Get to Sleep Faster by Tensing Up and Repeating “The”

It’s not news that many of us aren’t getting enough sleep, but BBC News offers several tips from a director of Clinical Sleep Research for getting to sleep when your head hits the pillow that you may not have heard before. For example:

Tensing until your muscles hurt may not seem the most sensible way of getting to sleep, but it’s a popular and proven cognitive technique. Systematically tense each muscle group in turn until it starts to hurt… and then let go. This creates a warm feeling of relaxation, and any tension should flow away. The theory is that with physical relaxation comes mental calmness.

You may have heard of this method (Progressive Muscle Relaxation) before, but there was one tip that was completely new to me:

Just repeating “the” could be the solution. It’s known as a blocking strategy, another cognitive technique. The aim is to stop the mind racing.
Repeating a simple word like “the” at irregular interval blocks other thoughts coming into your head.

Finally, out of curiousity:

If you’re still looking for a bit more shuteye, check out our top 10 ways to sleep smarter and better.