4 ways of going to sleep

Time was when I could lay my head on the pillow and sleep for twelve hours. Those good times have gone and now, more often than not, I need tricks to get me off to sleep. Here are four of the best.

1. Try to stay awake. This is an old tried and tested piece of advice - when you can't get to sleep, don't even try. Instead, try to stay awake. The easiest way is to have a chiming clock within hearing and force yourself to stay awake to hear the next quarter strike, then the next hour, and so on. It doesn't help when Son has switched the clock to silent, but it can be done even by watching a digital clock ticking over. And staying awake is harder than you think.

2. Dead lions. Much of the impediment to sleep is the tossing and turning. So, instead, stretch yourself out straight - on your back, legs straight out, arms by your side, like an effigy on a tomb. Make sure that you are quite comfortable. Then don't move. Quite soon the desire to turn over and go to sleep will be impossible to resist.

3. Get really cold. (Not so easy in the summer, I admit). Kick off the duvet, all but a little flap to cover your middle and guard against chills. Make sure that arms, shoulders, legs and feet are all exposed. Then wait until you start to feel really cold. And then wait a bit longer. As soon as you weaken and snuggle back into the nice warm bedclothes, you will drift off to sleep.

For really bad nights, methods 2 and 3 can be combined. But the absolute winner is,

4. Monday morning at 6.13. I guarantee that when the alarm goes off on Monday morning, that's when you will infallibly be able to sleep.