Foreign trend: “Sleeping in a puppy position” to solve insomnia. Experts explain: Does it really help?
Foreign trend “sleeping in a puppy position” solves insomnia problems. A sleep health expert explains whether it really helps. Those who follow it should be careful.
TikToker Pablo Herrera, whose channel @pabloherreraig has been demonstrating a puppy-inspired sleeping technique, known as “T-Rex arms.” In the clip , he appears to be insomniac in a brightly lit bedroom, then gets up, removes a pillow. And folds his hands into paws, resting his wrists under his chest before lying back down.
“This works like magic, I don’t know why.” He wrote in the caption of the clip. Which has been viewed more than 23 million times.
But sleep experts have an explanation for why the “puppy paw position” helps you fall asleep easier.
Experts confirm that this pose can help.
“If this position reduces anxiety about sleep. It could be a good distraction,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriou, a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.
“Anything that calms the mind and takes us away from the ‘Why can’t I sleep?’ mindset is helpful.”
Changing your sleeping position. When you feel restless can act like a reset button for your central nervous system. Reducing pressure on your joints and muscles, stopping your mind from wandering, and bringing your attention back to your เล่นบาคาร่า UFABET เว็บตรง ค่าคอมสูง body.
Puppy paw sleep position
This can be done by sleeping on your side or stomach. Which mimics the feeling of being swaddled like a baby in a diaper, creating comfort and reducing the body’s stress response.
Similar to using a weighted blanket. Which provides gentle pressure to the torso, this pose stimulates the body’s “rest and digest” system.
Although Herrera removes a pillow in the clip to perform the pose, experts recommend using an arm pillow or a thin blanket to help reduce pressure on the wrist and prevent neck pain. Also, loosen your hands and don’t clench them tightly.
This technique is especially suitable for people who like to sleep on their stomachs, as they don’t have to move around much while sleeping to adjust their position.
This technique has some caveats.
“Sleeping on your stomach is the most dangerous position for your respiratory system,” says Dr. Stephen Carstensen , a dentist and sleep and breathing health specialist. “The airway can be blocked and the diaphragm can’t move properly.”
He also warns that placing your hands under your body can cut off circulation, causing cramps or numbness in your arms.
Likewise, experts recommend that those interested in trying the puppy paw pose be careful to apply pressure to the wrist and not cause pain.
In the comments of Herrera’s clip, many users reported waking up with numb hands, sore wrists, and some were concerned that the pose could increase the risk of arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.
So if you try it and feel uncomfortable, you shouldn’t force it.
“This technique is generally harmless, but there is no research to prove it works,” Dr. Dimitriou concluded, and suggested that those with insomnia turn to proven methods such as yoga nidra meditation or the military technique, which helps people fall asleep in two minutes.