I have for many, many years had problems falling a sleep. Once I layed my head on the pillow, the mind seemed to go beserk and wanted to evaluate all things I had done through the day, plus all things I should, or may, do the following days. This has led to some good ideas, but for the majority of cases this only led to very, very bad mornings!

I tried all kinds of different things, drinking tea, hot showers, walking before bed-time, ZMA – but none of them seemed to quite do the trick. Some helped a bit, but if my mind wanted to wander, the body did not seem to have that much to say in the fight for sleep.

Then somewhere I stumpled upon this simple advice I wille give to you. In all it’s simplicity it is a technique that helps you empty your mind of thoughts. When done fully and correctly you can experience a striking silence inside your head.

What you need is this:

• A pen
• A notebook

Then you lay in your bed and simply write everything you think about down on the paper. Not in diary-form, not meant to give any meaning – simply just exactly as the thoughts are inside your head. You do this one by one until you cannot think of anymore to write, then you close the book, turn off the lights and lay your head on the pillow. What almost certainly will happen is that you think of some of the things once more, but simply say to yourself that you can take care of that tomorrow, and that it is in your book so you will not forget it. But if you think of something that you have not written in your book, you open the book and write that thought down onto the paper.

This procedure is repeated until your mind finally gives in, and realizes that it can rest, as everything is archived and can be solved tomorrow. Some days you write half a page, some days it may be 4 or 5 pages, just keep at it until your mind realizes that it can relax. I have had a few experiences where it just felt amazing, that nothing flew around inside my head, just silence, just complete calmness(if that’s a word). Then sleeping comes much more natural!

I have successfully used this technique, especially when I had very thight schedules and a lot of things going on around me. Every morning I would then start of by looking at my notes, to see which needed to be adressed during the day and what could be put off or simply forgotten. By doing so, I also trusted the “system” much easier in the evening. I knew that writing the thoughts in the notebook, meant that they were safely stored until I woke up in the morning.

If you are having trouble getting you mind to shut up,when going to sleep, then try this simple technique and see if you can get the same possitive results. A pen and a notebook is not that much of an expense – you have everything to win!