Sleep - it can be a faraway dream for many of us. A restful sleep can be a frustratingly rare thing to experience. A few years back I went to a lecture about sleep with a noted naturopath and what she shared was very helpful. Apparently one of the vital things needed for achieving sleep is darkness in the bedroom.

I thought I had all that wrapped up. We have no screens in the bedroom and I put up blackout curtains because of a rather horrible streetlight glare. I was patting myself on the back until she asked if we could see the furniture in our room at night with the lights turned off. We have some light from the window in the hallway streaming into the bedroom because of course, the door is open for the dog to come and go. Did I need to buy blackout curtains for all our windows? Did I need to move to a dark sky preserve in the country? This line of thinking was quickly going from unaffordable to slightly ridiculous. Then she mentioned using a mask - the least expensive and easiest way to achieve the level of darkness necessary for a good sleep. 

That very night I went home and found an old mask wadded up at the back of a drawer. My husband had a questioning look on his face, but on it went and I had a deliciously deep sleep that night. So simple and yes, so satisfying. 

Why is sleep important? Without decent sleep the body just doesn't function well. Lack of sleep can decrease immune function; increase blood sugar levels; increase pain levels and decrease your ability to focus and take in new information. Not to mention the obvious fatigue and emotional factors married to that.

So if you haven't tried a sleep mask give it a go and hopefully those faraway dreams will become your new reality. As Ovid's famous quote states: "Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."