50 Ways To Beat Insomnia - II

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21; Fifteen minutes of exercise a day will supply your body with the activity and oxygen it needs to relax at bedtime.

22; Make a list of everything that is bothering you and therefore keeping you awake. Imagine yourself writing the list onto a piece of paper and then screwing it up and throwing it away.

23; Try to settle yourself by repeating soothing words to yourself, such as calm, peaceful, relaxing.

24; Imagine you are sewing the hem of an extremely wide curtain. Use tiny stitches and visualize in detail every stitch you make.

25; Try to get your partner to give you a relaxing massage just before bed, or while you are both in bed.

26; Make love.

27; If your partner is in bed with you, listen to his breath and try to synchronize your breathing with his.

28; Go back to a special time and place in your mind. Relive the sights, smells and feelings you felt at the time.

29; Avoid naps during the daytime.

30; Take a warm soothing bubble bath, or use bath salts or aromatherapy oils in the water to help you relax before bed.

31; Try to keep your bedroom as dark as possible by hanging thick lined curtains if possible.

32; Imagine you are on the beach. Feel the hot sun on your body, smell the salt water and feel the warm, granular sand under your feet and between your toes.

33; Avoid illuminated bedside clocks. A lit clock face can be extremely disturbing if you have a hard time getting to sleep.

34; Practice slow, deep breathing for five minutes.

35; Sleep with your head facing north. Sounds bizarre? Try it and see if it makes a difference for you.

36; Imagine you are decorating your dream house. What colour scheme would you use? What style of furnishings and decoration would you prefer? See each colour and pattern in detail.

37; Keep your bed a place for sleep. Don’t read, watch television, work, or do crossword puzzles in bed. Let your body and mind associate bed with sleep.

38; Think of as many famous people as you can with double initials, for example; Anthony Andrews, Tina Turner, Bobby Brown.

39; If you really can’t sleep, get up. Don’t lie awake for more than thirty minutes. Read a book, have a drink, and when you feel tired again, go back to bed.

40; Lie on your back and try to relax. Wiggle your toes up and down, both feet at the same time, 20. This should relax your whole body.

41; Listen to soft and soothing music. Classical or folk music is particularly good for dropping off to.

42; Imagine it’s morning and time to get up. The alarm has already gone off, and you are in that sleepy period when you just want to drop back off to sleep for a few more minutes. It’s surprising how sleepy you will start to feel.

43; Think back on everything you did throughout the day, from getting up, having breakfast, going to work, right through to getting ready for bed and lying where you are now.

44; Try to remember what you were doing this time last year.

45; An hour before you go to bed, light an oil burner with some lavender oil in.

46; Mentally visit the town you were born in. Think back to how the streets looked, and imagine where you used to play, or the places you used to visit.

47; Repeat to yourself ‘I am getting sleepy, I am growing tired, I am falling to sleep.’

48; If you are a fan of soap operas, replay some of the scenes in your mind, with yourself as one of the characters.

49; Stare with your eyes closed at the insides of your eyelids.

50; Build a two letter word into the biggest word you can make. For example; on, one, lone, alone.

Sweet Dreams!

Gail Miller is a UK artist and writer. View her vibrant, contemporary artwork at her website, Gails Art Gallery