Imagery...Can It Help You Fall Asleep

In a study conducted in 2002,subjects with chronic insomnia associated with unwanted thoughts and worries were given specific positive mental tasks. These tasks gave them a sense of positive control (as opposed to their real life concerns, which felt out of their control.) These images distracted them and allowed them to fall asleep faster. In support of this approach, another study evaluated patients with menopausal insomnia who were given a problem before sleep. One group was asked to think of the problem in images and the other in words. The group who used imagery fell asleep more quickly and woke up with less anxiety.