This is a cruel one! As you experience sleep problems, you naturally start worrying about how the next night is going to go. Unfortunately, this worry can contribute to keeping you awake. A vicious circle builds up: the worse you sleep, the more you worry, and the more you worry...

A number of mindfulness exercises deal with letting go. We need to let go of the wish to sleep. Paradoxically, it can get in the way. People sleep quite well without wanting to do it: they sleep during lectures, while driving, while watching TV, while reading a book, and at symphony hall.