Does Counting Sheep Work?

May 23, 2022

4 mins

When you've got an early morning and that shut-eye is much-needed, tossing and turning in bed can be incredibly frustrating. And anxiety over a lack of sleep can make it even harder to get to sleep.

When sleeplessness strikes, medications, supplements, and some simple techniques may be able to help. 

One of the oldest sleep tricks is counting sheep, and while you may have left this trick behind in childhood, there are reasons to believe this age-old method has something to it.

Below is a closer look at why you need a good night’s sleep, techniques to fall asleep, and how (or if) they work.

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Why Do You Need Sleep?

Getting quality sleep, and enough sleep overall, may not be at the top of your priority list when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. But the fact is that great sleep should be just as important as eating a healthy diet and getting enough physical activity.

Researchers understand the anatomy of sleep (when and what we need), but they don't fully understand why sleep is so important. Sleep remains a bit of a mystery, though there's plenty of evidence that quality and sufficient sleep is critical to high-end cognitive function and more.

While you're laying in bed for eight hours, a ton of processes are underway in your brain.

During sleep, brain activity alternates between two major types of sleep (REM and non-REM) and five more precise stages of sleep. In a given night, you cycle through these stages of sleep, going from light sleep to deep sleep and back to lighter stages of sleep repeatedly.

The exact biological reason for sleep is not entirely understood, but there are many things we do know about why sleep is necessary.

Deep sleep and the sleep stage known as random eye movement (REM) sleep are of particular importance, and getting enough REM sleep has a number of effects on the body. 

Feeling energized

The most obvious benefit of sleep is that it serves as an opportunity to "recharge" your mental batteries. Low-quality sleep can cause you to lose energy much earlier in the day, severely impacting productivity and your ability to get your to-do list done.

Mid-day naps may sound like a great solution, but most people should focus on getting a better night’s rest in the first place, with enough time to enter the deeper and more restorative stages of sleep. 

Physical health

When it comes to physical health, most people concern themselves with what they eat and how much physical activity they're getting. These factors are important, but sleep plays a role in maintaining optimal physical health and can even prove beneficial to your overall physique.

One study furthered this understanding, finding that a lack of sleep can reduce the efficacy of diets used specifically for weight loss. It appears poor sleep reduces the ability to lose fat properly.

Sleep can also help promote optimal heart health, blood sugar regulation, and more. Insomnia is linked to a number of chronic health issues, and getting enough sleep can reduce your risk of developing these issues later in life.

Mental health

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed may be just a saying, but at some point nearly everyone has felt mentally drained after a poor night of sleep.

Sleep is important for regulating mood and mental well-being.

Conditions such as anxiety, depression, and mood disorders can occur as a result of chronic poor sleep.

During sleep, the brain executes a number of important processes ranging from restoring neurotransmitter levels to consolidating memories and making new neural connections. When your brain doesn’t get the opportunity to heal and refresh consistently, it can result in a decline in mental health.

Techniques to Help You Fall Asleep

So, how can you get better sleep?

There are a number of answers. Prescription medication, supplements, healthy sleep habits, and some tried and true techniques can all help you drift off at night.

The best way to get better sleep is to take the least invasive steps first, which begins with creating healthy sleep habits.

Counting sheep and imagery techniques

The counting sheep technique is believed to date back hundreds of years, and it has become a stereotypical means for people to try and get to sleep faster.

The technique involves a mental image of a fence and sheep jumping the fence one by one. Every time a sheep jumps over your imaginary fence, you count.

The premise is that counting sheep gets your mind off of your inability to fall asleep and onto a monotonous task. For some people, it works. 

An Oxford University Study that observed different sleep visualization methods for insomniacs found that simple imagery tended to get individuals to sleep faster.

If you find yourself in bed awake just staring at the ceiling or the back of your eyelids, counting sheep is worth a shot, though it's not foolproof. 

How Do You Count Sheep?

Counting sheeping seems pretty self-explanatory, but we’re giving you the play-by-play and even some extra tips that may help you master this nostalgic sleep strategy. 

• Get comfy. Close your eyes and visualize a green pasture with a long fence. If you want to get creative, feel free to imagine trees and a sky – whatever helps you relax. This is your imagination!

• Picture the sheep, soft, fluffy, cloud-like. Put them in your pasture.

• Start counting! There are many ways you can do this, so try them all to find out what works for you. You can count the sheep as they graze, or you can imagine them jumping over the fence and count them as they go. You can even count backwards, starting at 100. Count by twos if all else fails!

• As you’re counting, take deep breaths to help relax your body. Align your breathwork to the rhythm at which you’re counting. This will further help you to drift into the monotony of counting imaginary sheep and help you disconnect from whatever’s keeping you up at night. 

What Else Can Help You Fall Asleep?

If you’re not into the idea of counting sheep (or any other animal), there are other techniques that don’t involve counting or sheep that may be more up your alley. 

Nighttime routine

Here's the thing about counting sheep: if you're doing everything wrong in the hour leading up to bedtime, it may not help at all.

Creating and nurturing an ideal nighttime routine before bed should be your first priority. These are steps to encourage sleep before your head even hits the pillow.

The optimal nighttime routine gets your body mentally and physically ready for bed, so that when you finally lay down, you're that much closer to the finish line.

It's called good "sleep hygiene", and key elements include turning off and avoiding screens an hour before bed, avoiding exercise and sugar before bed, and doing calming activities before bed. 

Some things you should consider doing before you hit the hay include:

• Dimming the lights to promote melatonin release

• Putting away electronics

• Avoiding caffeine in the evening

• Choosing a relaxing activity like reading

• Creating an optimal sleep environment free of external stimuli such as noise or light

These factors can help you practice good sleep hygiene and create the right environment for a restful night of sleep.

Sleep supplements and medications

If all else fails and you’re still not getting enough shuteye, you may look to sleep medications as your solution. Ramelteon is a non-addictive sedative. It works by affecting certain parts of your body and brain that help regulate your sleep cycle.

Ramelteon is different from your typical “sleep meds” because it’s not a controlled substance. It also can be used on an as-needed basis, making it convenient on those nights when you just can’t fall asleep. In just about 30 minutes, you’ll be catching Zs with ramelteon, and you’ll wake up feeling good as new the next morning. 

How Rex MD Can Help

Counting sheep has been a classic technique for helping individuals get to sleep. There is evidence to suggest it works, though it's not a panacea. Counting sheep works for some, but improving your sleep hygiene and routine should be your first step in improving sleep quality and duration. 

If you're having a hard time getting quality sleep and are looking to improve, Rex MD’s sleep medications may help too. 

When medication is paired with good sleep habits and proper sleep hygiene, it can be a true game-changer.