There’s lots of ways to help you fall asleep.

You know you’re supposed to have a set Schedule even on the weekends , minimize screen time before bed, keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.

Limit caffeine after 2 pm or even earlier. Minimize alcohol because it fragments sleep.

Do relaxation and breathing techniques.

Do a brain dump before bed. Get everything bothering you out on paper. That way it won’t be rumbling around in your head keeping you from getting to sleep.

Put the clock somewhere else so you’re not just watching it all night like you see in some of the ads for sleep meds.

If you can’t get back to sleep after 20 minutes get up and do something else – in another room. And not on your phone.

Often when things are bothering me and I can’t sleep I get up and do expressive writing. That means just fervently writing anything that comes to your mind. Even if it’s just one word over and over again. Or a bunch of curse words. When you’re done you throw it out. It’s not a journal. There’s something about sending the thoughts from your brain to your hand and out.

Do all your physical exercise before 2-3 hours before bed.

Limit naps to 20 minutes and before 3 pm.

Despite most of these things when I have a lot of trouble sleeping. I revert to my old standby. I came up with this in 2004 and it’s worked every time I’ve used it.

I go through the alphabet with one goal – to come up with something I’m grateful for – one thing per letter.

I have yet to make it through the entire alphabet. The last time I was asleep by the letter O. This focuses your mind on something specific but also something very positive. It also does a remarkable job of soothing your nervous system. Another favorable condition for falling asleep.