If you’ve ever found yourself tossing and turning in bed, trying desperately to fall asleep, only to find that sleep slips further away the harder you try, you’re not alone. It turns out, trying to sleep too hard can actually prevent you from falling asleep. That’s where paradoxical intention comes in, a method that might sound counterintuitive but has been proven effective in battling insomnia. This technique, which involves trying to stay awake, rather than forcing yourself to sleep, is gaining popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, but it’s no passing trend—it’s backed by science.
What is Paradoxical Intention?
Paradoxical intention is a method derived from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating insomnia. It involves deliberately doing the opposite of what you want to achieve—in this case, staying awake rather than trying to fall asleep. This concept isn’t new; psychologists have been using it for decades to treat anxiety and phobias. For sleep, it works by reducing the pressure and anxiety that often comes with the fear of not being able to fall asleep (BBC Science Focus, 2024).
Sleep expert Professor Colin Espie of the University of Oxford explains it simply: “By attempting to control the sleep process, you usually interfere with it. Sleep is an involuntary process” (BBC Science Focus, 2024). This is why trying to stay awake can help you fall asleep faster. You’re essentially tricking your brain into letting go of the stress that keeps you awake.
How Does Paradoxical Intention Work?
The mechanics behind paradoxical intention are simple but powerful. Instead of lying in bed anxiously trying to force yourself to sleep, you do the opposite: lie down and deliberately try to stay awake. When you go to bed, keep your eyes open and tell yourself, “I’ll just stay awake a little longer.” This counterintuitive approach helps reduce the performance anxiety often associated with insomnia. By removing the pressure of trying to sleep, paradoxical intention encourages a more relaxed mindset, which ultimately makes it easier to fall asleep (Sleep Foundation, 2023).
Professor Colin Espie, a sleep expert, explains that this method helps people by working with, rather than against, the natural sleep process. “Sleep is an involuntary action, meaning you can’t force it,” he says. “When you try too hard to control sleep, you often interfere with it. Paradoxical intention allows sleep to take over naturally without forcing yourself to stay awake at all costs” (BBC Science Focus, 2024).
Eventually, the act of keeping your eyes open becomes increasingly difficult, and before you know it, sleep sneaks up on you. As Espie suggests, it’s crucial to keep the method simple—no need for elaborate rituals. Just relax, lie down, and let the sleep process unfold on its own.
Why is This Method Effective?
The success of paradoxical intention stems from its ability to tackle one of the main culprits of insomnia: performance anxiety. Many people develop a sense of dread around bedtime because they anticipate difficulty falling asleep. This anxiety creates a mental block that makes it even harder to sleep. By switching the goal from falling asleep to staying awake, paradoxical intention eases that pressure. It shifts focus away from the struggle, allowing sleep to occur naturally (Sharma & Andrade, 2012).
Research supports the effectiveness of this behavioral treatment. Studies have shown that paradoxical intention can lead to significant and lasting improvements in sleep quality. Unlike pharmaceutical treatments, this method offers a sustainable, non-invasive way to combat chronic insomnia (Sharma & Andrade, 2012). By focusing on changing thought patterns, paradoxical intention provides a healthier alternative that addresses the root causes of sleep issues rather than just treating the symptoms.
Tips for Practicing Paradoxical Intention
- Go to bed only when you’re sleepy: This may seem obvious, but it’s essential. Heading to bed too early, driven by desperation to sleep, can often backfire and make it harder to doze off.
- Keep it simple: Paradoxical intention is about minimizing distractions, so just lie down in a dark room, keep your eyes open, and focus on staying awake.
- Stay consistent: Changing your sleep patterns takes time. While you may not see immediate results, sticking with this technique for a few nights can lead to significant improvements.
Learn More
While paradoxical intention has been shown to help people fall asleep faster, it may not work for everyone. People who experience extreme anxiety about staying awake or those with severe insomnia may need to seek further assistance from a healthcare professional. For those who feel they’ve tried everything and still struggle to get restful sleep, paradoxical intention offers a simple, low-risk technique worth trying. For more information on improving your sleep and overall health, visit our website.
Sources:
- Howarth, T. (2024, March 2). Keeping your eyes open can help you fall asleep faster. Here’s why. BBC Science Focus. https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/paradoxical-intention-sleep-hack
- Sharma, M. P., & Andrade, C. (2012). Behavioral interventions for insomnia: Theory and practice. Indian journal of psychiatry, 54(4), 359–366. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.104825
- Watson, C. J., Baghdoyan, H. A., & Lydic, R. (2010). Neuropharmacology of sleep and wakefulness. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 5(4), 513–528.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21278831/
- Rezaie, L., Fobian, A. D., McCall, W. V., & Khazaie, H. (2018). Paradoxical insomnia and subjective-objective sleep discrepancy: A review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 40, 196–202.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29402512/
- Holley A. B. (2016). Perceiving the misperception. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(9), 1211–1212.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27568905/
- Edinger, J. D., Arnedt, J. T., Bertisch, S. M., Carney, C. E., Harrington, J. J., Lichstein, K. L., Sateia, M. J., Troxel, W. M., Zhou, E. S., Kazmi, U., Heald, J. L., & Martin, J. L. (2021). Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine systematic review, meta-analysis, and GRADE assessment. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: JCSM: Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 17(2), 263–298.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33164741/