Doctor reveals sleep hacks that ‘actually work’ in viral TikTok video

Video has had more than 2.6 million views

(Getty Images)

A doctor has gone viral on TikTok after sharing a series of simple “body hacks” that include how to fall asleep quickly.

Dr Anthony Youn, 48, from Detroit, is a well-known plastic surgeon on social media, with more than 795,000 followers on Instagram and 4.9 million on TikTok.

In his video, Dr Youn acts out a series of scenarios to reflect common complaints people come to him with.

In one, he pretends to be someone who is struggling to fall asleep at night.

Dressed in his surgical garb, Dr Youn urges viewers to try having a scoop of peanut butter before they go to sleep.

“It contains tryptophan which will help you fall asleep.” he added.

Tryptophan is an amino acid and previous studies have found that it can increase both serotonin and melatonin in the body, which helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle of the body.

Many people responded to the video asking for a nut-free remedy given that they were allergic to peanuts.

Dr Youn did not provide an alternative, however, several other foods are rich in tryptophan, including milk, canned tuna, and oats.

In the video, Dr Youn also shared some tips on how to reduce stress levels.

“Try closing your eyes, then breathing in for a count of four, then out for a count of eight,” he advised.

“Do that a few times and you’re going to feel so much better.”

He also offered some advice to those who had experienced a numb arm, also known as an arm that has “gone to sleep”.

According to Dr Youn, you need to try “rocking your head from side to side a few times”.

“That’s going to relax your neck and cause your arm to come back to life,” he said.