We live in such a chaotic, stressful world that there are many nights where sleep lies just beyond our grasp. No matter what we do we just can’t turn off all the thoughts and emotions long enough to fall asleep. You could take sleeping pills but the next day is a horror because of the after effects so many of us are prone to. And there are natural sleep supplements that promote sleep, but even those don’t always work quickly enough. I never found counting sheep to be effective, but there are other techniques that can help you relax enough to get to sleep.

The first thing we are advised to do is to just relax. Stop worrying about whether or not you will be getting enough sleep because that only adds to the stress. Don’t keep watching the clock and by all means don’t try to force yourself to relax and sleep. If you find that you can’t fall asleep even after being in bed for a while, get up for a few minutes. Go into another room and drink a glass of milk or a few bites of turkey. Tryptophan is said to be a natural sedative and both milk and turkey contain that beneficial amino acid.

Take a warm bath just before going to bed and try some aromatherapy and candles. Read a book for a while. Reading seems to be relaxing because it takes all our focus off our problems and the mind is given a chance to rest. If you don’t stress about falling asleep it will come much easier. And if all else fails, force yourself to stay awake. That will put you to sleep quicker than anything! If you need to sleep you are wide awake and vice versa. There is something to be said for reverse psychology after all.