rebuilding sleep habits from the ground up. If I’m not mistaken, sleep restriction is a big part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. People force themselves to only be in bed for say six hours a night, so if they don’t sleep in that window, they are so tired the next night that they are more likely to fall asleep quickly.
- cyberlurker 5y ago
  I’m not sure for all branches, but I’ve read/heard it’s part of the Navy seals training and exam. Although I’ve never come close to trying, I’m sure it would be one of the hardest parts for me.
  - throw1234651234 5y ago
    Google "Hell Week" if interested. Basically any "special operations" (including Rangers) unit training will put you through sleep deprivation for a week as part of selection, regardless of country.
  - scruple 5y ago
    We were typically awake for about 48-72 hours straight during field training exercises in a combat unit. Somewhere between 36 and 48 hours you start micro-napping, even in the middle of performing other tasks. I remember falling asleep while walking between buildings multiple times. I'm not sure what goes on today, I separated nearly 20 years ago, but back in the early 00s we were doing these FTXs at least twice a year between deployments.
ortusdux 5y ago
Pete Holmes, a comedian, talked about how he utilizes this technique. Ironically, instead of imagining himself laying in a canoe, he would visualize himself as a sniper, bundled up in a ghillie suit, hidden to the world while he awaits his prey. I would imagine that the army would not want you to use that specific scenario to help fall asleep.
- eplanit 5y ago
  I've used the sniper fantasy for decades (since I was a kid). I guess I discovered it by accident, but it has _always_ worked. The key (for me, at least) is trying to concentrate on the imaginary target...waiting for it to appear in the imaginary scene. I'm out like a light in no time.
  - karmakaze 5y ago
    Interesting. So focusing intensely on nothing, waiting. Seems like a form of meditation to clear your mind.
- kuroguro 5y ago
  I (oddly) have a pretty good success rate for imagining dying in some way. Not sure it's something I can recommend for everyone tho. I'm guessing that acting it out in my mind achieves a similar effect as the steps described - I relax my muscles (as I imagine bleeding out), slow my breathing and stop thinking shortly.
LanceH 5y ago
The military secret to falling asleep is to be exhausted. Ever since I was 13 I've been unable to fall asleep quickly except when exhausted or reading anything by the Bronte sisters. Possibly the most annoying thing about it is the absolute certainty in the presumption of the people making recommendations of how I'm doing it wrong. I've tried, thanks.
- lugged 5y ago
  I spoke to the doctor the 5th time today to discuss my inability to sleep until I have a headache and am about to passout from exhaustion. They suggested getting up if I can't fall asleep. No words
  - deregulateMed 5y ago
    Do you do daily cardio? And/or weight lifting? Also if I was in the physician cartel- That will be 220$.
    - lugged 5y ago
      I briskly walk the dog every day for 20-30 minutes.
  - _fs 5y ago
    I believe the theory behind this is that you don't want to associate your bed with not sleeping. If you body is not ready to sleep, don't bother trying. I got a similar suggestion after a spell of a week or two with 2 hours or less sleep a night. I was physically and mentally exhausted, but I could not sleep.
    - lugged 5y ago
      I understand the theory. The problem is I don't associate bed with anything other than sleep, I implemented that practice years ago. Now I'm actually questioning it, I did a lot better when I could fall asleep watching boring documentaries on YouTube. Now I watch documentaries until I get tired, but after getting up, going to the toilet, having a drink of water, brushing my teeth, all before hitting bed I'm wide awake again.
clipradiowallet 5y ago
They should have mentioned in the article this works best if you are exhausted already.
Scarbutt 5y ago
It boils down to practising meditation/mindfulness.
mellosouls 5y ago
Personally I don't have the useful military pre-requisite of physical exhaustion so I just use sleep-phones and Audible with a 30 minute sleep timer and something engaging but not too exciting to listen to; eg. a good history of something undramatic. Slow the reading pace down to match your breathing cycle, and its really effective.
