As I grow older, and as I take on more and more responsibilities, my favourite activities, my favourite classes, my favourite everyday tasks, have become aspects of my life which create stress. Each has become another thing to tick off my "To Do" list(s). Each has become another drop in the sea of sweat rolling off my forehead as I sit in the library and spend time making schedules of everything I have to make happen.

All of this stress, all of this anxiety means that when I finally go to sleep at night, I am not greeted by the soft comfort of my duvet and pillows, but rather by the harsh reality, that while I sleep, others may be working. While I lie in bed relaxing, the world is still moving around me, and time ticks on. It is therefore unsurprising that I sometimes find it hard to sleep - that was, until I was taught a special schedule (one that doesn't involve difficult tasks, but rather a calm mindset to settle me).

Step one:

Eat before 7 pm as your body must have enough time to digest food. In addition to this, there are many foods (or rather, alcoholic beverages), which may help you to "pass out", but do not allow you to fall into a deep and healthy sleep. Spicy foods will raise your body temperature, cheese will make your dreams strange, and coffee is just a stupid decision, however great it may be.

Step two:

Don't look or touch technology for half an hour before you get into bed. Read a book, do something creative, take a nice bath. Your brain needs time away from technology to properly shut down. Think of it as "organic time".

Step three:

Bed is for sleeping (or sleeping-related) activities only. Whatever activity you did in step two should be limited to the sofa, the kitchen table or the bathroom. Bed is a sacred place to sleep and psychologically you are more inclined to get to sleep faster if you keep it this way.

Step four:

Go to bed when you're feeling well rested and unstressed. If you can't get to sleep after 20 minutes, get up and leave the room. Continue the activity you were doing before bed-time for 20 minutes, then return to bed for 20 minutes. Repeat this until you are asleep, and if you ever wake up in the night. This method helps you to break up the time, and stops the night feeling like a hopeless void of sleeplessness.

Step five:

Do not despair. Sleep is something which comes naturally to the human body. A lack of sleep is your body telling you that your brain is working to fast, and too hard, and that you need to step away - however much you want to keep to your busy schedule.