Who doesn't want to get better sleep these days?
For many of us, those elusive zzz’s keep getting harder and harder to catch. Hence why everywhere you look there seem to be new “hacks” for getting a good night's sleep—especially on TikTok, where “sleepy girl mocktails” currently reign supreme.
But unlike most viral elixir recipes, this trick for falling asleep fast is actually doctor approved.
Dr. Kunal Sood, who is a TikTok celebrity in his own right with 2.2 millions followers, revealed that finally getting some long awaited shuteye might come down to a super simple breathing exercise.In a clip posted to his page, Dr. Sood breaks down what’s known as resonance frequency breathing, which involves slowing your breathing down to around 3-7 breaths per minute.
This type of breathing is accomplished by “inhaling and exhaling for a count of five,” Dr. Sood explains, adding that this activity “activates the parasympathetic nervous system,” which helps us relax enough to fall asleep.
The doctor also stated that “there is even research which shows that practicing resonance frequency breathing can reduce your anxiety and improve your cognitive performance,”a claim upheld by The National Institutes of Health which states: “Self-training in resonance breathing lowers stress, blood pressure and improves mood.”
@doctorsood Have you tried this to help you sleep? 😴 #sleep #sleeptips ♬ original sound - DoctorSood, M.D.
Resonance frequency breathing is very similar to the popular 4-7-8 breathing technique, where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. Both seem to uphold the concept that breath can be the key to our relaxation, thanks to the physiological processes it conjures up.
Research has shown that different emotional states are linked with different forms of breathing, and that following the breathing patterns associated with those emotions causes you to actually feel the corresponding emotion. Breathing in a relaxed way therefore sends a signal to the brain saying that it’s time to relax. Though you could you either resonance breathing as described by Dr. Sood, or 4-7-8 breathing, or some other variation, a good rule of thumb is to lengthen your exhales, as that’s when your heart rate slows down.
Breathing can be a helpful tool in a variety of anxiety inducing situations.
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We all know that getting good sleep is vital for our wellbeing, and while it might seem like we need to go to extremes or buy whatever’s trending on the subject, it’s nice to know that oftentimes our body is already well equipped to help us. Sometimes, it really is as easy as taking a breath.
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Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
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Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
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Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
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Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."