This ‘counterintuitive’ psychological trick will help you fall asleep if you have insomnia

Are you struggling to sleep amid the depths and doldrums of winter?

You’re not alone. Six in 10 Americans say their sleep routines feel more compromised during the colder months than in other seasons.

Experts note that the reduced sunlight, heavier meals, warmer bedroom temperatures, less physical activity and drier air all conspire to make falling and staying asleep more difficult.

Dr. William Lu, a GP and the Medical Director at Dreem Health, an online sleep clinic offering at-home sleep studies and sleep apnea treatment, tells The Post that trying not to fall asleep could be the key to slumberland.

While fighting sleep may seem counterintuitive to falling asleep, Lu explains the psychology behind effective resistance.

“This is an actual technique in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia called paradoxical intention,” he said.

“Sleep is something that should come naturally. Listen to your body and look for the cues that you are sleepy and ready for bed. I would say that the harder you try to sleep, the more difficult it becomes.”

According to Lu, anxiety about not getting proper sleep often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: The more you worry that you can’t rest, the less rest you’ll get.

In psychological terms, this worry is known as “performance anxiety,” where the panic about the outcome guarantees its failure. Paradoxical intention aims to give in to that dread and do the opposite of what you’re struggling to do, trying to stay awake versus forcing sleep.

In practice, paradoxical intentions can include getting out of bed and engaging in a mundane activity that requires some attention but not enough stimulation or pleasure to keep you awake. For example, you might do laundry or reorganize a bookshelf.

These distractions can help shift mental focus away from sleep pressure and encourage drowsiness, helping people fall asleep more naturally.

Martin Seeley, the CEO of MattressNextDay, admits that intentionally not trying to fall asleep may seem “completely counterintuitive,” but the psychological trick works.

Though it sounds suspect, research proves the efficacy of paradoxical intention.

A 2021 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Sleep Research found that employing paradoxical intention techniques significantly reduced sleep-related performance anxiety. Participants who could surrender themselves to sleeplessness ended up falling asleep faster.

In addition to paradoxical intention, Lu recommends blackout curtains and reducing light in the bedroom to encourage slumber times.

“I personally try to cover any light that might come from electronics in the room.  Even when our eyes are closed, we can still sense light, and this can impact when we wake up.” 

Meanwhile, 10-3-2-1-0 sleep method to further assist those tossing and turning in the wee hours.

Don’t consume caffeine about 10 hours before bedtime, finish eating big meals or [drinking] alcohol three hours before crawling into bed, relax your body and brain two hours before you want to fall asleep, avoid electronics during the last hour you’re awake — and never, ever hit snooze.