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Doctor shares genius 2 minute sleep hack for parents struggling to get their kids to fall asleep

Parents say it's legit.

Photo by Richard Stachmann on Unsplash
a little girl sleeping in a bed with a blanket

One of the biggest battles all parents face is bedtime. Getting your kids to all asleep (in a timely manner) can be painstakingly difficult. Rather than being a time of peace and bonding, putting your kids to bed can be one of stress and dread. If you struggle each night at bedtime, there's a sleep hack you need to try.

Dr. Michael Milobsky (@dr_mikem), a pediatrician in Castle Rock, Colorado, shared a video with his followers on TikTok explaining the two-minute trick he learned from the Yale Department of Child Psychology to help anxious kids fall asleep in their own room.

"If you have a young child that struggles to fall asleep by themselves, try this new technique from the Yale dept of child psychology called, 'The Game'," he captioned the video.

@dr_mikem

If you have a young child that struggles to fall asleep by themselves, try this new technique from the Yale dept of child psychology called, “The Game” #preschooler #sleepproblems #toddlersoftiktok #sleepissues #parentingtips #pediatrics

Dr. Milobsky shares that according to Yale, this method is about 75-80% effective--and is meant for children 3 years of age or older.

"You discuss with your child that you're going to have them put on a show--show us what it looks like, like you're on a stage, to get into bed and fall asleep on your own," he explains. "You're gonna set the amount of time they're gonna do this. They (Yale) recommend starting at about 2 minutes."

Parents are instructed to leave the room for those 2 minutes, and your child will "go through the motions of what it looks like to get into bed and fall asleep." After those 2 minutes is up, if your child has not fallen asleep, they are free to get up and go where they please--including your bed. Parents will continue to do this every night for 1-2 weeks, increasing the amount of time to 4 minutes, then 6 minutes--working up to 15 minutes if necessary.


SleepTired Baby GIFGiphy

"What I have found in my office when I have given families this little formula is by the time you get past 10 minutes, a lot of kids are just falling asleep in bed. If they happen to wake up, the rule is that they can go wherever they want and go back to sleep. Once the child is falling asleep in their room by themselves playing 'The Game', you don't necessarily stop--you keep doing it in the same way."

Dr. Milobsky harps on the fact that it's all about giving your child positive affirmations. "You really praise the child for doing something that's hard, doing something that they're worries about--and being really excited about the accomplishment and accomplishing this milestone on their own."

Eventually, your child will get bored of 'The Game' after going through the same routine. "They just get more accustomed to getting in bed and falling sleep on their own and staying in their room," he adds.

What's more: Dr. Milobsky notes that for the families he offers this method to, he see a 90% success rate. After encouraging his followers to try 'The Game' with their children, many shared their experience after trying it in the comments.

"2.5 weeks in and my daughter just fell asleep for the 2nd time (non consecutively) on her own!! Game changer!!!" one wrote. Another added, "This is what we do but I tell her to just “pretend” she is sleeping for 10 minutes and I will come in to see if she is pretending really good. 🤪 Works every time 😂."

Health

Waking up at night to pee? 7 tips for ending frequent nighttime bathroom trips.

There's a name for this phenomenon that affects 50 million Americans.

Photo credit: Canva

Waking up to use the bathroom can take its toll.

We all know that getting a good night's sleep is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, but someone might want to explain that to people's bladders. It's one thing to be woken up by a loud siren or your child crying or your cats tussling, but when your own body wakes you up to perform a basic function, it can feel like a betrayal.

Having to wake up to pee at night is a phenomenon known as "nocturia," and it's incredibly common, affecting some 50 million Americans. However, according to physical therapist and pelvic floor rehabilitation specialist Dr. Amanda Olson, only a small fraction of those affected by nocturia actually receive specialized treatment for it.

“Nocturia isn’t just a minor inconvenience," says Olson, who serves as President and Chief Clinical Officer of women's health product provider Intimate Rose. "Waking up multiple times in one night to use the bathroom significantly disrupts your sleep cycle, which, in turn, negatively impacts your physical and mental well-being. Beyond the immediate frustration of interrupted sleep, links have been found between nocturia and heightened risks for more serious health issues, including falls particularly among older adults." She points out that nocturia can impact mental well-being as well, "causing drowsiness, mood shifts, and diminished focus throughout the day." And if you sleep with a partner, they tend to experience disrupted sleep as well.

person awake at 2:00amNobody wants to be woken up at 2:00 a.m.Photo credit: Canva

Many people, including some healthcare providers, see nocturia as a normal sign of aging, but Olson explains that people don't need to just accept it. "We need to start treating nocturia not just as an inevitable nuisance but as a condition that can be addressed and managed," she says.

