Does counting sheep really make it easier to fall asleep?

When it comes to counting sheep, of course, what is meant is not counting actual sheep. Said, dreaming of sheep taking turns jumping over a fence and doing a mental exercise.

Alright Does this method really work?

In fact, the idea of ​​counting sheep to sleep is not new.

Historians think this idea has been with us since the 12th century. Namely, in the story book titled Disciplina Clericalis written by Petrus Alfonsi, A story about how counting sheep makes it easier to fall asleep has.

Although we cannot be sure whether this story is the first source or not, over time This discourse has spread to all cultures. The theory behind it is that, as we all know, the simple sight of sheep jumping over a fence makes it easier to fall asleep.

On the other hand, a study was also conducted on counting sheep.

Researchers at Oxford University conduct a study on people suffering from insomnia to understand whether this method will work. In this study in 2002, 41 insomniacs are randomly divided into 3 groups.

Participants suffering from insomnia are asked to apply different methods to reduce cognitive activity related to unwanted thoughts before sleep. Group 1 is the control group and therefore resumes normal sleep routines.

While the 2nd group was asked to imagine a calm nature view, those in the 3rd group were asked to imagine a calm nature scene. counting sheep jumping over a fence is desired.

The results are quite surprising.

Those in the 2nd group who dreamed of calm scenes had more They fell asleep about 20 minutes faster is seen. But people in the sheep-counting group took longer to fall asleep than other groups. Researchers have various theories for this unexpected result.

The first view is that the act of visualizing a calm but interesting scene It takes more mental energy than counting imaginary sheep over and over again.. This extra mental energy may have helped you fall asleep faster.

Another idea is that the act of counting sheep, May cause anxiety for some people and may make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Our other content that may interest you: