How to do TikTok’s viral two-minute sleep hack

Georgina Smith
TikTok logo over bed sheets

TikTok is loving a viral sleep hack that was developed by the military with the aim of getting you to fall asleep in just two minutes. Here’s how to try it for yourself.

Along with its wealth of dance and comedy content, TikTok is known for being home to a huge number of life hacks, which often go viral and take over the platform.

People love sharing their favorite tips and tricks for anything from recipes and cooking, to fashion and makeup, and videos containing these popular hacks often garner millions of likes and views.

Image of TikTok website
TikTok is a hub of viral content.

In January, TikTok fitness coach Justin Agustin posted a video in which he introduced his followers to a sleep hack that was developed by the military to help soldiers fall asleep in just two minutes at any time and any place.

He claimed that according to his research, it was developed mainly for fighter pilots who need 100% of their focus.

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If the thought of being able to fall asleep in such a short amount of time sounds tempting, Justin explained to his followers how to do the trick.

What is TikTok’s sleep hack?

People have had mixed results so far with this hack, with some saying it works and others claiming they weren’t successful.

But if you want to try and see whether it actually works for yourself, follow Justin’s steps:

  1. First, you need to systematically relax your body, one part at a time. Start by relaxing the muscles in your forehead, then eyes, cheeks, and jaw.
  2. Ensure you’re focusing on your breathing.
  3. Relax your neck, and drop your shoulders as low as you can.
  4. Imagine a warm sensation going from your head to your fingertips.
  5. Take a deep breath, and relax your chest, stomach, thighs, knees, legs, and feet. Imagine the warm sensation spreading to your toes.
  6. While you’re doing this, clear your mind of stress by thinking of two scenarios: a) You’re lying in a canoe on a calm lake under a blue sky, or b) You’re lying in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room.
  7. If at any point you start getting distracted, repeat the words “don’t think” for ten seconds.

Justin explains that you’re supposed to practice this every night for six weeks.

While some have seen success using this method, others aren’t so convinced by it, but the original video now has almost 10 million views.