Does it work, or is this just another viral placebo destined to disappoint chronic insomniacs like me? We asked experts to break it down.<\/p>\n
Why This Trick Might Help You Fall Asleep<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a neurological explanation for why this might work. <\/p>\n
\u201cBy forcing your eyes to move back and forth in slow, smooth arcs, you\u2019re simulating the oscillations that naturally take place during REM sleep,\u201d explained Kiara DeWitt<\/a>, a pediatric neurology nurse. \u201cIt\u2019s a sort of subconscious messaging system to the rest of the nervous system that we should wind down rather than rev up.\u201d<\/p>\n But there\u2019s a simpler theory. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen we wake in the middle of the night, the real problem isn\u2019t just the waking. It\u2019s the sudden, panicked thought: \u2018Oh no, I\u2019m awake. I\u2019ll be exhausted tomorrow,\u2019\u201d said psychiatrist Ishdeep Narang.<\/a><\/p>\n Those thoughts trigger stress, keeping you alert. \u201cThis technique works by giving your mind a simple, boring, physical task to focus on. Instead of letting your thoughts spiral into anxiety about the clock, you are hijacking your own attention and forcing it to focus on the movement,\u201d Narang said.<\/p>\n But is there any research behind this? Sadly, no \u2015 at least not specifically on this method.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no scientific evidence to support the argument that sleep can be induced by slow eye movements behind closed lids,\u201d said ophthalmologist Dr. Gregg Feinerman<\/a>. While slow rhythmic motions might be soothing by redirecting focus from anxious thoughts, \u201cit is the brain that does the relaxation, not the eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n Sleep specialist Alex Dimitriu<\/a> confirms the evidence gap. <\/p>\n \u201cWhile some research supports eye movements as a means to induce calm, this technique has not been studied specifically for sleep. Currently, this approach is anecdotal,\u201d he said. Compare that to other methods: \u201cThere is substantial evidence supporting box breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and possibly Yoga Nidra.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what happened when people tried putting the trick to the test.<\/p>\n HuffPost asked a few people who had trouble sleeping to share their thoughts on the technique.<\/p>\n Waking up 10 or more times a night has been David Gull\u2019s reality for most of his life. So when he tried the eye-rolling hack, he was cautiously hopeful. The results surprised him. <\/p>\n \u201cI have to say, it seems to work really well. What\u2019s interesting is I can\u2019t remember \u2018stopping\u2019 doing the technique, because obviously I\u2019m falling asleep while doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s used it both to fall asleep initially and after waking up in the middle of the night. \u201cI may not be able to fix waking up 10+ times per night, but certainly falling back asleep faster is a game-changer.\u201d<\/p>\n The results aren\u2019t always that dramatic, though. <\/p>\n As a new mom juggling a business, Morissa Schwartz will try any viral sleep hack that promises rest. \u201cRolling my eyes upward while keeping my eyelids closed created a mild sense of relaxation, almost like a physical cue telling my brain, \u2018We\u2019re done here,\u2018\u201d she said. It didn\u2019t knock her out instantly, but \u201cit did shorten the \u2018lying-awake-overanalyzing-my-to-do-list\u2019 phase.\u201d<\/p>\n But not everyone had the same experience. For some people, it didn\u2019t just fail \u2015 it made things worse. Erika Lavin has dealt with insomnia since third grade, managing it with medication and melatonin. Every few weeks, though, anxiety breaks through and she wakes up with a panic attack. When this happened one night, she decided to try the eye rolling.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried doing the eye roll hack and then added in box breathing, but I could feel the eye movement making me feel more and more awake,\u201d she said. \u201cIt felt like the eye movements were feeding into my panic rather than counteracting it.\u201d<\/p>\n She kept at it for 10 minutes, thinking maybe she needed more time. The next night, she tried again without the panic attack. Same result. <\/p>\n \u201cI felt like it was waking me up that night as well even though I wasn\u2019t panicked.\u201d <\/p>\n When Denise Murray tracked the method with her smartwatch over a two-week trial, the data showed her heart rate went up, not down. <\/p>\n \u201cThe initial feeling this gave me was more awareness of my body, like the pressure of my eyeballs; I could also hear my heartbeat,\u201d she said. Worse, her \u201cmind switched from sleepy to analytical, thinking of campaign spreadsheets or meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n By night 10, it was taking her nearly double the time to fall back asleep. She quit.<\/p>\n After speaking with these people, I also figured it was time to test this myself.<\/p>\n The first night felt weird. The rolling motions felt unnatural, and my eyes ached a bit. After several repetitions, I did drift off quicker than usual, about 15 minutes instead of my typical hour-plus. The second night brought similar results.<\/p>\n I was thrilled. Finally, a free solution! No more bankrupting myself on sleep gadgets.<\/p>\n That euphoria was short-lived. Over the next week and a half, the technique stopped working. Most nights, I\u2019d give up, frustrated, and feel more awake. By week two, I was back on my couch at 3 a.m.<\/p>\n My overall take? Out of two weeks of testing, it genuinely helped maybe three times. When it worked, it shaved 30 minutes off my wake times. <\/p>\n So, should you try it the next time you can\u2019t sleep?<\/p>\n Sure, it\u2019s low-risk and free. Just keep your expectations realistic. <\/p>\n If you decide to test it out, keep a few things in mind. Keep the movements slow and gentle \u2015 don\u2019t force your eyes into extreme positions. If you have any existing eye conditions, such as glaucoma or retinal issues, check with your doctor first.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the critical part: \u201cIf it isn\u2019t working after a few minutes, it\u2019s time to try something else and\/or get out of bed,\u201d said clinical psychologist Sari Chait<\/a>, who specializes in treating insomnia. <\/p>\n Why? Because lying in bed awake trains your brain to associate your bed with being awake, making future sleep harder. Clearly, I need to take her advice and move to the living room sooner. <\/p>\n I\u2019m not convinced my first two nights were anything more than a placebo. But even modest improvement matters when you\u2019ve been an insomniac for a decade. <\/p>\n It works for some, fails for others, and might offer mild help for people like me. Just don\u2019t expect miracles. That only happens on TikTok.<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/69389aba1900005db37f3b56.jpeg\")
This social media hack could help you fall asleep faster — but don’t expect it to work miracles.<\/p>\n![\"If](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/69389d8119000031b47f3b59.jpeg\")
If you’re constantly fatigued and can’t get to sleep, it’s important to talk to a doctor.<\/p>\n