throw1234651234 5y ago
https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/41528/relax-and-win-classified-military-method-to-fall-asleep-quick https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/41528/relax-and... https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/47674/can-you-truly-fall-asleep-in-two-minutes-with-this-military-technique https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/47674/can-you-t... I read the book - original source is "Relax and Win". The whole book was fluff for the one-page exercise, and the author has questionable credentials. The technique does not reliably work for me, though I still try it sometimes. I found that the people who fall asleep the fastest just don't think about anything at all, rather than focusing on a technique.
- blowski 5y ago
  Totally agree. Unsurprisingly, the "best-kept secret for sleep" is to lead a healthy, low-stress, balanced lifestyle. I have a friend who used to sleep fine. Started using some app on his phone to record his sleep, and it suggested that he was a fidgety sleeper and could get better quality sleep. So he bought a smartwatch that was supposed to help. It didn't. So he bought some special headphones that are supposed to pump out whitenoise while he sleeps. He slept worse than ever. In the end, he went back to no app, smartwatch, or headphones and now says he sleeps almost as well as he used to.
- ASalazarMX 5y ago
  > The whole book was fluff for the one-page exercise, and the author has questionable credentials. I usually fall asleep in minutes, although medication or a big day ahead can make it hard to calm down. My wife asked me how did I do that, and I suspect I somehow Pavloved myself. When it's time to go to bed, I imagine myself comfortable, cozy and relaxed while resting on my pillow, covered with my blanket, sleeping. When I get to the bed all I can think of is that, and I fall asleep before noticing. I think I'm qualified to sell a book around this paragraph too.
Tade0 5y ago
There's this clip of a chicken "sleeping on the job", the first few seconds of which make me sleepy almost instantly: https://youtu.be/u8VDbFUjHmI https://youtu.be/u8VDbFUjHmI
- ASalazarMX 5y ago
  Oh, I might try watching a sleepy animals compilation while in bed. Never tried it, but seeing cute animals yawn also makes me sleepy.
  - Tade0 5y ago
    First time I saw it I went to sleep almost immediately. I think it's this feeling of security and peacefulness that chicken must have felt to just go asleep outside, vulnerable to predators. The human mind is truly amazing.
JohnDeHope 5y ago
This is not the best version of this I've ever seen. It's close but its missing a few key steps. https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ I've used this on myself and my kids and it's worked well. There are some extra steps that I think round out the effect. If you've tried similar techniques, but without some of these steps, it might be worth it to add them. 1. Get physically comfortable, usually layout on your back with your arms at your sides, if possible. 2. Relax each part of your body starting with the top of your head and ending with your toes. This should take a good 10min. I guarantee you are clenching your jaw, making a fist, keeping your shoulders up, etc. You need to make each part of your body completely limp dead weight. You should be able to physically feel the unsupported weight of your body parts. I imagine that I am turning into solid lead and sinking into the earth (bed). 3. Focus on your breathing. I don't have any super techniques for how to breath, other than to focus solely on it. Count your breaths and start counting over again as soon as you think of anything else other than your breath. This will take a long time if your mind is wandering. Just start over as soon as you realize you are thinking of anything except counting your breaths. Once you get to 10 move on. 4. This is the end. Imagine yourself floating. You can be floating on a canoe, in a bath tub, on the ocean, in a cloud, it doesn't really matter. Just imagine that you are no longer laying in a bed in a dark room. I call this going to my happy place. Like with the breathing, as soon as you realize you are thinking about anything at all, stop and bring your attention back to the sensation of floating. If I've gotten this far then I will begin counting breaths again, too. But usually I don't make it this far.

