How to Make a Yoyo Sleep

Last Updated: April 15, 2022

Sleeping is a solid basic yoyo trick. It is a great way to practice your skills, and it is the first step in many harder tricks. Keep in mind that only certain yoyos are made for sleeping—yoyos with metal bearings are built to spin, but cheap plastic yoyos may not respond so smoothly. You can, however, modify a plastic yoyo to make it more conducive to tricks. Learn the technique, practice often, and you will be making your yoyo sleep in no time!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing the Yoyo

1
Buy a yoyo with an axle and a ball bearing. It can be difficult to make your throws sleep with an inexpensive plastic yoyo. Many yoyos on the market today are cheap, wear out easily, and rub the string with too many friction-heavy surfaces. If you are serious about practicing tricks with your yoyo, consider buying a quality yoyo. A metal ball bearing will reduce the friction grinding between the axle and the end of the string.
- A Duncan Butterfly or YoyoFactory F.A.S.T 201 is one example of a cheap but trick-worthy starter yo-yo. Later on, you might consider buying a more advanced, expensive brand for even longer throws.
2
Loop the string onto your middle finger, about halfway down. Gently toss the yoyo over your hand.

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3
If you don't want to buy a bearing-axled yoyo, try customizing a cheap yoyo yourself. The best way to do this is to loosen the string that loops around the center axle of the yoyo. You can also lube the axle. Don't lube ball bearings with any lube, try get some yoyo lube. If you lube the bearing with something like WD-40, it will probably stop working!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Throwing the Yoyo

1
Hold the yoyo in a flat palm. Gently twist your palm downward and let the yoyo fall. The yoyo should start to spin once it reaches the end of the string. It should not reel back up the string.
2
Grip the yoyo. Bend your arm backwards—as though you're flexing your biceps—until the yoyo is almost touching your shoulder. Prepare to push the yoyo away from you.
3
Throw the yoyo. Quickly extend your arm at the elbow. When the arm is fully extended, flick your wrist slightly downward and turn your palm to face the ground. Practice each motion individually until you can do it all in one smooth motion. If you have a normal metal-balls-with-springs-inside type of yoyo, the quick rotational energy will release the axle, and the yoyo should start spinning. Make sure that the yoyo doesn't hit the floor.
- Note that you should let go of your yoyo as soon as possible after you begin the "throwing" motion.
- Some find it helpful to lift their arm slightly after the release to prevent the yoyo from touching the ground. Be gentle: imagine that you are trying to move food from a serving dish to your plate without dripping anything.
4
Let the yoyo spin. The motion of the yo-yo spinning at the end of the string is called "sleeping". As the yoyo slows down, the springs overtake the metal balls and squeeze the axle. Eventually, this causes the yoyo to stop spinning in place and begin to climb up the string.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Finishing the Trick

1
Lift the yoyo. As the yoyo slows down, it should eventually begin to reel up the string—but you may need to help it along. Gently tug the yoyo up with your hand. Make sure that you pull up before the yoyo stops spinning, otherwise it won't come back!
2
Grab the yoyo. Let the yoyo return to your middle finger, then grasp it with your palm. It is important that you learn to finish the trick smoothly—if you "stick the landing," your audience will be even more impressed.
3
Practice. You may not get the trick down on the first try, but you can work on the technique until you master it. Make sure that you don't practice around anyone or anything that could get hurt/broken; try not to swing your yoyo around people or objects until you are confident in your ability to control the yoyo.

Community Q&A

Question

What if my yo-yo doesn't sleep after I try these?

Community Answer

Then cover it with a blanket, and keep it warm. If you don't keep it warm, your yo-yo will die from frostbite.
Question

How do I make a yo yo?

Community Answer

You can read through wikiHow's article on making a Yo Yo for some guidance.
Question

How long does a responsive yo-yo sleep? (YYF Replay, for example).

Community Answer

It depends if you lube the yo-yo. Most responsive yo-yos that I have spin for 45 seconds or less.

Warnings

Beware of knots. They can ruin the yoyo if you don't take them out as soon as you notice them.

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Try not to practice around people, pets, or glass—you don't want to break the string, hurt anyone, or break anything.

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