How to Trick Your Brain Into Falling Asleep - Full Tutorial - Jim Donovan 

This FINALLY got me to deep sleep! I haven’t slept well in 3 weeks! Thank you 🙏🏻

Dude I can’t fucking thank you enough. Even after drinking coffee later in the day and having some anxiety I was able to fall asleep by 10 and I’ve never done that before. It’s unbelievable and I can’t thank you enough

Used to be a night owl since 2009, but my new noisy neighbor made it difficult to sleep lately. I found your helpful video with tips for falling asleep and it worked - I just have to tap my lap for 15-20 minutes then I crash out. Thank you for saving my life. Sending love from Burma.

As a person watching this at 1:58 AM this sure did help make me tired, Idk why but for some reason I physically can’t sleep

I love how u use easy language to make it understandable for everyone. U r a good one.

I’ve had terrible insomnia my whole life, without pot I’ve only ever been able to get to bed by 5-6am and I recently quit drinking and smoking and this is the only thing that has truly got me to sleep quick without having to resort to the bong. Absolute game changer!

I'll add my voice to this consensus--I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WORKS! I have had insomnia for as long as I can remember. I'm a psychotherapist and will be sharing this with many patients. I'll also be looking into how I can teach it to kids as you recommended in your ted talk. Thank you thank you!!

This works! Thanks so much. I do it in bed with lights off and eyes closed. I pull up my legs and tap on the leg sides. I usually do 2x and wait for 10 minutes after to fall asleep. I feel very rested when I wake up. There is a point during the deep slow breathing when my mind seem to switch into a relax mode. I can feel my brain slowing down and my hand tapping automatically slows down. Blessings to you for sharing with us. Jennifer.

I have just been watching your Ted talk and have to say thank you for sharing your technique I will definitely include it in to my nightly routine You have a beautiful smile and soul Thank you for sharing your light with the world 🙏🌟💜🌟🙏 Namaste

This really works. I can’t sleep back I wake up around midnight. I am sleeping more and even had a dream after many years without any dreams. I also waking up late.

My favorite relaxation technique ever!!! Thank u so much ❤❤❤

I use this when I'm panic and it helps me lower my heart rate a lot, thank you !

Jim - this worked for me two nights ago the first time I tried it. Got the same results last night! Only have to get up for a quick pee, then back to bed and back to sleep immediately. I’ve long had a problem getting to sleep in the first place. Almost every week last night, for example, I was up till two or three trying to get drowsy. Reading a book, etc. never worked like this! Wondering how you came up with this? So unorthodox, but so satisfyingly effective. I am indebted to you, my friend.

This is a great way to stop thought and get back in to the rest and digest mode. Thank you !!!

It works really well for me. Thanks for sharing this, Jim!

My problem is waking up in the middle of the night. I do use the breathing technique and use that time to pray. I will give the tapping exercise a try.

Thank you! This has helped so much, my brain doesn’t ever seem to stop, and this really helped! Cheers! 🥰

THANK YOU JIM. I've had sleeping problems for about five years now. I started taking a low dose (25mg) of prescribed medications-which helped initially but now I'm at 150 Mg and not sleeping well. I also have trouble falling asleep. At times it's taken five-six hours to find sleep. And! I have sleep apnea and the CPAP doesn't work with me. I gave Jim's technique. First night-nothing. I tried it again-four nights ago. I've been falling asleep in less than an hour-last night was about 30 minutes. I also sleep better. I lay on my back-with sheet/blanket covering me and do the technique in that position. I don't "drop" instantly but like I said, I'm out so much sooner than before. I have an appointment with my sleep doctor in two weeks...boy is he going to be surprised!..and so will you if you try it. Good luck and Thanks jim!!!

I didn't know you started your own RU-vid channel, this is awesome! I remember watching your TED Talk a few years ago and I thought it was a really fascinating concept at the time, but I never really tried it out. My sleep quality has been going down recently, so I'm finally going to give it a go tonight and see if it helps!

I'm definitely going to give this a try tonight. I'm a drummer and my wife is always telling me to "stop tapping", so I'll need to go for the finger tap! Have basically accepted the fact long ago that I don't sleep well. The best thing I did was convince myself that this is ok. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I no longer toss and turn and look at the clock. I just tell myself that I still have a few hours to lay there and relax. That helps. Thanks for the great advice.

This has helped me so much! I even get settled in, on my stomach, head on my pillow, and lightly tap my fingers on the sheet, above my pillow....zzzzzzz ❤

Amazing love this! I will definitely try tonight. Thank you for sharing.

I came up with a similar method a few years ago, but Jim's is better than mine. Thank you! Another way of falling asleep: just pretend you're attending a university lecture.

I will try this tonight. It’s been months since I had a good sleep and had the start drinking before bed to fall asleep, which I don’t like. Thanks for sharing this!

I just did the exercise a few hours before my bedtime. I feel much more relaxed! 😌 This technique might be useful for anxiety during the day also.

This is like bilateral stimulation. I love how you discovered this on your own. I can only vaguely remember your TED talk, but it's great when they give a platform to such interesting and diverse ideas and practices.

