We are not sleeping enough. While health authorities recommend around 7 hours of sleep per night, 25% of French people sleep less than 6 hours per night, 4 out of 10 complain of sleep disturbances (especially insomnia, with fragmented nights and abnormally long sleep onset), and 1 out of 2 declares themselves “tired” in the morning. In short, it is high time to make peace with our sleep!
The “army method” promises to fall asleep in 2 minutes flat
Exactly: in “En finir avec le cauchemar des insomnies” (recently published by Editions Jouvence), sleep specialist psychotherapist Catherine Paquet reveals some tips and techniques that work for (re)sleeping like a log – and finally regaining energy during the day. The expert particularly validates the “army method”; we explain.
First described in the 1980s by Lloyd Bud Winter (an American athletics coach), this method was later used by the American army to allow soldiers to rest despite constraints and stress. “It aims for quick falling asleep (often cited as less than 2 minutes after regular practice) by combining deep muscle relaxation with active cognitive distraction,” explains psychotherapist Catherine Paquet.
Release the body muscles and build a barrier against mental rumination
The effectiveness of this method (accessible to all, which is good news!) is based on “the combination of two validated scientific principles,” says the specialist:
- Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR): “the systematic and intentional relaxation of each muscle group eliminates somatic hyperarousal. Because insomnia is often associated with persistent muscle tension: by learning to release these tensions, we reduce nervousness and discomforts that can prevent sleep.”
- Relaxation imagery with positive focus: “concentration on a static image replaces rumination loops (meaning anxious thoughts), forcing the mind to anchor itself in a mentally immobilized state conducive to sleep.”
In summary: thanks to this method, the body is more relaxed, the mind stops “spinning in circles”… and we can finally plunge into restorative sleep.
In practice, how do you do it? The first step (lasting about 1 minute 30) is deep muscle relaxation: “the goal is to achieve total relaxation of each muscle: the body should become heavy and inert,” explains Catherine Paquet.
We start with the face and head: “contract all the muscles in your face. Feel your jaw relax (your mouth can open slightly), your tongue sag, and the muscles around your eyes become soft.” Then, the shoulders and arms: “let your shoulders drop as low as possible. Feel the weight in your arms, forearms, hands, all the way to your fingertips. Focus on the sensation of warmth and heaviness in your hands.”
Against mental ruminations that prevent sleep, two options are effective
Next, the torso and breathing: “exhale deeply to relax the chest and abdomen. Maintain a slow and regular breathing.” Finally, finish with the legs and feet: “relax the right thigh, then the left thigh. Let the muscles of the calves, ankles, and feet relax completely, until they feel no tension.”
The second step (lasting about 30 seconds) is active mental letting go: “once the body is perfectly relaxed, you must maintain an active mental emptiness with the help of a simple and positive cognitive task,” explains Catherine Paquet. In other words: the goal is to “occupy your brain” to prevent rumination!
Two possible options, according to the psychotherapist:
- First, static imagery: “visualize an extremely calm, simple, and immobile scene. For example, imagine you are lying in a velvet hammock in total darkness, and focus only on the color and texture of the hammock.”
- Secondly, repeating a neutral word: “repeat a simple and neutral word, without any emotional connotation, to occupy your mental space. For example, mentally repeat the words “soft” or “calm” until falling asleep.”
Whichever option is chosen, “the goal is to maintain this unique concentration to prevent thoughts from drifting towards worry or planning, thus allowing the natural tipping towards sleep,” explains Catherine Paquet. Try it tonight!
Source: Opinion Way survey for the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance and the VINCI Autoroutes Foundation (2026 edition)
