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A military secret for combatting sleepless nights has been revealed - and no, it doesn't involve marching through a desert with 50lbs of equipment on your back.

The US military developed a secret method for its pilots to get sleep in two minutes flat over fears they could nod off at the controls.

The method was revealed in a 1981 book called Relax and Win: Championship Performance, which gave readers advice on how to "improve sports performance and reduce injuries by learning to relax and release tensions prior to competition".

One of the methods detailed was claimed to be developed by the US military with a 96 per cent success rate after six weeks of practice - involving about two minutes of mind and body preparation, which should see people reach the land of nod in under 120 seconds.

Men's lifestyle website Joe.co.uk rediscovered the old method - sending it viral.

Many people suffer from disrupted sleep, and as many as a third claim to have insomnia - so the relaxation technique has been hailed as a blessing.

The US Military Method 1: Relax your face - including your tongue, jaw, and the muscles around your eyes. 2: Drop your shoulders as low as they can go. Then relax your upper and lower arm on one side, and then the other. 3: Breathe out, and relax your chest. 4: Finally, relax your legs, from the thighs to the calves. 5: When your mind is clear, try to picture one of the following images: Lying in a canoe on a calm lake, nothing but blue sky above you; Snuggled in a black velvet hammock in a pitch-black room; Saying “don’t think, don’t think, don’t think” over and over for ten seconds.

The US army put a disclaimer on the method which read: "The bottom line when it comes to getting restful sleep is doing what works for you.

"There is no magical formula other than listening to your body."

Insomnia affects more people than previously thought and comes in two categories. Type 1 insomnia is when you can't get to sleep at all, and Type 2 means you may get to sleep, but will wake up at least once during the night.

There are numerous health concerns related to a lack of sleep - from diabetes to heart disease and depression.

A recent study by the Uppsala University in Sweden revealed that disrupted sleep patterns alter metabolism and boost the body's ability to store fat, making a strong link between obesity and shift work.

Meanwhile, research by the European Study of Cardiology found that getting less than five hours sleep a night could be as bad for you as smoking.