Try and remember all the rooms you’ve slept in the past year. Can you picture the ceilings? I can.  I remember every detail of those fancy hotel rooms. I can still recall how every feature looked in the obscurity of night and even how the passing hours changed the shade of the wall paint. And how could I forget the sense of relief brought by the first ray of light? If you know what I’m talking about then here are my tips that might get you through those never-ending hours:

Woman Sleeping

1. Don’t panic! That’s the biggest mistake you can make. If you don’t fall asleep the moment you hit the pillow it doesn’t mean it’s going to be one of those nights. The more worried you are that you’ll be awake the entire night, the more likely you are to do so.
2. Think less, dream more! Try not to concentrate on details, on problems; don’t relive what you experienced during the day. Try to imagine some beautiful place, situation. The imagery of your thoughts should be a bit out of focus, more like a dream than a conscious rambling of the mind.
3. Don’t look at the time. If you have a clock to look at you’ll just find yourself counting how much time passed since you went to bed, how many hours of sleep you can still get if you doze off now.
4. Eliminate rhythmic noises.  Listening to the ticking of a clock or water drops falling in your sink will drive you crazy. Chick out the clock, close the door, unplug any appliances that make a hissing noise that you can hear.
5. If you’re afraid to be alone with your thoughts put in some background noise. Turn on the television, put on some music, whatever works for you. Watching a boring movie might help you fall asleep if you don’t follow it carefully, and it might be just what you need to keep you mind from drifting to the thoughts that are keeping you awake.
6. Try to get comfortable.  Tossing and turning won’t get you anywhere. Fluff your pillow, find a good position and try to stick to it.
7. You sleep better if you’re not alone? Well, you’re unlikely to sleep better with another person next to you, but you might fall asleep easier if there is someone there. I sometimes imagine there’s someone next to me. I nestle next to the wall as if I’m drawing closer to another being. I bend the pillow to feel like I’m resting my head on his arm. Feeling protected eases my way into the total abandonment required for sleep.

Now really, for how many people does counting sheep work? Does imagining that white fur ball jumping over a  wood fence help you?