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The value of the gift of sleep can never be underestimated. Sleep allows us to restore the natural balance of body and mind, with dreamless sleep, that helps to repair and regenerate. Dreaming sleep, or Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, is thought to be a way for the brain to exercise itself, or indeed, a method for dealing with the emotional and phychological issues through the weird events and images in dreams. But when we lie there, tossing and turning, the prospect of sweet dreams and good sleep sometimes just eludes captivity. As it disappears over the horizon, towards Insominia Mountain, lying in bed becomes a nightmare. But you CAN give yourself the gift of sleep, ease your body and mind, with some simple activities. Here are some which have worked for me.

1. Have a relaxing scented bath before bedtime.

2. Have a regular bedtime each night, ensuring your bedroom is well ventilated, but cosy and lit softly.

3. Clear your mind of worries, and stop doing anything "worklike" either mental or physical, an hour before bedtime.

4. Do not eat a heavy meal that requires lots of digestive processes, two hours before you go to bed. Avoid stimulants like coffee, alcohol or tobacco for that period.

5. Do some aerobic exercise during the day, as this releases stress and brings about a "good" natural tiredness.

6. Do not worry if you cannot get to sleep at once, or if you wake up and just cannot drop back to sleep. Read a few pages of a book until you feel drowsy again. If really wakeful, go out of the bedroom, watch TV for a while, keep you head free of worries, and then try again.

7. The seventh tip for the gift of sleep is the best, so I have saved it for last. It involves a simple relaxation technique, some careful breathing and a touch of creative visualization. A little practice, and you will definitely experience good, restful sleep.

Tense and relax every muscle in turn, from feet to face. Tense-Hold-Relax. At the same time, breathe slowly, deeply, throughout the relaxation process. You can now paint yourself a picture. In your mind, put yourself in a beautiful place. It might be a flowery meadow, a riverbank on a sunny day, a mountain cabin with a log fire burning, anywhere you feel good to be. My place is a beach house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Fill in every tiny detail of your place, the scents, the sounds, the colors and textures surrounding you. Keep your eyes closed, the picture in focus, and assume your most comfortable position.

I guarantee you will be asleep before you finish detailing your surroundings. This has worked for me for years. It helps to take away all the day's niggling worries, the stressful events that intervene with the sleeping process. It bathes the mind in serenity and allows the body to claim the gift of sleep. A very good night to one and all.

Learn more about this author, Dolores Moore.
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