How to sleep? This question is one which is on the lips of a large percentage of the adult population; lack of sleep can seriously affect your quality of life as without sleep, the general day to day business of living becomes more and more difficult. Studying, working and even spending time with friends all become harder than they should be when we’re exhausted. The question of how to sleep is not a simple one to answer however as there are many reasons which are to blame for a lack of sleep.

The first thing to do is to identify the reasons behind your inability to sleep. There’s certainly little worse than lying in bed hour after hour, tossing and turning and feeling that the whole world is slumbering peacefully whilst you lie, bleary eyed and unable to rest. Many people find that once they begin suffering from insomnia, they cannot get out of the vicious cycle which it almost inevitably invites into your life.

There are however certain tips and tricks which can assist you in sleeping peacefully and easily night after night. To learn more about tricks to make you fall asleep, read on!

• Start with the bedroom: This means that you may need to look at your sleeping environment with a critical eye. Is it tidy? Is it clean? Do you have a comfortable, fresh smelling bed to sleep in? If you can’t answer yes to all of those questions then you should give your bedroom a spring clean and a makeover to ensure that sleep comes more easily. Don’t use the bedroom as a place to store paperwork or other business related items; stow unused books and papers in some underbed storage. Make sure that your shelves and window sills are clear and that the room is free from dust.

• No screens in the bedroom: Many of us use bedtime as screen time and it’s a seriously bad habit to fall into. Whether you’re surfing the net, watching movies or texting, bedtime isn’t the right time so put a stop to it! If you feel that you want to relax and read a little before lights out, choose a book…not a kindle…a book and read a chapter or two. The reason I advocate no screens is that the light from them is not good for your eyes and will strain them in addition to making your brain work too hard.

• A warm bath is a good thing: Around an hour before bedtime, indulge in a warm bath. Not only will this relax your muscles but there is a nifty side effect from getting your temperature up a few notches and that is that as soon as it drops again, you will automatically feel sleepy. Get out of the bath, get dry and then straight into bed. You should find your eyes begin to droop before you’ve read more than a few pages.

The thoughts that just won’t go away!

Many of us find that once the lights go out, our mind begins to race; the stresses and strains of the day catch up with us and repeat themselves over and over again…or we begin to worry about issues which we can do nothing about! There are a number of tactics to employ when your mind won’t rest and to begin to utilise them, it’s important to keep an open mind.

Relaxation from top to toe!

This simple technique can be employed by anyone; it only takes a little concentration but it can be very effective. Lie with your eyes closed and ensure that the room is at a comfortable temperature. Think about your body, notice the position in which you are lying…is it perfectly comfortable? If not, shift until you are in the right position. Next, think about your toes, imagine them releasing the tension of the day…feel the muscles within them begin to release. Move on to your ankles and envision the same…the muscles are releasing the day’s tension and they are growing heavier. Move up your legs to your calves and picture the muscles begin to relax and release the tension which they’ve been holding onto.

Continue in this way right up your body until you reach your neck and head; by this point, if you have taken your time, you should be almost asleep. This technique employs a twofold trick…one is physical and releases tension and the other is a way to stop yourself from worrying; by focusing on your body, your mind gets a release from intrusive thoughts. It may take a few nights before you really get a grip on this technique but it can be very effective.

Learning to sleep well is a skill which some people lose when they become adults with the stress and strain of everyday life interfering in their ability to fully relax. Just reminding yourself of the basics can often be enough to get your sleeping habits back on track!