46 points by tilt 5y ago

dazc 5y ago

[This article was originally published in March 2018] Maybe not a secret anymore?

5555624 5y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17905574 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17905574

Akronymus 5y ago

> You should then spend 10 seconds trying to clear your mind before thinking about one of the three following images: >You’re lying in a canoe on a calm lake with nothing but a clear blue sky above you >You’re lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room > You say “don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” to yourself over and over for about 10 seconds. So, I only have the last option available for me, due to aphantasia, which, in combination of not being able to just stop having a inner monologue makes the last option basically a no go either.

ColinWright 5y ago
I also have (in my case mild) aphantasia, and I'll not that it doesn't say you should picture these things, it says you should think about them. I find that thinking about these things does it for me, and I don't have to picture them at all. And reciting "Don't think, don't think, don't think, don't think, ..." over and over is a technique to help quiet the inner monologue, so that option isn't a "no go", it's a thing to try to assist you.
- Akronymus 5y ago
  For me, trying to think of about an image just stresses me out. Will try the "don't think" though
ineedasername 5y ago
Maybe just skip step one, and jump right to the last of the next three: keep "don't think" to drown out the inner monologue. Pretty much what I do when my inner monologue is keeping me awake. Not perfect, but it works a lot of the time.
mamcx 5y ago
In the nigth my mind go a full speed too. I learn to have the same "dream" that I repeat (with dialogue an all that!) then help to make the characters mumble and say things without clarity. Some times it works!

zerop 5y ago

Have seen this earlier. Did it work for you?

lm28469 5y ago
It works because soldiers are exhausted by default, the problem isn't physical for them, it's mostly mental. If you take the average non exercising overweight westerner who sleep too much, eat too much and spend 75% of his day either sitting or lying down and watch netflix before going to bed there is no magic bullet to fall asleep fast. Exercise, eat properly, skip screens at night and have a solid sleep schedule, these are all you need, the rest will fall in place by itself. You don't get to optimise the last 0.1% of the process if the first 99.9% are trash
- sumtechguy 5y ago
  Diet and routine does help. Many people in their late 30s and up I also recommend trying to reduce the amount of sugar and caffeine at least 3-4 hours before they sleep (ie 0 amount). I personally have used a meditation technique for years. This method looks like a variation of that. I think as long as you relax and have the meditation bits you brain will start to associate 'do this means sleepy time'. Basically relax, breath normal but regular, minimize thoughts, meditation exercise. Me personally my 'exercise' for it is to calmly "count to 50 I will not make it past 20'. I rarely get to 5. For me if my brain is 'calm and clear' sleep is usually no issue. But if there is something that is concerning then it is more difficult. There are a very few times I have to go up to 50 and start over 2-3 times to get it to work right. But usually only if I am stressed about something else. Routine is key also. But if the meditation is part of that your brain will do odd things. Even just thinking about this is making me feel sleepy :)
  - lm28469 5y ago
    Yeah caffeine is a big one too, even up to 6+ hours before bed time it can still disrupt sleep: https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170 https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170 I also do the counting thing, or other "actively try not to fall sleep" things

arriu 5y ago

I wonder how many other normal body functions could be optimized with regular practice? Six weeks as is the case with this article

gkfasdfasdf 5y ago

Same source material, without paywall and more detailed: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/

bellyfullofbac 5y ago
The Independent article is so annoying, the first 4 paragraphs are useless fillers, and they do the "let's aim for the illiterate" thing of having each sentence be a different paragraph...

zabzonk 5y ago

How about: Get drunk? Works for me.

nobleach 5y ago
Passing out and sleep are VERY different things.
- zabzonk 5y ago
  I do know that, strange as it might seem.
lm28469 5y ago
If you're serious: lower sleep quality, physically damaging in the long run. I never had a good night of sleep after consuming alcohol, even as little as a 0.5L beer is enough to disturb my ability to sleep.
- zabzonk 5y ago
  > lower sleep quality, physically damaging in the long run Well, 50 years of alcohol doesn't seem to have caused any problems for me. > I never had a good night of sleep after consuming alcohol, even as little as a 0.5L beer is enough to disturb my ability to sleep. Not so for me. Not everyone is the same.
  - lm28469 5y ago
    > Well, 50 years of alcohol doesn't seem to have caused any problems for me. Do you have an identical non drinking twin to compare ? Unless you have a genetic condition or are a literal alcoholic experiencing withdrawal symptoms I doubt sleep quality increase with any amount of alcohol, I have never seen any study remotely close to hinting that
    - zabzonk 5y ago
      > Do you have an identical non drinking to compare ? Do you have an identical drinking (I suppose you mean "person" here, but who knows) to compare (I suppose you mean "to") here? > I doubt sleep quality increase with any amount of alcohol Well, in my experience it "increases".

