Two minutes to fall asleep, wherever you are. It is the promise of the method that is conquering Tiktok, where millions of people feel a simple, relaxing technique and – at least according to those who have tested it – surprisingly effective.
Sleeping well has become increasingly difficult. Between stress, smartphones and performance anxiety, sleep is often the first victim of our days. And perhaps also for this reason the video of Justin Agustin, Canadian athletic trainer, has become viral in a few weeks: over 7 million views for an exercise that promises to fall asleep in two minutes, even in less comfortable situations.
Agustin explains that it is a technique used by the military, designed to relax the body and mind even in noisy environments or under pressure. Tiktok renamed him “Japanese method”, but in reality his origins have nothing to do with the East.
From the forehead to the feet: relax the body with the “body scan”
The technique begins with an exercise of progressive relaxation, called body scan. It serves to release every muscle, one at a time, until it reaches a deep calm.
Lie down, with your arms along the body, we start from the forehead: the muscles of the face are relaxed, then the eyes, the cheeks and the jaw. Breathing becomes slow and regular.
Once the face is lying, you pass behind and to the arms, letting them fall naturally. Then to the chest and finally to the legs, up to the feet.
During this phase it is important to imagine that the body “melts”, as if a heat flow slowly descended from the head to the fingers of the feet. It is a way to lower physical tension and prepare for the next step: to calm your mind.
Imagination and mantra: how to turn off the thoughts that keep awake
The most delicate moment comes when the body is relaxed but the mind continues to turn a thousand. To avoid it, Agustin suggests using imagination and focusing on a single scene:
If thoughts return to be heard, just repeat the sentence for ten seconds:
Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think.
This small mantra helps to interrupt the flow of thoughts and, with a little practice, to “trigger” sleep almost automatically.
Many users on Tiktok say they have managed to fall asleep really in a few minutes. For others, however, it takes more time. But everyone agrees on one point: the technique helps to reduce tension and feel more relaxed.
Not a Japanese secret, but a military technique rediscovered by social media
Despite the name, the so -called “Japanese method” does not come from Japan. Its origins date back to an American military protocol from the 80s, described in the book Relax and win: Championship Performance by Lloyd Bud Winter.
It was a technique designed for pilots, useful to fall asleep quickly even in conditions of strong stress.
Tiktok simply rediscovered and simplified it, transforming it into a global trend. And beyond fashions, this success reveals a real need: to find quick and natural ways to rest better, without resorting to drugs or technological devices.
Sleeping remains a simple but fundamental gesture. And if two minutes are enough to learn to let go, it is certainly worth trying.
@justin_agustin Technique to Falling Asleep in 2 Minutes! Insp. Asappscience on yt #sleep #fallasleep #insomnia #insomniac #learnontiktok #howto
♬ You – Petit Biscuit
You may also be interested in:
