A Good Bed and a Good Night's Sleep: Counting Sheep

I sometimes wonder where the idea of counting sheep in order to get to sleep came from, whether it is effective, and if it is then why it should be. Also is it better to imagine a flock of sheep in a field and try to count them, or as others have suggested imagining sheep jumping over a wall. I have tried both at times. Normally all I need for a good nights sleep is a comfortable bed, but I have to admit that there have been times when various worries and anxieties have kept me awake. However counting sheep at such times did not help me at all.

Apparently the counting sheep affect has been investigated by sleep scientists. I always find the term sleep scientists to be amusing; it conjures up some strange images. Perhaps counting sleep scientists could be an effective way to drop off. But I digress: These sleep scientists got a group of insomniacs to count sheep and measured how long it took them to get to sleep. I think that if I had a sleep scientist hovering over me as I was counting sheep I would never go to sleep, they did'nt take into account what type of beds they where in. Anyway, they found out that counting sheep actually increased the amount of time it took these people to go to sleep, which quite honestly is hardly surprising under the circumstances.

These same scientists found that the best way to drop off was to imagine a nice relaxing scene, say lying on a beach under to sun with the Mediterranean lapping your toes and a beautiful bikini clad young lady bringing you an nice iced glass of …

Sorry, carried away again. But they think that such images keep at bay all the worries and anxieties that keep you awake. Well, I certainly prefer this latter scenario to a load of smelly old sheep jumping aver a gate, but I am less than convinced it would send me to sleep. I will just trust in my comfortable bed: zzzzz
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I think that if I had a sleep scientist hovering over me as I was counting sheep I would never go to sleep, they did'nt take into account what type of beds they where in. Anyway, they found out that counting sheep actually increased the amount of time it took these people to go to sleep, which quite honestly is hardly surprising under the circumstances.