Visualization can be a powerful technique to help you relax, relieve stress, and even fall asleep. Instead of focusing on your anxious thoughts, visualization expands your capacity to focus on calm and peaceful images.
This technique gained popularity in the 1980s when the Russians started using it to excel in sports after the 1984 Olympics.
Today, notable athletes like Michael Phelps also use visualization as part of their winning strategy.
"For months before a race, Michael gets into a relaxed state. He mentally rehearses for two hours a day in the pool. He sees himself winning. He smells the air, tastes the water, hears the sounds, sees the clock," said the Olympic swimmer's coach, Bob Bowman, in a 2016 interview with Forbes.
The old example of counting sheep is a form of visualization, but we want to visualize thoughts that connect better with you, so that you feel tranquility rather than boredom.
You should first imagine in your mind places where you felt deep relaxation and tranquility.
The idea is that you relive this experience as vividly as possible (using your 5 senses if you can) for a few minutes in your head.
Evidence shows that visualization works better when you decide which experience you will think about before practicing the technique, so you don't have to figure out what will happen in the moment.
The idea is that each night you repeat this same visualization, because the more you practice, the better you will be able to reproduce this experience, and the better you will be able to engage with your senses.
Step-by-step
We know this is not an easy technique, and it requires some preparation, so let's do a quick step-by-step now to help you put it into practice later:
- Imagine an outdoor place that you find extremely relaxing. Maybe you're sunbathing on a beach, walking in a park, or somewhere else.
- SIGHT 👁: Think about what you can see in this place. Do you see any objects, people, trees, or the ocean? The richer the scenario you create, the better.
- TOUCH 👣: Can you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin? Do you feel any wind or a light breeze? What surface are you standing on?
- SMELL 👃: And scents, can you smell anything pleasant?
- TASTE 👅: What food did you bring with you? Can you imagine yourself eating this food? Can you taste it?
- HEARING 👂: Are you hearing anything? Focus on the sounds of the environment.
That's the general idea—imagine a short film playing in your head, a very calm film. And pay close attention to how each of your senses interacts with the scenario in a vivid way.
Unlike other relaxation techniques, for this technique I recommend that you practice it when you're lying in bed ready to sleep.
Suggestions:
- Before starting the visualization, you can first do deep breathing for a few seconds, and then some progressive muscle relaxation. Start the visualization when you're already somewhat relaxed.
- This technique is especially recommended for those who have trouble sleeping due to light, because you can use this light "problem" to your advantage, as an inspiration to imagine a sunlit setting.