By Karen Espig
As technology evolves, so do the tools we have at our disposal. Virtual walkthroughs are becoming the norm in real estate and tourism, so it is no surprise that they have also made their way into our everyday habits.
If you’ve been scrolling on social media lately, you might have seen or heard about the house tour sleep hack by TikTok creator @emilymedites. Emily claims that a good night’s sleep is a few well-imagined steps away, thanks to her method of visualising a walkthrough of her grandmother’s house.
But is this hack legit? Let’s put our feet up, lay our heads down and find out.
What Is It?
In a nutshell, The house tour sleep hack is akin to the mindfulness practice of visualisation, but it is more specifically a slow and deliberate exploration of a home or environment you are very familiar with and have positive associations around.
How To Do It
Prepare your room and yourself for sleep, practising good sleep hygiene. This includes ensuring the bedroom is quiet and dark and at whatever room temperature you find comfortable for sleeping. If possible, put your phone on flight or in do-not-disturb mode with the screen facing down.
Once you are settled into bed, do some deep breathing. There are several suggested methods, one being the 4-7-8 technique, but others can work too. Focussed breathing has been proven to have many health benefits besides helping you sleep better, so it’s a win-win!
For your virtual tour, be sure to choose well. If a family member’s home tends to be stressful or triggering, choose that of a friend or even conjure up your imagined dream home. The reason for not choosing your current home is that it is more likely to activate your thoughts instead of helping you detach from them to relax. You might, for example, go through rooms in your home and find yourself making lists of things to do or change or remembering things you forgot to do during the day. Instead, I propose that you do a my-home walkthrough during the day to organise your day or prioritise.
But back to the house tour sleep hack!
Begin your virtual tour by imagining arriving at the front gate or door, opening it, and entering the house. Explore and imagine in as much detail as possible, seeing the furnishings, photos, art, colours, and knick-knacks, feeling the carpet or floor underfoot. Take time to notice the light through the windows, the plants, and the feeling of calm.
Move through the remembered spaces one room at a time, relax and enjoy being in the space; you’ll likely doze off long before you get to the end of your happy-place tour.
The Science Behind It
There is extensive proof that good sleep supports good health, and there is also overwhelming proof that visualisation and imagination can do the same. Studies show that visualisation alters the brain’s neuropathways and generates new ones, increasing creative and cognitive thinking.
Positive visualisation can reduce anxiety, improve confidence, and help us achieve our dreams….but of course, we must get that good night’s sleep first! Seems to me that any effective sleep hack that also improves your health is an incredible tool.
What Are The Benefits?
The great thing about Emily’s tip for sleep is that it is low or no-cost and entirely within your control to choose or change up. You can try different homes or environments, locations that you love or invent your own happy place. You can also add sound elements, like ocean waves, birds chirping, or rain, which are readily available via streaming and phone or tablet apps.
Another plus of this method of dozing off is that it does not involve any medication, so you can be assured that you are sleeping naturally. It would be wise to note here that sometimes sleep disturbances are a symptom of a different health issue, and you cannot go wrong by consulting with a doctor if insomnia is impacting you.
If you have trouble getting started with places you know or have a terrible memory of details, a good option for you might be guided imagery. Thankfully, many options are available online and in apps for this tool.
I think there is no downside to giving the House Tour sleep hack a try. Even if you don’t find it helps your sleep, it most certainly meets a good self-care need. And you don’t need to limit yourself to grandma’s house. I think exploring other options might be interesting, too.
Visualising a long walk along a beach or even a special vacation spot that you remember the details of can help you unwind and fall into a quality, restful sleep. Sweet dreams!