Quick Fact: The Most Effective Way To Fall Asleep

Quick Fact: The Most Effective Way To Fall Asleep

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According to study conducted by Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, the most effective way to fall asleep is by imagining some calming scenarios such as blissful waterfall, seaside or colorful meadow, as these are the most relaxing for the mind.
The study discovered that using such techniques like counting sheep or repeating the same word in regular intervals are the least effective and tend to bring tedious irritation. Very ineffective is also an attempt to block our anxious thought patterns. By trying to force ourselves not to think about something, our mind cannot actually stop thinking about it. It is the best if we let our anxious thoughts flow while we repeat some words in irregular intervals, so our brain does not lose the focus, and after a while it gets tired, which helps in falling asleep.

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Another study by the same department found out significant cultural differences in cognitive processes related to sleep disturbance, between English and Japanese students. Before falling asleep English participants in the study thought more about work, future, study or illness that happened today and events that will happen next day, than Japanese participants. Also, English participants reported excessive pre-sleep cognitive ability interfering with falling asleep, while Japanese participants reported excessive cognitive activity throughout the night waking them up.

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References:

"The management of unwanted pre-sleep thoughts in insomnia: distraction with imagery versus general distraction", Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, 2002.

"The role of cognitive processes in sleep disturbance: a comparison of japanese and english university students.", Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, 2002.

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-logic

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