h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tell yourself a story. Do it fairytale style, just like your parents did when you were little... (ie, "Once upon a time there was a little girl/boy//etc", or "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" ) Let the storyline do whatever it wants too-- remember, the idea is that you fall asleep at some point and it becomes nothing more than a dream. You can also just think about the happiest time in your life and replay it in your mind, it has the same effect (at least for me).

I find that if I've got insommnia, not even thinking about sleeping helps. If I decide to get up and do some work for a bit, I end up a little more tired and apt to fall asleep later.

Last: when you wake up in the middle of the night, it is of utmost importance that you don't look at the alarm clock and figure out how many hours you have left before you need to get up. Your mind will start to dwell on this and actually keep you awake longer.

You know how it is. You're lying in bed, trying to get to sleep but your brain is rushing around putting the world to rights in no particular order. One minute you're wondering what shirt you're going to wear tomorrow and the next you're planning a parachute jump onto Komodo ... dang mind, why won't you sit still.

The easiest way to get to sleep in a situation such as this (or so I've found) is to think of nothing.

"A-ha", I hear you say, "How can you think of nothing". Do just as it says - lie there thinking of nothing.

Just think to yourself "Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, ... " ad infinitum and before you know where you're at, you'll be soaring over sleepsville ...

It works for me anyway ... (go away sombre men in white coats - we don't need you here - get thee hence behind me Straight Jacket)

I tend to find being tired when you go to sleep helps.
After all, if you`re hungry you can eat a hearty meal, if not don`t eat.
If you`re not tired why go to bed?

That's just silly ...

It`s no sillier than going to bed (to sleep) when you`re not tired. How silly is that!
I have no trouble sleeping `cause i`m always tired when i go to bed.

Sometimes you can be too tired, though... that makes things worse. Being too comfortable is bad, too.

I have had problems thinking of nothing latly... I cant stop my brain till my girlfriend comes to bed and snuggles up against me thinking I am asleep... Oh it makes me immediately happy and my brain shuts down

A lot of guys' brains shut down when a girl's around...

Ok that was uncalled for and below the belt. When she comes to bed I feel better, like have time and therefore my brain can rest and I dont have to worry about it at that time.

More ideas...

*Hot tea (chammomile (sp?)) with honey (works especially well when one is sick)
*Star-gazing out the window
*journaling (makes your mind more at ease, usually)
*read a really boring book-- it'll hopefully make you so bored you fall asleep (this tends to work in classrooms too)

Overall, if you want a really good night's sleep, don't go to bed exhausted or tired. Take some time to regain some sanity and strength and *then* go to bed. Why? If you're exhausted, you simply sleep deeply, which, while it's a good thing, is not all you need. If you're semi-rested and comfortable, sleep will come and you'll not only sleep deeply, you'll also acheive REM sleep, which is when you dream and a very important part of a decent night's sleep.

Be careful if you have an over active imagination of looking at the stars/moon as you go to sleep... I did once and I had the weirdest dream, I could see the moon and stars... just like I was sitting there with my eyes open... but I saw a starship come around the moon and it was getting ready to pull off... it looked alot like the Enterprise D... Hmm weird dreams are so freaky!

I love weird dreams... and somehow they always help you to feel you've slept better.

Nothing's worse than falling asleep the moment your head hits the pillow and wake up what seems 30 seconds later to find out 10 hours have passed...

I slept from 12 to 2 last night... then my girlfriend came to bed and I woke up.. I felt wide awake but fell back asleep and woke to my alarm (4:50 and 5:10)... but I was tired (wierd eh?) and so I turned it of and went back to bed and the next thing I know it is 5:45 and I have to be at work in 15 miniutes... BAH!!! and I dont get to see my girlfriend until 8:00 tonight because she starts work...