“One sheep, two sheep, three sheep……….zzzzzzzzz.” Hey! Did someone just doze off into that grassy hillside where all those sheep like to spend their time jumping over fences? It’s true what you’ve heard. Counting sheep actually works if you want to find a method for falling asleep! This is due to a simple fact about concentration and relaxation. The mind tends to become focused and relaxed over an extended period of concentration and counting sheep tends to make a person concentrate and relax at the same time.

Sleeplessness is a problem that a lot of people face when they have to finish something important or when something is bothering them. People who face difficulty concentrating or who experience memory lapses, energy loss, fatigue, lethargy or emotional instability, need to learn to focus their minds. Simple techniques like focusing the mind on something completely different can actually have a positive effect on a person’s ability to relax. Without this practice, problems like sleeplessness can affect people’s work performance or driving ability. Serious consequences like driving and workplace accidents can also occur due to severe lack of sleep. Counting sheep is actually a form of meditation that has been popularized over the centuries.

Counting sheep isn’t the only method available. In order to prevent impairments, you can find your own ways to make your sleep more peaceful. Taking pills is a common solution but this often has serious side effects which result in a bigger problem later on. Counting sheep or even playing soft music, however, can be relatively harmless. Some sleep aids can help you sleep and some cannot. The important thing is to find out what type of sleep aid is right for you.

Melatonin supplements are actually one great way to make yourself sleep better through the night. Melatonin is a hormone that is made in the pineal gland and also found in the brain. It increases its potency during the night and decreases at dawn. Although there is no conclusive scientific proof that the supplement supports sleep, many people insist on its benefits. Typically people take 1 milligram (mg) or 3 mg melatonin tablets. They come in very small 300 microgram tablets or as big as 10 mg tablets. Still, it is commonly advised to consult the family doctor before taking this supplement. It is possible that your condition could be part of a more serious disorder in which case the sleeplessness may get worse without the help of a medical professional. If melatonin is right for you, your doctor will recommend the right dosage.

In addition to Melatonin and counting sheep, there are also prescription drugs that can make you sleep better. These include Lunesta, Ambien, Sonata, Desyrel, and Restoril. Prescription drugs are effective in making you sleep but they can have side-effects like light-headedness, erectile dysfunction, drowsiness during the day, dizziness and having an unpleasant taste in your mouth. Taking prescription drugs should only be taken with precaution. Most of them prohibit you from driving or operating machinery after taking them. This is even true for prescription drugs the morning after you take them. Prescription drugs can be dangerous to your health when you take more than the recommended dose and when don’t follow the instructions of your doctor.

Finally, there are some practical ways that you can learn to sleep better and you do not have to ask the advice of a doctor. One of these methods is to buy dark colored curtains for your window. This will make it very dark inside the room when it is time to sleep. The street lights will not show inside your room and, if you suffer from what is known as “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or sensitivity to too much sunlight, you can hang the colored curtains during summer because that is the time the sun will set the earliest. You can also buy eye shades or eye masks to help you with your sleep problems. These are used to cover your eyes when you first go to sleep. You can buy these from drugs stores and specialty stores that sell foot massage machines and mini spas.

Sleeping is very important so that we can start the day out right. If you sleep the right hours, you can make the following day worthwhile for you and for the others around you. You won’t feel irritable, angry or sad and this will make for a more pleasant day for everyone. Now that you know the truth, it’s time to get back to counting those sheep! Good luck and see you on the hillside with that pleasant smile drifting across your face!