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When you're struggling to fall asleep, sometimes counting sheep just isn't enough. Luckily, a viral TikTok claims to have the solution. "If you have trouble sleeping at night, I'm about to share with you a really strange and weird hack for sleeping," says meditation expert Emily Kessler in an August TikTok that's since gone viral. You start with a few deep breaths to calm your body — then, you visualize a house.
Dubbed the "house tour sleep hack," Kessler's method encourages you to focus on every little detail of the house in question, taking yourself on a mental tour until you eventually fall asleep. The only stipulation is that the house cannot be your own (Kessler uses her grandmother's house, for example). "I've literally never made it upstairs at her house," she says. "There's something about this that distracts your thinking, busy mind enough to let you fall into sleep."
People in the comments section seemed torn between curiosity and skepticism. "That sounds scary," one person wrote. Others had a more positive reaction. "Confirmed, this is the only thing that worked," another said. Given the mixed reactions, it's worth asking: Does the house tour sleep hack actually work?
To get to the bottom of the trend, we asked a sleep expert to break down the science behind the theory. Ahead, learn more about TikTok's house tour sleep hack, including whether or not it'll help you fall asleep faster (plus a few expert-approved recommendations that might make it more effective).
Experts Featured in This Article:
Rex Isap is a sleep expert and the CEO of Happy Beds, a mattress company based in the UK.
What Is the House Tour Sleep Hack?
As Kessler described, the house tour sleep hack is essentially a visualization technique meant to help you fall asleep. To try it yourself, pick a house you know well (other than your own — that way you work to remember the details). From here, take yourself on a mental tour of the house, noticing all its features: the carpet, the windows, the artwork.
"It's these small details that will make the experience more immersive, and help you to forget about any stressors," says sleep expert Rex Isap. "Many people, including Emily, the meditation teacher who first shared the hack, report falling asleep before they even finish the tour."
Does the House Tour Sleep Hack Work?
"It definitely has the potential to help a lot of people fall asleep," Isap says. "The house tour sleep hack draws on visualization techniques, which have been proven to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation." And while you may think that the nostalgia from the house tour hack would be distracting, it's actually an asset for sleep.
"Unlike counting sheep, which can feel repetitive and lacks an emotional connection, this hack encourages you to focus on a space that feels comforting and familiar," Isap says. "This combination of mental distraction, personal connection, and progressive visualization helps the mind to unwind and allows for an easier transition into sleep."
That said, everyone is different, and we won't all have the same reaction to the house tour sleep hack (or any other visualization technique, for that matter). "Sleep is extremely personal, and what works for some people won't work for others," Isap says. It's important to take the time to find the techniques that work for you, as trying to force a tactic to work will just increase stress levels and disrupt sleep."
Additionally, if you consistently struggle to fall asleep, you may want to consult a healthcare professional for more personalized medical advice.
House Tour Sleep Hack Tips
If you're interested in trying out the house tour sleep hack for yourself, here are a few ways to make it more effective, according to Isap.
- Choose Wisely: When choosing the house you want to tour, Isap recommends picking a place you genuinely enjoy. "You should focus on a house that you have positive memories of — somewhere that brings on feelings of warmth, comfort and nostalgia."
- Take Your Time: Remember that you're in no rush. This is a calming meditative practice meant to help you slow down and drift off. "While the aim is to move around the house, do so naturally and without a specific goal in mind," Isap says. "There should be no pressure to explore a certain room or 'finish' the tour."
Focus on the Details: To help you fall asleep, it's important to shift your focus away from any lingering stress or racing thoughts. That means picking up on small details and sharpening the image of the house to the best of your ability. "Honing in on specific colors, shapes, and textures will help with this," Isap says.
If you find that the house tour sleep hack isn't enough, you could also pair it with deep breathing exercises. Isap specifically recommends the 4-7-8 technique (breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and then breathe out through your mouth for eight seconds) to help slow your heart rate and calm your mind.
Another powerful way to fall asleep faster? Get more consistent with your sleep schedule. "Try to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time every morning to build a drive for sleep and encourage your brain to enter a sleep routine," Isap says.
House Tour Sleep Hack Considerations
The house tour sleep hack is generally safe for most people to try. That said, it's not the best strategy for everyone. "If visualizing a house brings up negative or stressful memories for you, or if you struggle with visualization entirely, then this won't be a good technique for you," Isap says. "Trying to force this technique could lead to additional stress, frustration, and anxiety all of which have a negative impact on sleep." If you suspect the house tour sleep hack might not be the best fit, Isap suggests deep breathing exercises and ambient noise as helpful alternatives for better sleep.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.
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