rotexo 5y ago

Isn’t systematic sleep deprivation part of military training too? Or is that just used in training for some branches? If so, I imagine that would be a big driver in rebuilding sleep habits from the ground up. If I’m not mistaken, sleep restriction is a big part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. People force themselves to only be in bed for say six hours a night, so if they don’t sleep in that window, they are so tired the next night that they are more likely to fall asleep quickly.

cyberlurker 5y ago
I’m not sure for all branches, but I’ve read/heard it’s part of the Navy seals training and exam. Although I’ve never come close to trying, I’m sure it would be one of the hardest parts for me.
- throw1234651234 5y ago
  Google "Hell Week" if interested. Basically any "special operations" (including Rangers) unit training will put you through sleep deprivation for a week as part of selection, regardless of country.
- scruple 5y ago
  We were typically awake for about 48-72 hours straight during field training exercises in a combat unit. Somewhere between 36 and 48 hours you start micro-napping, even in the middle of performing other tasks. I remember falling asleep while walking between buildings multiple times. I'm not sure what goes on today, I separated nearly 20 years ago, but back in the early 00s we were doing these FTXs at least twice a year between deployments.

ortusdux 5y ago

Pete Holmes, a comedian, talked about how he utilizes this technique. Ironically, instead of imagining himself laying in a canoe, he would visualize himself as a sniper, bundled up in a ghillie suit, hidden to the world while he awaits his prey. I would imagine that the army would not want you to use that specific scenario to help fall asleep.

eplanit 5y ago
I've used the sniper fantasy for decades (since I was a kid). I guess I discovered it by accident, but it has _always_ worked. The key (for me, at least) is trying to concentrate on the imaginary target...waiting for it to appear in the imaginary scene. I'm out like a light in no time.
- karmakaze 5y ago
  Interesting. So focusing intensely on nothing, waiting. Seems like a form of meditation to clear your mind.
kuroguro 5y ago
I (oddly) have a pretty good success rate for imagining dying in some way. Not sure it's something I can recommend for everyone tho. I'm guessing that acting it out in my mind achieves a similar effect as the steps described - I relax my muscles (as I imagine bleeding out), slow my breathing and stop thinking shortly.

LanceH 5y ago

The military secret to falling asleep is to be exhausted. Ever since I was 13 I've been unable to fall asleep quickly except when exhausted or reading anything by the Bronte sisters. Possibly the most annoying thing about it is the absolute certainty in the presumption of the people making recommendations of how I'm doing it wrong. I've tried, thanks.

lugged 5y ago
I spoke to the doctor the 5th time today to discuss my inability to sleep until I have a headache and am about to passout from exhaustion. They suggested getting up if I can't fall asleep. No words
- deregulateMed 5y ago
  Do you do daily cardio? And/or weight lifting? Also if I was in the physician cartel- That will be 220$.
  - lugged 5y ago
    I briskly walk the dog every day for 20-30 minutes.
- _fs 5y ago
  I believe the theory behind this is that you don't want to associate your bed with not sleeping. If you body is not ready to sleep, don't bother trying. I got a similar suggestion after a spell of a week or two with 2 hours or less sleep a night. I was physically and mentally exhausted, but I could not sleep.
  - lugged 5y ago
    I understand the theory. The problem is I don't associate bed with anything other than sleep, I implemented that practice years ago. Now I'm actually questioning it, I did a lot better when I could fall asleep watching boring documentaries on YouTube. Now I watch documentaries until I get tired, but after getting up, going to the toilet, having a drink of water, brushing my teeth, all before hitting bed I'm wide awake again.

clipradiowallet 5y ago

They should have mentioned in the article this works best if you are exhausted already.

