Asleep: Can Movies Help?

15th August 2019

Asleep On Film: Can Movies Help You Fall Asleep Faster? By Frankie Wallace.

Sleep deprivation is nothing to yawn about. It can lead to a bad mood and poor performance at work; increased appetite, especially for unhealthy foods; and road rage, which is a dangerous problem if you have a long commute or your job requires you to drive a lot (like being a chauffeur or truck driver). Getting a good night’s sleep is the most effective and natural way to improve everything about yourself: your outlook, focus, health, appearance, and more. However, some of us simply can’t shut our eyes and fall asleep on the spot.

Some movies are meant for the troubled sleeper — not to keep you distracted all night, but to help you get your rest. While the verdict is still out on whether movies can improve your sleep, there is a case to be made for watching a calm, soothing movie that relaxes you enough to fall asleep. Choose your film wisely and lower the backlight on your TV so the light doesn’t keep you up.

A Movie Designed for the Sleeper

According to director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, it’s best to drift off to sleep during any of his movies because you’re supposed to surrender yourself and your senses to what’s happening on screen. In his film “Cemetery of Splendour,” soldiers come down with an unexplained sleeping sickness that sends them to bed indefinitely. While they rest, their bodies are possessed by the ghosts of past military members. If you’re able to drift in and out of sleep while watching this one, you’ll remain in a heady, in-between-sleep-and-waking state that will only add to your experience.

Bedtime Stories in Movie Form

If your favorite way to fall asleep when you were a kid was by listening to your mom read a fairytale, you’ll want to put on “Big Fish” for a similar experience. The film is a series of tall tales that chronicles one man’s life, regardless of how much his son wants to deny his stories. The movie is heartwarming and fantastical — the perfect way to ensure you’ll have vibrant dreams of your own. There’s nothing scary or threatening about the tales, even if they are fantasy-based, and the movie is emotionally satisfying enough to quell your mood and ease you to sleep.

While not the same as a fairytale, a modern bedtime story is one that evokes the most nostalgia. Any movie that you’ve seen numerous times can help you nod off, which is the premise that led to the Shine app. The app retells the stories from movies you’re most familiar with from the ‘90s and 2000s, like “Clueless” and “She’s All That.” If you want the visuals to help your eyes get heavy, though, just put one of those movies on — the mix of familiarity and nostalgia is the perfect recipe for a good night’s sleep.

Slice-of-Life Movies to Help You Sleep

There’s a thin line between boring and soothing, and some slice-of-life movies straddle that line expertly. You may have seen some of these movies over and over, making them so familiar they practically lull you into sleep. Overall, the stakes in these movies are low, which gives you permission to fall asleep without worrying you’ll miss a must-see scene.

“Aloha” is a slow-moving film by Cameron Crowe with a soothing score and simple dialogue that you can grasp even if you’re half-listening. The visuals of Hawaii are so sweeping and beautiful that you may dream of palm trees that night.
In “Away We Go,” a married couple that’s about to have a baby decide it’s time to move, but they’re not sure where to settle down. As they visit acquaintances across North America, they discuss family, love, and the meaning of home. If you fall asleep and then wake up now and then, you’ll see their stop in a new location every time your eyes flicker open.
“Boyhood” follows a young boy through 12 years of his life to show his changing and complex relationship with his parents, as well as their relationship with each other. The movie is subtle and lowkey, and it’s also nearly three hours long, so you have plenty of time to get sleepy while watching it.

The fact that these movies can help put you to sleep isn’t a knock against them. You’re already in bed, the lights are out, and it’s late, so you’re close to dreamland anyway. Some films simply provide the perfect dose of relaxation to help you on your way.

Supplemental Approaches to Get Your ZZZs

For people who have trouble sleeping, one solution may not be enough. If well-chosen movies are helping you get more sleepy but still not putting you out completely, combine it with another method:

Drink a warm mug of milk topped with cinnamon or have something to eat if a grumbling tummy is keeping you up.
Use a bit of CBD oil in your midnight snack, which can help you unwind.
Make the room a bit cooler since it’s hard to sleep in a hot room.
Make sure your mattress is comfy enough — an old or low-quality mattress can work against you.

It’s likely that there’s some combination of tactics that will make it easier to switch off for the day and get your much-needed rest.

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