Neuroscientist Shares A Simple Trick To Fall Back Asleep In Five Minutes That Anyone Can Try

A neuroscientist says there is one simple thing that can help you fall back asleep when you wake up in the middle of the night.

When it comes to sleep, most people want to wake up feeling rested and ready for the day. Unfortunately, that does not always happen, even when you go to bed with the best intentions.

For many people, issues like an inconsistent sleep schedule, ongoing stress, or poor eating habits can lead to waking up during the night and struggling to drift off again.

Once you are awake, it is easy to start stressing about how many hours of sleep you have left before your alarm goes off, which often makes the situation worse.

Neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman has shared a simple sleep technique that he personally relies on when this happens.

While speaking with Bill Maher on his show last year, Huberman explained that the method is easy to do and can help you fall back asleep in as little as five minutes.

The expert 'bet his pinky' on this quick exercise working on you Real Time with Bill Maher/Instagram

A clip from their conversation has recently started circulating online again, highlighting just how eager many people are to find ways to improve their sleep.

He explained: "Now we are finally coming to terms with the fact that the mind and body are connected, duh. It's been known about for thousands of years."

"I've published clinical trials on some of these things, like the respiration physiology, its role in stress and destress."

"In fact, if you wake up in the middle of the night and you are having trouble going back to sleep, try just doing some long extended exhales."

"And get this, this sounds really weird but it has a basis in physiology."

Huberman acknowledged that the technique may not work every single time, but he encouraged people to try it anyway since it is simple and grounded in how the body works.

He continued: "Keep your eyes closed and just move your eyes from side to side behind your eyelids, back and fourth. Do some long exhales."

"I can't promise but I am willing to wager one pinky that within five minutes or so, you'll be back to sleep."

He added that there is nothing mystical about the approach. Instead, it relies on basic science, explaining that your eyes, breathing, and the way you take in your surroundings play a major role in controlling stress levels.

After the clip resurfaced, many people on social media said they planned to test the method for themselves, with some sharing their experiences afterward.

One person wrote: "I just tried the sleep one this morning and it worked!"

"I woke up way too early and I usually have a hard time falling back asleep. I tried what he said and next thing I know, I'd slept for 2 more hours."

Another added: "I have been doing this recently; and it does work!"

With a third commenting: "I tried this. It's not like "boom, asleep" but your entire body relaxes somehow and it definitely helps."