A short recorded discussion (YouTube video) exploring how smell—specifically camphor/menthol-like aromas—can be used to ‘anchor’ mental states and enhance sleep. The speakers link olfactory cues to sleep tactics and describe hypnagogia (the liminal state between wakefulness and sleep), mentioning flashing lights that may increase neuroplasticity and trance-like states.
Camphor is the stuff they use in Vicks. It's got that menthol smell. And so anything, if you want to anchor a state smell is a great way to do it.
That's a sleep tactic. I've talked with a couple of sleep practitioners about this, and a study tactic. If you're in a deeply relaxed state and you're able to smell something, and then you smell that same aroma when you're sleeping or before sleep, it can enhance sleep.
So these lights flashing through your closed eyelids cause you to go into a state of. Of high neuroplasticity and trance and what we call hypnagogia. Hypnagogia is that place where you were describing at 4:30 in the morning, that liminal state between sleep and wakefulness. You go through hypnagogia on your way into going to sleep at night, and then on the way out of coming to sleep at night.
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