The age-old trick of counting sheep in an effort to get to sleep might actually be more likely to keep you awake, according to advice from one former insomniac.In an Esquire interview, A.J. Jacobs, a confessed former insomniac, says he tried every trick in the book and found counting a flock over a fence to not only be ineffective but also to actually go against his efforts to get bed rest.He pointed to a study from 2002 which discovered the repetition of the sheet is not sufficient to take someone's attention away from worries which keep them awake.Instead Jacobs suggests people try choosing a colour, think of a few objects which fit the hue and then put them into categories. This can be more effective as it does not provoke any emotions such as anger on despondency.Even the Prime Minister Gordon Brown could benefit from Jacobs' advice. Last week he was criticised by a former aide of Tony Blair for not sleeping enough.
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