Have you ever been in bed in the middle of the night, when you roll around on your side, but you cannot sleep? Your mind is at work, whilst your eyes are closed. The room is silent, the fan is turning but still your body seems restless. That lameness, additional frustration familiar to many Nigerians Progress in this stage is also compromised to the extent that some people fear the dark because they know that it will present another struggle with sleeplessness.

Practitioners refer to it as insomnia And to us it is easy, our eyes didn't close. What most individuals do not know is that having no sleep is not merely a feeling of exhaustion. Sleep does not constitute normal rest, it is a medicine When you are asleep, your brain washes away and removes waste chemicals, your blood pressure and the heart relax, and your memory is enhanced. Sleep deprivation hurts your body every time it occurs and, sooner or later, all the factors become visible.

And watch out, absence of sleep predisposes to developing high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and even early death. Scientists found that even a single uninterrupted night of sleep is confusing the brain to the point that you begin to behave more like a person who had consumed alcohol. This is what hazardous sleeplessness can be like. But what are you going to do about it?

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The initial thing you need to do is to examine your nightly routine. What do you do at night before you sleep? What do you eat? What do you drink? Late-night tea, coffee, malt or even energy drink is loved by many Nigerians. All of these include stimulants that inhibit sleep. There are also individuals who cannot detach themselves with their phones until 1 a.m. browsing through social media. That glaring light on your phone will deceive the brain that it is still daytime. The result? Sleep flying.

So don't panic yet. There is a ray of hope. The circadian rhythm is a natural clock of the body. This clock regulates your time of falling asleep as well as time to wake up. The great news is you can reset it. How? With the proper signals given at night. As an example, turn down your lights an hour before bed. Have the room cool and dark. Leave your phone. Talk about a hot bath. Read a mild book, pray or soft music. This may sound strange, but when you do things like that you are training your brain, I should sleep.

Nevertheless, do not delude, us. However, even when these tricks are given, there are those individuals who cannot sleep easily. Why? The reason is that their minds are heavy. Nigerians bear a lot of burdens like money problems, family issues, unemployment, business stress and even fear of tomorrow. They get worse at night when things are silent in the world. And they clamor in your brain and you cannot sleep.

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And here is one of the secrets unknown to most: worry is an enemy and you need to set it free before bed. It has been shown scientifically that mentally recording your thoughts or to-do list the next day before bed decreases anxiety. Praying, meditation or slow deep breathing also assist in quelling the storm in your mind. Visualize the picture that you are carrying a heavy load throughout the day on your head. Drop it before you lie down. That is how you must be after your night fears.

Form me a scenario. Think about a good sleep: in the morning you feel light, have no headache, your energy is complete. You can approach Lagos traffic, hustle in the market or stress at work without collapsing. Juxtapose that to waking up after a night of insufficient sleep: you feel sluggish, you have a bad mood, and your thoughts move slowly. Which life do you want?

There is just one more truth though you need to hear. Do not overlook it when sleeplessness persists within weeks despite your change in habits. It can indicate more serious conditions such as depression, or thyroid disease or even sleep apnea. It is at this stage that you have to visit a physician. Say not, It is common, or, It will pass away. Sleeplessness is entering the stage of chest pain, it is a perspective of disaster.

Tonight, when you crawl in your bed, do not struggle to get sleep forcefully. Rather than control it, wisely command it. Revere your body clock. Get your room in readiness. Lose your phone. Calm your panics. Treat sleep not as a luxurious medicine. Your body will slowly, but surely respond.

Sleep it shall come back, Not as foe in rear to flee, But as comrade and solace. And when it pays you will see. There is no magic in overcoming sleeplessness. It is discipline. It is science. It is your choice.