Scarbutt 5y ago

It boils down to practising meditation/mindfulness.

mellosouls 5y ago

Personally I don't have the useful military pre-requisite of physical exhaustion so I just use sleep-phones and Audible with a 30 minute sleep timer and something engaging but not too exciting to listen to; eg. a good history of something undramatic. Slow the reading pace down to match your breathing cycle, and its really effective.

throw1234651234 5y ago

https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/41528/relax-and-win-classified-military-method-to-fall-asleep-quick https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/41528/relax-and... https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/47674/can-you-truly-fall-asleep-in-two-minutes-with-this-military-technique https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/47674/can-you-t... I read the book - original source is "Relax and Win". The whole book was fluff for the one-page exercise, and the author has questionable credentials. The technique does not reliably work for me, though I still try it sometimes. I found that the people who fall asleep the fastest just don't think about anything at all, rather than focusing on a technique.

blowski 5y ago
Totally agree. Unsurprisingly, the "best-kept secret for sleep" is to lead a healthy, low-stress, balanced lifestyle. I have a friend who used to sleep fine. Started using some app on his phone to record his sleep, and it suggested that he was a fidgety sleeper and could get better quality sleep. So he bought a smartwatch that was supposed to help. It didn't. So he bought some special headphones that are supposed to pump out whitenoise while he sleeps. He slept worse than ever. In the end, he went back to no app, smartwatch, or headphones and now says he sleeps almost as well as he used to.
ASalazarMX 5y ago
> The whole book was fluff for the one-page exercise, and the author has questionable credentials. I usually fall asleep in minutes, although medication or a big day ahead can make it hard to calm down. My wife asked me how did I do that, and I suspect I somehow Pavloved myself. When it's time to go to bed, I imagine myself comfortable, cozy and relaxed while resting on my pillow, covered with my blanket, sleeping. When I get to the bed all I can think of is that, and I fall asleep before noticing. I think I'm qualified to sell a book around this paragraph too.

Tade0 5y ago

There's this clip of a chicken "sleeping on the job", the first few seconds of which make me sleepy almost instantly: https://youtu.be/u8VDbFUjHmI https://youtu.be/u8VDbFUjHmI

ASalazarMX 5y ago
Oh, I might try watching a sleepy animals compilation while in bed. Never tried it, but seeing cute animals yawn also makes me sleepy.
- Tade0 5y ago
  First time I saw it I went to sleep almost immediately. I think it's this feeling of security and peacefulness that chicken must have felt to just go asleep outside, vulnerable to predators. The human mind is truly amazing.

JohnDeHope 5y ago

This is not the best version of this I've ever seen. It's close but its missing a few key steps. https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/fall-asleep-fast/ I've used this on myself and my kids and it's worked well. There are some extra steps that I think round out the effect. If you've tried similar techniques, but without some of these steps, it might be worth it to add them. 1. Get physically comfortable, usually layout on your back with your arms at your sides, if possible. 2. Relax each part of your body starting with the top of your head and ending with your toes. This should take a good 10min. I guarantee you are clenching your jaw, making a fist, keeping your shoulders up, etc. You need to make each part of your body completely limp dead weight. You should be able to physically feel the unsupported weight of your body parts. I imagine that I am turning into solid lead and sinking into the earth (bed). 3. Focus on your breathing. I don't have any super techniques for how to breath, other than to focus solely on it. Count your breaths and start counting over again as soon as you think of anything else other than your breath. This will take a long time if your mind is wandering. Just start over as soon as you realize you are thinking of anything except counting your breaths. Once you get to 10 move on. 4. This is the end. Imagine yourself floating. You can be floating on a canoe, in a bath tub, on the ocean, in a cloud, it doesn't really matter. Just imagine that you are no longer laying in a bed in a dark room. I call this going to my happy place. Like with the breathing, as soon as you realize you are thinking about anything at all, stop and bring your attention back to the sensation of floating. If I've gotten this far then I will begin counting breaths again, too. But usually I don't make it this far.