We are told that sleep is important for us, but is it really that important? The short answer is "yes". Sleep allows our brain to rest and recover from the 70,000 thoughts that we have each day. Without at least 6 hours of restful sleep we cannot function at our best.
Getting to sleep can be difficult when we have had a busy day. If you have been stretched during the day, try to get some exercise at least three hours before bedtime. A 30-minute walk is enough. This will push oxygenated blood through your body and will clear your brain.
There are many reasons why we can't sleep, the brain is too active, consumed too much food or alcohol, or perhaps worrying that we won't get enough sleep! A good technique to get to sleep is to think about absolutely nothing, often easier said than done. Another way is to think about a place that you love to visit, a beach, a favourite park, a country walk. Keep focussing on that one place and when those pesky thoughts enter your head just let them go and return to your 'happy' place. By distracting the brain in this way, it will relax and you will soon be asleep.