Folk wisdom has it that counting sheep puts you to sleep. This comes to us from thousands of years of shepherds becoming bored while tending their flocks.
All sheep had to be counted often, to ensure that some hadn't been lost. Also, many feudal systems taxed and granted land based on a sheep count, usually in multiples of 20. So each region developed a simple way of counting up to 20, and then just kept track of how many "20s" they had reached. Interestingly, since those counting-words rarely changed over time, they have helped preserve some ancient language words into the 20th century!
But how about the sheep counting as a means of falling asleep? Unfortunately, science proves this doesn't help much! Numerous experiments show that for a person to fall asleep, they have to have a mind that is not paying attention to something and is able to cross from conscious to unconscious. If you are paying attention to the counting process, that could in fact keep you awake.
What counting sheep (and other mindless repetitions) does do is numb your mind to creative thinking, and in essence help "bore" you. So if your mind was obsessed with something - an upcoming wedding, a stressful meeting - the counting sheep might help drive those thoughts out of your mind for a while. Your mind would then have a better chance of drifting off when you then stopped your counting.
If you really want to fall asleep, try thinking about a simple, quiet scene with no motion. Maybe it's a quiet meadow, or maybe it's an ocean beach. Whatever it is, that's the surest way to fall asleep and start dreaming!
 | Secrets of Falling Asleep by Lisa Shea Are you having trouble falling asleep? Do you lay awake watching the clock? These tips will get you into the land of ZZZZs! More Details ... |
