When you should be asleep? 
You are not alone.
Insomnia affects between 4 and 22% of adults and is associated with long-term health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression.
So many people are troubled by insomnia, that research at Indiana University studied 5000 participants from a sleep clinic.
“People are concerned that they’re not getting enough sleep, then they start estimating how long it will take them to fall back asleep and when they have to be up. That is not the sort of activity that’s helpful in facilitating the ability to fall asleep — the more stressed out you are, the harder time you’re going to have falling asleep.”
Spencer Dawson, Associate Director, Psychological and Brain Sciences
As the frustration over sleeplessness grows, people are more likely to use sleep aids in an attempt to gain control over their sleep.
The study results suggest a simple behavioral intervention, such as avoiding checking the time, can help alleviate insomnia.
“One thing that people could do would be to turn around or cover up their clock, ditch the smart watch, get the phone away so they’re simply not checking the time,” Dawson said. “There’s not any place where watching the clock is particularly helpful.”
Will you try this?
Source: Indiana University
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Do you have a favourite get-to-sleep tip you can share with others? We’d love to see them here.
I have a digital bedroom clock, set to 24-hr mode. This means that between midnight and 0059 I can see a two-digit number, after 0059 a three-digit number, and earlier, before 2359, a four-digit number.
I then close my eyes and calculate all the factors of the number, or establish that it is prime.
I’m usually asleep again long before I could have finished these calculations.
I absolutely agree with Arthur! Doing mental calculations diverts my mind from any concerns or plans and sends me to sleep easily. Also, years ago I made sure there was no clock in the bedroom, and with the phone off, there’s no possibility of immediate response needed to keep me from relaxing.
A bit like Arthurs method, I have my version.
Try thinking of a word at random, then spell it backwards, mentally (yllatnem).
Seems to me the brain gets good at it quickly just to get some peace.
I love this strategy! Maybe easier for wordsmiths than Arthur’s! Spelling out backwards the names of your relatives can also leave your brain desperate for sleep!
I lie on my back , focus on my breath: in for the count of four, hold for count of two & out for count of four or maybe five through mouth. It helps me to do a body scan to check on muscle relaxation starting with big toe of one foot. Seems to work for me.
This is an excellent strategy and well worth trying if trying to get to sleep is hard for anyone. I do this myself, Gwen