Do you have trouble falling asleep? I do and I want to share a sleep tip that will help you to fall asleep more easily. This pretty much works every time for me. It is based on the fact that relaxation is a must for falling asleep. This relaxation exercise helps you to clear your mind of everyday affairs by simply watching your breath. You may have come across this before as it isn’t new, 
How to watch your breath and fall asleep:
Make yourself comfortable in bed and then begin to notice your breath as it flows into your nostrils and down into your lungs and then as it is expelled again. You don’t have to change your breathing in any way at all. Don’t try to take deeper breaths or anything, just ‘watch’ the breath as it flows in and then out again. You may feel the air flowing into your nostrils or consider the air filling your lungs as your belly rises and then falls. You can attend to the watching of your breath in these areas if you like.
Now you are bound to find that your mind wanders away from this breath watching. This is normal and happens to everyone. So don’t give up when this keeps occurring and don’t be irritated by it. Simply notice that this has happened and come back to watching your breath as it flows in and out.
This is all you need to do. The the breath watching clears your mind of other things and allows you to become relaxed enough to fall asleep. You can go further though if you wish.If you want to you can begin to concentrate on your body beginning with your toes and working up to the top of your head. Simply observe each part scanning for any discomfort or tension and releasing any tension. This will allow you to fall asleep. (As long as you haven’t been drinking coffee!)
Mindfulness For Falling Asleep
Sleep Tips
I learned about mindfulness from Jon Kabbat Zinn’s CDs and books.
Who is Jon Kabat Zinn? He is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, and founder (in 1979) and former director of its world-renowned Stress Reduction Clinic. He is also the author of many wonderful books on mindfulness in every day life:
Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting. Everyday Blessings was rated by Amazon.com as one of the top ten books of 1998 in the inspirational category. Another is Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness and The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness, Mindfulness for Beginners and many others. I am a great fan!
