Sleeping is the most important thing that we, human beings, need in order to function properly.
Ironically, it is also the one thing that many of us don't ever get enough of.
For some people (and the number continues to grow), sleeping is overrated because many people feel that instead of sleeping, they could be getting more work done.
What they don't realize is that they are sabotaging themselves.
When you don't get enough sleep, your body becomes weaker over time because it doesn't have enough energy.
When you don't have enough energy, you become more susceptible to catching colds, viruses or flu.
You can't think straight and your work suffers.
For other people, sleep is something that they desperately wish they could get more of but struggle with.
These people struggle to fall asleep because they typically have a lot of things on their mind.
Let's call these people the "mind racers".
The mind racers go to lay down at night, but they have trouble getting their minds to cooperate.
Instead, they find that their mind continues to race, thinking about random things that will not allow them to relax.
I forgot to mention that being able to relax the body is a key component for being able to rest.
This is where the phrase "rest and relaxation" comes from.
This is also the reason why yoga classes have tripled in popularity over the years.
Many people sign up for yoga classes with the hopes that the techniques that are taught will help them to feel more rested and relaxed so that they can get to sleep at night.
There are also various cognitive exercises that one can do in order to help quiet the mind.
The old fashioned way of doing things was to count sheep, and while this still works for some people, there are other methods of helping yourself to fall asleep.
For instance, many people will listen to guided meditations at night in order to help them redirect their attention.
Still other people will listen to recorded sounds of nature such as thunderstorms, rain and ocean waves hitting the shore.
Other people will read books or watch television or talk on the phone.
The last thing you want to do if you're trying to fall asleep is watch television.
This is because television acts as a sort of stimulant.
For example, the other week I was exhausted and was totally sure that as soon as my head hit my pillow I would be out like a light.
However, when I was flipping through the channels, I landed on a movie that I had never seen before.
The movie was quite good, and before I knew it, I looked down at my watch and realized that hours had gone by and I was still wide awake! Things that help you fall asleep include simple things such as making sure that the lights and television are turned off.
Also, you'll want to make sure that you're sleeping in a climate controlled environment in a bed or something else that is comfortable.