How to Get to Sleep Safely

There have been seasons of my life where I have had trouble getting to sleep. Even as a child, when my parents had instilled in me the importance of getting a full eight hours of sleep, I would have nights where slumber just would not come easy. Wide awake when I should have been asleep for hours, my mind would wander from one thought to the next, quite often worrying about problems that never actually materialized. What a waste!

I wish I could say that, as an adult, I am completely cured of the sleepless night problem. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I have discovered, however, that there are a few tricks that can be used, short of taking a sleeping pill, to finally drift off and avoid spending the entire next day stretching and yawning.

1. Reduce the Worry Factor. Some folks (like me) tend to be worriers. We don't like to be that way, but fretting over the details of life seems to come natural to us. When those problems get in the way of sleep, we have to remind ourselves that most of the things we worry about in the middle of the night are seldom as severe in the light of day. We have to convince ourselves that, unless we are able and willing to get up and fix the problem at 2 o'clock in the morning, we should probably just try to get enough rest to attack the problem with energy the following day. If you fit this category, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and focus your thoughts on something pleasant.