Here are Dr. Olson's tips for things people can do themselves at home to reduce or eliminate nighttime trips to the bathroom:

1. Limit Evening Fluid Intake

Managing your fluid intake, especially in the evening, can have a big impact on nocturia. “Try to avoid consuming large amounts of liquids within two hours of bedtime,” Dr. Olson advises. “Drinks containing caffeine, sparkling water, alcohol, and tea are all diuretics or bladder irritants that should be avoided, as they increase urine production and stimulate your bladder, making nighttime bathroom trips more likely.”

2. Empty Your Bladder Completely Before Bedtime

Create a bedtime routine that includes a final bathroom trip. Even if you don’t feel the urge to go, emptying your bladder before sleeping may reduce the chance of waking up at night.

“A useful technique is to rock back and forth or gently sway side to side once you’ve finished,” says Dr. Olson. “This movement helps ensure your bladder is fully emptied, decreasing the chances of needing to go again later.”

3. Elevate Your Legs To Reduce Fluid Retention

If you suffer from fluid retention in your legs, try elevating them in the evening. Sitting or lying down with your legs propped up for an hour or so before bed can help move the fluid back into your bloodstream, where it can be processed and eliminated before you sleep.

person in bed with legs up on a pillowA pillow can help elevate your legs before bed.Photo credit: Canva

4. Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor Muscles With Kegel Exercises

Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises can improve bladder control and reduce the urge to urinate at night. Performing these exercises regularly builds muscle strength in the pelvic area, which can help manage bladder urgency.

“Using Kegel weights or resistance tools can make these exercises more effective, helping you see improvements sooner,” says Dr. Olson. “Make sure you follow a guide to pick up the right technique, however.”

5. Train Your Bladder During The Day

Bladder training is a gradual process that involves spacing out the time between daytime bathroom visits. By holding off on urinating a bit longer each time, you can work on expanding your bladder’s capacity, which may reduce the frequency of nighttime urges. This gradual approach helps prevent your bladder from becoming too sensitive, potentially reducing the likelihood of waking up frequently at night.

6. Avoid Bladder-Irritating Foods In The Evening

Certain foods and drinks, such as spicy dishes, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and artificial sweeteners, can irritate the bladder, increasing the frequency of urination. To minimize nighttime disruptions, try avoiding these triggers in the late afternoon and evening.

“Instead, opt for bladder-friendly options such as water closer to bedtime,” says Dr. Olson.

7. Create A Restful Sleep Environment

Setting up a calm, comfortable sleep environment can make it easier to fall back asleep if nocturia does wake you. Try keeping your room dark, quiet, and cool; blackout curtains, earplugs, and a comfortable temperature can all promote better sleep quality.

woman wearing sleep mask in bedGood sleep hygiene can help reduce the impact of nocturia-driven sleep deprivation.Photo credit: Canva

Additionally, reducing screen time before bed and creating a pre-sleep wind-down routine can help your body transition to a restful state, making it easier to drift back to sleep after interruptions. “This will reduce the impact of the sleep deprivation often associated with nocturia,” says Dr. Olson.

Always consult your doctor if you have health concerns, especially if habits like these don't seem to make a difference. You can learn more about how to manage frequent urination and other pelvic health issues on the Intimate Rose website.

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Health

Doctor's 4-7-8 relaxation technique can help you fall asleep in an instant

It's the "most powerful relaxation method" he knows.

via Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

The 4-7-8 technique can help you fall asleep.

Are you having a hard time falling asleep? Dr. Andrew Weil has shared the “most powerful” relaxation technique he knows, and it doesn’t require any equipment or cost a dime. It’s known as the 4-7-8 method and it’s backed up by science.

Dr. Weil is an expert in integrative medicine and the founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.

The technique is simple:

  1. Breathe in through your nose while you count to 4.
  2. Hold your breath while you count to 7.
  3. Exhale while you count to 8.

Dr. Weil says the method creates a "very pleasant, altered state of consciousness" that you may not experience the first time but will come as a "reward" of regular practice. Dr. Weil insists that the 4-7-8 technique is a practice, and you must do four breath cycles at least twice a day to get the benefits. "After a month, you can increase to 8 breath cycles if you're comfortable with it," adding that's the "absolute maximum."

Dr. Weil says that 4 to 6 weeks of doing the practice can lower heart rate, improve blood pressure, digestion and circulation and can promote sleep. A study published in Physiological Reports agrees, saying that practicing the 4-7-8 technique reduces heart rate and blood pressure for several minutes.

