Often in the middle of the night I have woken up and staggered in to use the bathroom and then maybe lurched on to the kitchen to get a sip of water. After all that nocturnal activity, I often found myself wide awake and would toss and turn when I went back to bed, unable to get back to sleep.

I tried the usual things to get back to sleep, such as counting sheep - or, in situations where I really needed the rest, I have taken a Tylenol PM, which works for me, but I certainly don't want to become dependent on them, and neither should you.

Then one day I wondered about the falling-to-sleep process - you know, What happens before one falls asleep? The first thing that occurred to me was how I often I fall asleep while watching TV. My eyes always get quite heavy then, and it is difficult to keep them open; you know what that is like. That is when I got my idea. I would make my eyelids heavy. Here is how I do that.

I lie in bed, my eyes open, and then I lower my eyelids, slowly, slowly, as slowly as possible, until they are closed. I do this three or four times. After the third or fourth time, and I have left my eyes closed, I can actually feel the weight of my eyelids atop my sleepy eyes, and they feel very heavy. Sleep usually follows soon after this.

So that is my insomnia cure. It usually works for me, and I hope it works for you or someone you know; but if it does not, trying it out has not cost you a penny. Best of luck and a good night's sleep to you! (WAIVER: I am not a medical doctor, nor do I play one on TV.)

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