Wellness
It involves lots of pillows.
When I spy asleep hackon TikTok I go ahead and try it then ask questions later.
It looked extra cozy, which was enough for me, but experts say theres also something to it.
The resulting cocoon, she says, helpsregulate her vagus nervefor a night of quality sleep.
(More on that below.)
To finish the cocoon, she pulled two heavy duvets over herself to act almost like aweighted blanket.
Why Does The Cocoon Help You Sleep?
This, in turn, sends a message to yourvagus nervethat youre a-OK and that its time to sleep.
A regulated vagus nerve is what you want, she says, when it comes to getting good sleep.
You should be comfortable and relaxed in whatever position works best for you, she says.
These methods can helpimprove vagal toneand promote parasympathetic activity, she says.
I was officially cocooned.
The nicest part, IMO, were the arm pillows.
The cocoon made mybedtime routinefeel more official, too.
With sleep, it seems its often the simplest hacks, like this one, that work best.
Studies referenced:
Howland, RH.
)Vagus Nerve Stimulation.
Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. doi: 10.1007/s40473-014-0010-5.
Magnon, V. (2021.
Sci Rep. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98736-9.
)Sleeping for One Week on a Temperature-Controlled Mattress Cover Improves Sleep and Cardiovascular Recovery.
Bioengineering (Basel).
)Neuroanatomy, Parasympathetic Nervous System.
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan. PMID: 31985934.
Source:
Dr. Shelby Harris, licensed clinical psychologist, director of Sleep Health atSleepopolis
