Ken Leslie says that it's normal to have occasional arousals and postural shifts during the night, as you shift from one sleep stage to another.
Avoid thinking about your problems, or the day ahead, he says. You can also try counting to 200 or use other meditation techniques you know.Ken Leslie, a psychology professor at Acadia University, worked at a dream lab at Harvard University while getting a Ph.D. in neuroscience. — Contributed The elderly, on the other hand, are often phase-advanced, waking up very early in the morning and falling asleep early.If you are alert during the day and feel well rested, then you are getting enough sleep, says Leslie.
Taking melatonin at night can help people fall asleep faster and is generally considered safe. It, and may even have neuroprotective properties, says Leslie. And keep in mind that the melatonin will actually influence your circadian rhythm, so you only want to take it at night when you normally go to bed, and not in the middle of the night, he says.Some people swear by using cannabis to fall asleep, says Leslie, noting the picture is more complicated.
Edibles can be problematic, as they can take a long time to kick in, and can either induce sleepiness or arousal, depending on the strain and individual response.