Insomnia

Rules to observe: Only use your bed for sleeping. Don’t eat in bed, don’t watch television, don’t smoke, don’t do anything but sleep. When you are not lying down, switch on the lights.

Don’t fight the thoughts that come into your mind. As you push them away, forgive yourself and remember that tomorrow will give you the opportunity to do something about your situation.

Names: Flowers of the river; Setting sun 

Aim: to get to sleep

Frequency: when you go to bed, for as long as necessary until you fall asleep.

"Lie down with your eyes closed. Imagine yourself on the banks of a river, near rapids. You are surrounded by scented flowers. Pick one. Place all the thoughts that are preoccupying on this flower. Then throw it into the river and watch it as it is carried away by the current. Continue until you fall asleep.”

"Get out of bed. Go and sit in another room or another part of the same room. Switch on the lights. Still sitting down, close your eyes and imagine you are in a meadow, with the sun still high in the sky. Lie down, rest your head on a comfortable hummock of grass, and watch the sun sink slowly below the horizon. When it has disappeared, the sky grows dark.

Visualise yourself leaving the meadow, getting into bed and going to sleep. Open your eyes, get up from your chair, switch off the lights and go to bed.”