This week as I was working on my online course for people suffering with sleep problems, I found something that was really disturbing.
 As I was researching to make sure I had included everything necessary in my course.
I decided to look over some of the popular self-help books about curing sleep problems, and see if there was anything new I might like to include.
What disturbed me was that there seemed to be the feeling that if the person reading the book wasn't getting relief, it was because they weren't doing it right.
 One book I won't mention here actually came right out and said, " if you aren't falling asleep after reading their book and doing the exercises suggested it was because you weren't doing it right.
"  Wow, talk about putting the blame in the wrong place, saying that somehow it was the readers' fault, and couldn't possibly be the fault of the information in the book or some other reason.
   Well that just burned me up.
  After over 25 years helping people with insomnia, panic, anxiety and even IBS and Migraines, I have found most people will do almost anything to get a good night sleep.
 So I'm going to believe that a person who buys a book to get help is going to do the exercises and read in a hopeful, open-minded state.
  If this has ever happened to you it may be possible that the problem isn't your doing things incorrectly.
 It might be that either the book isn't right for you or that there are underlying issues that need to be resolved before the exercises will work for you.
There is a simple skill that you can learn that has helped countless people to sleep anywhere, anytime they want.
  I have use the "5,4,3,2,1 exercise" when on a tour bus, so I can fall asleep easily and be ready to enjoy each stop, fully rested.
  There are a few things that are needed to do this exercise.
  The ability to visualize, and to think about a place where you have been that was enjoyable for you.
   A thumb nail sketch of how to use this exercise, is to remember back to an enjoyable place and "see" 5 things that you saw there.
  In your own mind you state the things you are seeing "as if" you are actually there.
  Then you do the same for 5 things you are hearing in this remembered place, and finally 5 things you feel as you are in this place.
  When people are first learning this at times they use feeling like "happy or relaxed", for this exercise you would use physical feeling, like I feel the warmth of the sun on my body.
  Then with your eyes still closed you move to the next part of the exercise where you say 4 things you see, hear and feel.
  Each time you finish you move down one level until you say one thing you see, hear and feel.
  There are more detailed directions for doing this exercise, but try it out and see how it works for you.
For many when they use the full directions  this simple exercise enables them to fall asleep easily any where and any time they desire.
  If you find that you still are having problems you might benefit from the full directions, or it may be that there are underlying issues that need to be worked out.
  Many have found that after releasing some old stuffed emotions they are then able to quickly re-program their sleep habits.