I really felt a unique feeling when I did this. Great for stress release

I'm crying from relief 😢🦋 thank you for this science ❤️

My anxiety just melted away! Thank you so much.❤️

It works! I finally had a good night sleep 😴

Hi Jim, Thank you so very much. Sleep is an issues so glad to have a helpful method. Best regards, Philip

Love it !!!!! 😊💤💤💤

Thank you kindly❤

Thanks for spreading your trick! Your the real Sandman. It worked👍

Thank you for this! New sub

I’m going to try his tonight...I did do exercise while sitting up and it did make a difference in relaxing better....👍🤔

Thank you ima try this I havnt been able to sleep for 3 days strait and I’m tired but I don’t feel tired

Thank you

This 100% works, thank you so much!!

Jim- thanks for this, I have insomnia for 1.5 years and it is resolved ! I am on the 7th day of cutting off my Ambien pill, how great is able to sleep! However, still waking up early 4:30am. Will try to use same method to get back to sleep. But sincerely thanks for helping me. It is really God blessing . If you come to Hong Kong, I would like to bless you with a great meal

Thank you, Jim Donovan. I feel sleepy.

I can confirm that method and recommend it 100%. it is absolutely the best way to get into the non-thinking mode. I personally take a rhythm that I momentarily feel like, without thinking about it. but it should be a real pattern, nothing uncontrolled weird. it should be a real pattern that your brain must repeat without "You". (whatever "YOU" means) . when I get more tired after a few minutes, I feel like, the simple left-right pattern is the best choice now, indeed. but not when I start. when I start, mostly I need a more complicated pattern. By the way, in my opinion, it is a mistake to believe, "not to move your body at all costs" in order to fall asleep. the opposite is the case. if you feel like shaking or moving your body because you are nervous, do it. until it is not necessary anymore.

Hello Jim! I'm from India and I really love your band Rusted Root. I just want to say thank you for the music brother.❤️

This in fact works!

I've been doing this and it has helped so much! I am even sleeping longer now and not waking up so much during the night. Was having to take sleeping pills and still it took 2 hours to fall asleep and I'd wake up about every 2 hrs. all night. I fall asleep much faster now and wake up more rested without a sleeping pill.

Good stuff - thx!

Jim, I'm glad I was able to find your demo here. After watching the Ted Talk, I have suggested this to a few people and "no shit" it really helped them out - which I was not surprised it had. Being a drummer and drum teacher, there are some powerful advantages to just the fundamentals of drumming that go far beyond simply learning how to play. DRUM ON :D

I’m yawning already ! Thanks bro 😎

Great, it really does work! Thanks man. Marcel, Netherlands

I started yawning shortly after beginning! the exercise! Thanks for sharing!!!

Love this. can you do it again if you wake up in the middle of the night to go back to sleep? That's one of my issues besides not being able to fall asleep without meds, waking up at 4:00 am and can't go back to sleep so I just stay in bed relaxing. I try to think of gratitude, so my anxiety doesn't get the best of me til time to get up.

This literally works like magic 😮

I slept!!!!! Thank you so much.

I just play your video in my headphones with my eyes closed, that's how it works best for me lol

Thank you! I finally slept!

Thanks man

It totally worked on me last night. I’ve been facing temporary insomnia from last few weeks and this helped

I’ve modified this method using a metronome app. I set the metronome to start at about 140 bpm and then decrease over time (about 15 minutes) to about 20 bpm. I breathe deeply in time with the metronome, slowing down as the beats do. I’m still experimenting with it but it does help me fall asleep.

1:05

I just have 1 regret, not to find this earlier in my life!

This is why I fall asleep in a car or boat. The rythm of the engine🤔

hi! should this be done before going to bed, or right when I'm on the bed and going to sleep?

I wake up at 2 am for some reason. Racing brain and heart. I know it’s anxiety as life is a bit tricky right now. I manage it during the day with meditation and yoga but it sneaks up on me in the wee small hours. A habit. Tried this last night just tapping my thumbs and the rest of my fingers quietly as I didn’t want to wake my husband and don’t think I was able to finish it before I went to sleep.

Can I do this in bed lying down? And long before bedtime should it be done?

I am definitely going to try this tonight. I have not been able to get good sleep in over 10yrs. If i can get a solid 2hrs im lucky. Usually just about an hour and then i wake up for 30 minutes to an hour and repeat 3 or 4 times before i finally have to get up and going for the morning. Last year was diagnosed with anxiety, high blood pressure and now recently pre diabetes from the weight i have gained from all the meds they have me on. Gained almost 100lbs in a six month span with no changes in my lifestyle other than the meds. Now i have been eating healthier, cut out the mt dew and still cant drop the weight to save my life.

Thank you so much for this. I have found if I wake up during the night, I turn to my side bringing my legs up, and do it on one thigh under the covers and it works too! Have also found that I have fallen asleep halfway through doing it! LOL

Hi I did try this exercise. It did help calm down my nervew but i coujdbt sleep right away. Any suggestions? I did it twice and wanted to take an afternoon nap.