It’s also an easy way to help you fall asleep. "If you get up in the middle of the night for any reason, it is the most effective anti-anxiety technique that I've found,” Dr. Weil says.


This article originally appeared in January.

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Popular

People swear by these 13 easy techniques they use to fall asleep fast

Which one will work for you?

via Canva

A woman sound asleep.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. A study from 2020 found that 14.5% of adults had trouble falling asleep most days. More than a third of Americans report getting less than 7 hours of sleep over 24 hours and 13.5% say they feel exhausted most days.

When you get a bad night’s sleep, you feel terrible the next day, but that’s just half the problem. Sleep deficiency is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity and depression.

To help people get a better night’s rest, a Redditor named AdOld2060 asked the AskReddit subforum, “What’s your secret to falling asleep quickly?” They received over 100 responses, with people sharing their methods to fall asleep at night.

The responses ranged from a military hack to a detailed visualization that the Redditor claims helps them fall asleep in minutes. The cool thing is that many techniques were varied, so if one doesn’t work for you, the next one could.


How to fall asleep fast

Here are 13 of the best responses to the question: What’s your secret to falling asleep quickly?

1. The military method

1. Relax your entire face, including the muscles inside your mouth.
2. Drop your shoulders to release the tension and let your hands drop to the side of your body.
3. Exhale, relaxing your chest.
4. Relax your legs, thighs, and calves.
5. Clear your mind for 10 seconds by imagining a relaxing scene.
6. If this doesn’t work, try saying the words “don’t think” over and over for 10 seconds.
7. Within 10 seconds, you should fall asleep!

2. ASMR

"I love falling asleep to those asmr live streams on TikTok."

3. Relax your head and shoulders

"Intentionally relaxing my head and shoulders. Get all snuggly in the blankets, release that tension and melt into the pillow. Zzzzzz."

4. Meditation

"I meditate and breathe deeply to relax before sleeping."

"Deep breathing works well for me. Also, weirdly, if I start thinking about something like the logistics of moving 20 people into my house I drift off easily."



5. Melatonin

"Your body creates melatonin on its own. The stuff they sell is just a supplement and gives you a little bump of it before bedtime."

6. Extreme stillness

"I don’t allow myself to move around. Once I lay down I get comfortable and then stop moving. I don’t scratch an itch. I don’t move at all. I just lay there and daydream. If I start moving around, I will never sleep! But if I make myself lay perfectly still I fall asleep."

7. Reading

"I read until I can't remember the sentence I just read...but if the book is too good it is counterproductive."

How to fall asleep quickly

8. A boat visualization

"I have something that I came up with that usually works for me. I get myself comfortable, laying on my back, arms by my sides, close my eyes and imagine I'm in a small boat on a wide expanse of calm ocean with sunshine and clear blue skies. I imagine the boat is rocking gently and the sun is shining down on me. I just lie there for a couple of minutes enjoying the quiet, the warmth and the rocking motion and I usually drift off to sleep quickly. Admittedly I think I have a really good imagination , which helps, but it works for me."



9. Count to 100

"Relax everything, and just count to 100. If I reach 100, then I start going back to 0 and so forth. Very rarely do I make it to 100 and back to 0. I usually fall asleep before I get to 100."

10. Slow breaths

"I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime, regardless of the environment, if I choose to. I start taking really long, slow, intentional breaths. Inhale as slow, long, and deep as possible, filling my lungs to max capacity. Exhale the same way. By the third or fourth breath, I’m out."

11. Cognitive shuffle

"I saw it on reddit about 9 months ago and its been working really well for me, its called Cognitive Shuffle. There are multiple ways to do it, but basically, you think of something random and boring like 'dog' or 'car,' then picture it in your mind for a few seconds, then shift to some other random word and picture that. Another way to do it is to pick a word and come up with 5 random words for each letter and try to picture each one before moving to the next. By the 4th or 5th random word you can feel your self switching off and if you keep at out you'll be out soon. I've ALWAYS had trouble turning my brain off when its time to sleep and this method has worked wonders for me."

12. Fantaszie

"I get really involved in detailed non-sexual fantasies, space travel, superhero powers that type of thing. Out like a light."

13. A regular schedule

"Disciplined bedtimes. I found that if I force myself to sleep within a certain point almost every day I will automatically feel tired by that time. 10pm is my sweet spot. I get 9 hrs nearly every day. If I stay up it’s still at least 7 hrs."









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