You can also create a column for special comments or observations you may have about that day. The chart allows you to record the date, the time you turned out the light, the approximate times that you actually slept and awoke, and the times you actually got out of bed. It can be done with the aid of a simple chart, which can help you keep track of what is really happening with your sleep. Documenting your sleep patterns is an important early step in confronting your insomnia. As you gain more knowledge and follow more Ayurvedic recommendations, you will find it easier to follow this first one. So "not minding" should be the attitude that you develop toward sleep.

And, of course, it also ignores the phenomenon of subjective insomnia, which we've just discussed. Also, while getting up may provide temporary relief from the unpleasant experience of lying there awake, in the long run it is not the solution to the problem of not getting enough sleep. Getting out of bed to read or do your taxes will interfere with the valuable process of rest and self-repair that was already taking place. For one thing, it ignores the real benefits that the body derives just from resting quietly. Although the suggestion has been made that people experiencing sleep difficulties should read, watch TV, or get up out of bed and otherwise occupy themselves until they feel genuinely tired, I think this is a mistake. Remember that even if you are feeling quite restless, the best thing you can do is just rest easily in bed, eyes closed. Before you know it, your awareness will spontaneously have moved from thoughts, ideas, and sensations to a deeper, self-referral state of sleep.

This simple procedure of allowing your awareness to shift from one sensation to another - just being aware of the sensations, the thoughts that come and go - is in itself a very powerful and profound anti-insomnia technique. After some time, the physical discomfort will abate and your awareness will move to some other thought or other part of your body. You should continue to fill out the chart every morning until your sleep problem has been permanently solved. On the other hand, you may find that as you follow the recommendations from this work you'll be able to track which recommendations had the most powerful effect on your particular sleep problem. It may record that you had night classes and more stress at work, and then note the following week your sleep was more disturbed. Filling out the chart each morning when you get up will not only help you document your progress but will help point up the relationship between certain activities or changes in your daily routine that may be influencing your sleep and hindering.