A dermatologist who was fed up of waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to get back to sleep has shared the trick she learned which ‘literally works’
It can be incredibly frustrating when you wake up in the middle of the night, only to look on your phone and see it’s hours until you’re supposed to be awake. You wish you could fall straight back asleep to get those extra few hours in, but sometimes it can feel like an impossible task.
Waking up several times during the night, and finding it hard to get back to sleep, can be a sign of insomnia. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep depending on their age, but if you don’t get enough, it’s likely you’ll feel constantly tired throughout the day.
One woman heard of a hack that could help her fall back asleep instantly if this happened, and she was gobsmacked by how well it worked. Dermatologist Jenna Coackley took to her @jenna_coack TikTok account to say she initially didn’t believe the hack could work, after spotting it herself on Instagram.
She continued: “But I’ve tried it a couple of nights in a row and it literally works. It’s the best trick I’ve ever tried.” She then shared screenshots of her Oura Ring data, which can track metrics including sleep and heart rate. From two different nights it showed she had spent around 1hr 20mins awake during the night.
However, the first time she tried the hack, it showed she’d only spent 24 minutes awake, and the second 31 minutes. Jenna then went on to explain the hack.
With your eyes closed, you look to the right, then to the left, then up, then down, then your eyes go round in a circle, before going back the other way. According to Jenna, all you need to do is repeat this until you fall back asleep.
Jenna looked into the science behind the trick, and she explained that it activates your “parasympathetic nervous system”, and “tricks your brain into thinking it’s in the REM cycle”. “I don’t know, it feels like some type of voodoo magic,” she added.
Others tried out the trick for themselves, with one person saying: “You’ve saved my life.” Another added: “Yes! We do this in therapy and it regulates your nervous system.” “I kinda do that too… except I add crossing your eyes at the end … it really does work!!!” said another.
However, it didn’t work for everyone, with one person sharing an alternative method: “That hasn’t worked for me. But what does work is running through the alphabet and picking a category to name off things within the category per letter. As many as you can think of. I don’t ever recall making it past D or E before dozing off.”
According to the NHS, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, while children need nine to 13. Toddlers and babies need 12 to 17 hours. There are many things that can cause insomnia, but there are things you can do to help, such as changing your sleeping habits.
Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, relaxing at least one hour before bed, making sure your bedroom is dark and quiet, and exercising regularly throughout the day. If you’ve tried changing your habits and have had trouble sleeping for months, you should speak to your GP.