Is it the sound or is it the touch that makes it work.. Do you know? Can you tap silently?

Can I do this laying down?

Hi Jim, is lying down also good to exercise this wonderful method?

Breathe out using nose or mouth?

I tried this last night and it didn’t help at all sadly. I did it right before bed and fell asleep as I usually do. Then I woke at 1am as per usual. I did it again but could not get back to sleep, as usual. I’m starting to feel desperate. Worth trying again?

My therapist told me to try this tonight when I try to go to sleep. I get anxious when I go to bed every night and I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I hope this will work for me!

Hi Jim, thank you for that great tutorial. Would you use it during the night? I don't have problem with falling a sleep but I wake after 5-6 hours of sleep and can't go back to sleep.

I did this for 2 weeks which worked fantasticly, now it's not working. Any reasons why?

There’s many reasons for chronic insomnia such as blood sugar dis-regulation, thyroid disease, adrenal insufficiency, fibromyalgia, and probably many, more reasons. Will this work regardless of the cause of insomnia?

I was curious how long this takes to work and how long one has to do this? I tried it and it almost revved me up so I must have done it wrong.

Master

So that's fast tapping (4 beats per second) for about 3 minutes, then tapering down slowly to a stop in the next 30 seconds. Breathing is about 6 seconds inhale, 6 seconds exhale.

This worked for the first few nights, but after that, it just doesn't work. I don't know why ☹ Do I need to tap harder so the rhythm gets into my brain?

We rhythmically tap the bottom of babies to soothe them into sleeping. I am going to try this now.

Can I do in sleeping position?

Seems to work. I had to stop, as I was getting drowsy at the slow down point and I didnt actually want to fall asleep, just test the method 👍

Jim. This tapping makes my heart rate jump up pretty high. I stopped in the middle of the exercise. Will my heart come down when the tapping stops. It went from 71 to 97 and 105 while tapping quickly and breathing. Is this normal? I tried it again and my heart did come back down at the end but is this normal gor it to get high during the fast tsppung?

Hello there, Can you give me advice? I have just tried this trick and it have worked as every fall asleep trick I have tried before… I trick my body to fall asleep, but when the dizzines reach my head, there are two thigs that can happen. One is that I just start to feel like I am falling asleep, but I just can’t stop thinking (even when I am just focusing on that tap tap rythm, so on the last second before falling asleep I feel like I am kicked back and I am awake as before i started this, or other trick… Second thing that happens (mostly after when I am kicked 2-3 times back to lucidity, about after 15 minutes of just body sleeping, I start to feel like my body is lying in crazy positions, but still asleep, but when the sleepy feel comes to my head again, my head starts to hurt like when I have migrene (lot of days when I have insomnia I also have migrene, so it just boosts it) and I feel like something have exploded in me, whole my body starts to sweat and it continues until I move, which makes me awake on same level or more awake than before this trick… If you can advise me what to do, I will be really gratefull. I don’t have problems daily, sonetimes it is like once a month falling asleep more than 0,5h (mostly when it is over 30 min it is 2-6 hours), but sometimes it hits me and i have trouble even 5 times a week…

Early this morning, I tried it and it worked. But it could have been that I was just exhausted after several nights of poor sleep. Other methods I tried worked just once. I'll try it again tonight. You have been doing this for years and the comments are positive. So why has the medical establishment not tested your technique in clinical trials?

I will close my eyes forever I not kidding

How does this drumming help your brain relax? I get the Brain slowing down and going info parasympathetic, and wondered if it takes a little while to work for insomniacs. I teach a lot of people who have trouble getting to sleep, sleep a few hours & then wake up. Should they repeat the exercise if they wake up & should they follow it with Yoga Nidra?

I am 13 I don't have insomnia i just tried it for fun. It is magical

The last 4 or 5 years I've averaged about 5 hours sleep per night. I once had an appointment with a sleep specialist but that was cancelled by the pandemic. I've been looking for some sleep-inducing method as to avoid medication. Simply concentrating on normal breathing as part of mindfulness meditation works occasionally but is often simply not enough. I tried the technique in the video a couple of nights. It seems to be a little too laborious or perhaps stimulating, both mentally and physically, to do the job for me. Perhaps it needs a little too much concentration.

🙌

It works. ...and you know what else? You can use it for meditation too

I can confirm this works, did it for the 1st time last night, i did 25 breaths in from my diaphragm and slowly blowing it out like slow puncture through my mouth with lips closed almost....then when i finshed, i just fell back into bed and was out like a light.....

This works! Curious though, would a metronome type device work or is the tapping of your hands/fingertips the key? Aaaaand it’s 4:45 am. Think I need to start tapping now

If you can just not think, and engage the cogs, you’re good. Also, don’t clock watch.

Go I need sleep like right before I go crazy 😆 lol im losing it

Silly question, when tapping on lap, do i hold breath before exhaling out from mouth? If yes, for how long? Thanks

Hello! Can i do it also while layong down on the bed? Thanks so much in advance

I didn't sleep but got a Mambo dance party going on🎉

I was watching this while folding clothes almost fell asleep face down on my bed