Slippery Sleep: How to Cure Extreme Insomnia

Did you know that one out of eight people suffer from insomnia or the inability to sleep?

Sleep – along with air, water, food, love, and sex – is a necessity to man. Yet despite this, some people stay wide-awake with the owls way beyond midnight.

Scientists say it is caused by stress, depression, anxiety, medication side effects, or simply a person's poor habits. Whatever it may be, insomnia can be frustrating. The feeling of frustration adds to the stress that one feels and can consequently make it worse.

If you find that sleep eludes you no matter how hard you try; here are some interesting ways to combat wakefulness:

1) Bore Yourself
Watch boring DVDs: The film selection is subjective, but many people have found their much needed ZZZs after watching the likes of Battlefield Earth, The Hours, Eyes Wide Shut, and Finding Forrester. You can disagree to this lineup, of course.

Get your old statistics books and relive the lullaby lectures. However, if you happen to come from Dilton Doiley's peer group and this activity excites you, try watching The Hours again.

Call your most boring friend and let him or her do the work. Politely say goodbye (and 'thank you'!) minutes before you actually doze off; or else, you might lose your most boring friend to call next time.

Practice your penmanship. Write your name repeatedly until you get tired.

2) Relax!
Drink a glass of warm milk or herbal tea.

Wiggle your toes. Reflexology says that your feet similar to a control panel for the rest of your body. Channels of energy end up in the feet and every part of the body is connected with these stinky friends. When you wiggle your toes, you stimulate your body, as it allows energy to flow freely and smoothly. So, wiggle your worries away!

Rub your tummy. This soothes the digestive system, relaxing your body eventually. Sleep facing downward and with your hand on your abs (or flabs). Start with small circles.

3) Position It Right
Sleep with your head facing north. This aligns your body with the magnetic forces of the Earth, which brings your energies into harmony. This sounds odd, but there's no harm in trying.

4) Get the Right Mindset
Count the sheep. From Ernie and Bert to your great grandmother, this has been the classic remedy to falling asleep. However, counting sheep jumping neatly over a fence doesn’t really work for most people. The reason: jumping sheep is exercising sheep and exercise does not exactly induce sleep. Therefore, why not count SLEEPING sheep?

5) Think It's Time to Wake Up
This may sound silly! But, who knows? Reverse psychology just might work!

There are countless and equally weird ways to get your self to doze off. It's just a matter of trial and error and creativity. Find your personal style. Find a sleep buddy to help you.

Of course, nothing beats the idea of having peace of mind. A calm mind and a happy heart are the keys to good and healthy sleep. So, let go of your worries and forgive your enemies. Indeed, having peace of mind can send you easily to dreamland.