Need a way to feel sleepy ASAP? Apparently you can just pretend you’ve had one too many margaritas. At least that’s the idea behind the “drunk monkey” sleep technique, which encourages you to gently rock back and forth as if you’re a little tipsy.
The drunk monkey hack, which has nearly 60,000 views on TikTok, also suggests adding some arm swings to the mix, a move that will make you feel like a monkey. Creator @USAMedical, who originally shared the idea in 2022, says this little dance will help you sleep better by increasing blood flow to your extremities. “It’s so silly and easy,” he says in the viral video, “but I’ve slept through the night for the last three nights.”
The idea is to walk your legs wide just before you go to bed. From this position, you swing your hips from left to right repeatedly to relax the muscles, then add shoulder rotation. The goal is to get all your limbs moving and grooving for a full minute as you rock your hips and swing your arms.
In the comments, one person said: “I did this yesterday and fell asleep much faster,” while another wrote: “I thought [this was] joke, [but I] tried it and somehow it worked.” That was my cue to give it a try, too, especially as someone who’s constantly trying to improve my bedtime routine. Below, sleep experts weigh in on why Drunken Monkeys work, and I give my honest take on hack.
Try the drunken monkey sleep technique
When the drunk monkey technique first went viral, people thought it was a joke. The movement—and the name—seemed too silly to be useful, yet there is evidence and anecdotes to prove this sleep works.
According to Dr. According to Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis, rocking your hips back and forth increases blood flow to your legs, which in turn relieves pain and muscle tension that can build up. in the lower half if you sit at work all day. It’s very similar to stretching before bed, which makes your body feel relaxed enough to fall asleep.
If you tend to toss and turn, drunken monkeys also help release pent-up energy that might otherwise keep you awake. “Exercise can make you physically tired,” says Harris, and it also relaxes your mind, similar to practicing mindfulness. “Rhythmic movements calm your nervous system and prepare your mind and body for sleep.”
Although the drunken monkey lap only lasts 60 seconds, the full-body movement is enough to get your heart rate up, maybe even to the point of breaking a sweat. That extra warmth and rise in body temperature signals your internal clock that it’s time to sleep, Harris says, just like a steamy shower before bed.
Being a drunk monkey
My body and mind will find any excuse to stay up late into the night. On days when I’m physically tired, I feel like my mind is racing a mile a minute. When I’m mentally exhausted, I often feel like my body is too excited to drift off into dreamland.
That’s why I’m so intrigued by the drunken monkey hack, because it seems to solve all of these problems in one simple move. To test this, I took a wide stance before climbing into bed and began to slowly rotate my hips with my hips. Then, just as TikTok suggests, I raised my arms and soon all four limbs were moving in different directions. A real spectacle.
I knew right away that my hips and shoulders really needed the movement. I sit all day at work and often forget to stretch, so it was good to hear some pops and pops as my joints loosened up. After about 20 seconds, I noticed that my heart rate had increased as well. (I was doing a ridiculous dance after all.)
I was afraid it wasn’t a good idea to sweat lightly before bed, but as soon as I got into bed I felt a noticeable rush of relief and relaxation wash over me. Even though I didn’t fall asleep right away, it felt extra good to lie down after a mini-workout, just like it’s good to fall on the mat after a hard workout.
Takeaway
I’ve been doing the “drunken monkey” on days when I don’t have time to stretch or work out. After a few flashes, I feel like it’s easier to rest and relax, probably because it shakes out my pain and briefly raises my heart rate.
Speaking of, Harris says it’s okay to try the slower Drunk Monkeys if you feel like they’re pushing you too hard or keeping you awake. They are also something you can do in the middle of the night when you wake up trying to get back to sleep.
As a bonus, this hack is a less serious option than yoga or meditation. While I don’t think you have to do drunken monkeys every night before bed, they seem like a good option if you’re tossing and turning or having stressful thoughts. If nothing else, the silliness will bring you back to reality and put you in a better mood before you try to sleep.
Referenced Studies:
van Sluijs, RM. (2020.) The effect of rocking movements on afternoon sleep. Leading Neuroscientists. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01446.
Sources:
Dr. Shelby Harris, licensed clinical psychologist, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis