This may seem paradoxical and yet: a new TikTok trend advises, to successfully fall asleep, to keep your eyes open. Does it work ? Explanations.
To fall asleep at all costs, a new TikTok trend relies on paradoxical intention. What does this practice consist of? It’s simply about doing the exact opposite of what you want.
To fall asleep, keep your eyes open
The paradoxical intention is rather to directly attack one’s phobia by confronting it. Against insomnia, it therefore consists of keeping your eyes open to find sleep. On social networks, and in particular on TikTok, some users praise the merits of this technique. To get back into a sleep rhythm, it would therefore be counterintuitive to force yourself to sleep.
A theory verified by science
According to Colin Espie, professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford, England, quoted by Science Focus magazine, “paradoxical intention is a long-standing treatment procedure, used in psychological therapy for decades”.
Keeping your eyes open can help you fall asleep faster. Here’s why https://t.co/efZsi8Tv5n Delighted to provide the science behind paradoxical intention. A so called ‘sleep hack’? I don’t think so, you can’t take credit for human nature! @UniofOxford @OxSCNi @wearebighealth…
— Prof Colin Espie (@ProfEspie) March 6, 2024
The technique is particularly proven against insomnia. “Sleep is mostly an involuntary process, and so by trying to control its process you will disrupt it.” he explains. “You cannot, strictly speaking, get to sleep. But you can rather not stay awake”. Nuance.
Consult a doctor online for your sleep problems
How to go about it in practice?
If you suffer from insomnia and want to start paradoxical intention, there are some essential notions to respect. For example, you should go to bed when you feel tired. Then, once you have gone to bed, you will need to keep your eyes open, after having removed any possible source of distraction or light (cell phone, bedside lamp, etc.).
@quadrawellness Fall asleep easier by staying awake? How paradoxical intention can help. #windingdown #sleeptok #therapytoks #insomniarelief #sleeptips ♬ Storytelling – Adriel
When your eyelids feel heavy, you still have to fight a little. Colin Espie advises simply encouraging yourself with phrases like: “I’ll just stay awake a little longer” or “I’ll keep my eyes open for another 10 seconds. Every time you feel your eyes closing, say no.”
At this point, the goal is to fight to stay awake. And when sleep becomes too urgent, it is important to let yourself go, without struggling. If you don’t succeed on the first night, be patient, the efforts will eventually pay off.
