Need a way to feel sleepy ASAP? Apparently, you can just pretend like you’ve had one too many margaritas. At least that’s the idea behind the drunken monkey sleep technique, which encourages you to gently rock back and forth as if you’re slightly naked.
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 first shared the idea in 2022, says this little dance helps you sleep better by increasing blood flow to your limbs. “It’s so silly and easy,” he says in the viral video, “but I’ve been up all night the last three nights.”
The idea is to spread your legs before going to bed. From that position, you repeatedly rotate your hips from left to right to loosen the muscles and then add a shoulder roll. The goal is to get all your limbs moving and bouncing for a full minute as you rock your hips and swing your arms.
In his comments, one person said: “I did this yesterday and I fell asleep much faster,” while another wrote: “I thought [this was] a joke [but I] I tried it and it kind of worked.” This was my impetus to give it a go, especially as someone who is always looking to improve my bedtime routine. Below, sleep experts think about why drunk monkeys work, and I give my honest review of the hack.
Examining the Drunken Monkey Sleep Technique
When the drunk monkey technique first went viral, people thought it was a joke. The move—and the name—seemed too silly to be useful, yet there’s evidence and anecdotes to prove this sleep hack works.
According to Dr. Back-and-forth hip flexion increases blood flow to your legs, and that in turn relieves muscle aches and tension that can build up, says Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. up in the lower half if you sit all day for work. It’s very similar to stretching before bed, which helps your body feel relaxed enough to sleep.
If you tend to toss and turn, drunken monkeys also help release pent-up energy that might otherwise keep you awake. “Exercise can physically tire you,” Harris says, and it also relaxes your mind, similar to a mindfulness practice. “Rhythmic movements calm your nervous system and prepare your mind and body for sleep.”
Although a round of Drunken Monkeys 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. This extra heat and increased 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 at night. On days when I’m physically tired, it feels like my mind is racing a mile a minute. When I’m mentally drained, I often feel like my body is too hypnotized to go to dreamland.
This is why I was very intrigued by the Drunken Monkey hack as it seems to solve all these problems in one simple move. To test it, I took a wide stance before lying on the bed and began a slow side-to-side hip roll. Then, just as TikTok suggests, I raised my arms and soon all four limbs were moving in different directions. A real sight to behold.
I could tell right away that my hips and shoulders really needed movement. I sit all day for work and often forget to stretch, so it felt good to hear a few cracks and pops as my joints loosened up. About 20 seconds later I noticed my heart rate increase as well. (I was doing a funny dance, after all.)
I was worried it was a bad idea to work up a light sweat before trying to sleep, but as soon as I got into bed I felt a palpable rush of relief and relaxation wash over me. While I didn’t fall asleep right away, it felt great to lie down after doing a mini workout, the same way it feels good to hit the mat after a hard workout session.
Takeaway
I’ve been doing the “drunk monkey” on days when I don’t have time for a longer routine or workout. After a few shakes, I feel like it’s easier to rest and relax, probably because it takes the pain away and briefly raises my heart rate.
Speaking of, Harris says it’s fine to try slower drunken monkeys if you feel they make you too alert or awake. They are also something you can do in the middle of the night if you wake up and try to fall back asleep.
As a bonus, this hack is a less serious option than yoga or meditation. While I don’t think you should do the Drunken Monkey every night before bed, they seem like a good option if you’re tossing, 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.) Effect of rocking movements on afternoon sleep. Anterior neurons. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01446.
Sources:
Dr. Shelby Harris, licensed clinical psychologist, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis