How To Trick Your Brain Into Falling Asleep | Jim Donovan | TEDxYoungstown

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Published 2018-11-28

Jim Donovan M.Ed. is a professional musician, Assistant Professor at Saint Francis University and TEDx speaker. His mission is to share the healing power of music through education and performance. He specializes in placing music and wellness programs in organizations who focus on people with disabilities and people recovering from addiction. Donovan performs with his band Sun King Warriors and was a founding member of the 3-time platinum band Rusted Root. There he co-wrote the song “Send Me on My Way” featured in the movie Ice Age and became the first song on Mars where it “woke up” NASA’s Mars Rover. Jim Donovan M.Ed. is a professional musician and Assistant Professor at Saint Francis University. His mission is to share the healing power of music through education and performance. He specializes in placing music and wellness programs in organizations who focus on people with disabilities and people recovering from addiction. Donovan performs with his band Sun King Warriors and was a founding member of the 3-time platinum band Rusted Root. There he co-wrote the song “Send Me on My Way” featured in the movie Ice Age and became the first song on Mars where it “woke up” NASA’s Mars Rover. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

All Comments (21)

@emmalynncraft9636 3 years ago

Let’s be honest, we all came here to vibe with the 2 am squad who have an exam tomorrow lmao.
@katiesanders3737 3 years ago

How does youtube know I’m having sleep issues😦 anyone else relate to: “if I fall asleep in the next 26 minutes I’ll have 7 hours of sleep”
@dgatan 1 year ago

I watched this video for the first time about a month ago. I must admit that this technique works! I used to have really bad insomnia, about 4-5 hours a sleep on average. But this really does shutdown my system and I’m able to get on average now 7 hours of restful sleep. Thank you for sharing this, changed my life
@shwe7211 2 months ago

I came here to say a big thank you. I watched this video about a year ago and I thought it was a useless piece of joke. But, as a life long insomniac, I finally gave it a try. But, I tried a modified version of yours. I touched my thumb and index finger very quietly while lying down to sleep. I did both left and right hands alternating while slowly breathing as you said and focusing on these fingers only. And IT WORKED!!! Big thank you sir!!!
@Argletrough 4 years ago

Youtube evidently takes the current time into account when recommending videos.
@aceofspadesguy4913 3 years ago

Literally every health organization in the world: “people need, on average, 7-8 hours of sleep to be healthy.” Highschools and colleges: “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see that.”
@biancagarling9598 2 years ago

Omg this worked first try!!! I just slept for 7hrs and 45 mins. I woke up by myself and it only took a few mins to drift off - I don’t even remember getting to slow down the tapping. I laid down and crossed my arms and tapped them. This is life changing for me! I have been a insomniac going on 15 years now. I just can’t believe how easy it was to hack my brain.
@dlg5485 2 years ago

As a lifelong insomniac, I find this 'tool' to be quite effective. It doesn't always work, especially if I am more preoccupied than usual, but it is one of the most effective methods I have ever tried. Thank you!
@observethemfdynamic 4 years ago

This man underestimates how fast I can eat a bowl of cereal
@randomdude-4353 3 years ago

"87% of teens are chronically sleep-deprived" Education system: I'm going to pretend I didn't see that
@eozen81 1 year ago

I cannot believe how this video became so critical for my sleep habits, Jim Donovan, you deserve a big big applause from everyone. Thanks to Jim's tip, I managed to shorten my falling into sleep time into barely few minutes.
@Professional_Nobody 2 years ago

Best thing for me is to imagine re-arranging my room. It gets the brain in an imaginative state, like the dream state. Try painting walls in your mind, organizing a closet, putting an outfit together, just imagine it.
@BOZKAN937 4 years ago

İm not able to trick my brain,because we watched it together
@ClarityRyZze 4 years ago

6:50 where he actually starts talking about the method
@ktorpie 1 year ago

I remember trying this ages ago. It worked so well that I ended up forgetting that sleep had ever been a problem....until it became a problem again! Somehow I didn't remember this solution until I happened across it again recently and....BINGO! It still works beautifully! Falling asleep quickly and staying asleep ALL night (let me say that again. ALL NIGHT!!) Thank you Jim Donovan!
@TheGeonam 1 year ago

My wife of 48 years has trouble sleeping every night. She is not a dye hard music lover like me. I have several songs that I really love and have them memorized. Almost every night I will start singing one in my mind. I have been doing this for years. Unless I am sick, I can't ever remember finishing a song to the end.
@yourfriendmimi 4 years ago

The technique starts at 8:00. You’re welcome and sweet dreams. 😴
@tomasmartinezgrant2991 4 years ago

Jim Donovan: “How to trick your brain into falling asleep” Me, an intellectual: Imma watch this instead of sleeping.
@markhalsmer607 1 year ago

I've always felt that a great night's sleep is equivalent to the best medicine that you could ever get ahold of so I think what this guy has to say is more important then just about anything else I can think of.
@mandywesthanks5050 10 days ago

I watched this at 1a.m. because I couldn't fall asleep after being tired all day. I went into a comfortable sleeping position and started tapping and deep breathing. It took me about 25 minutes to actually fall asleep, but it instantly relaxed me, and I could tell it was going to work--It did! I will be doing this again tonight and in the future because I frequently have insomnia.