Originally published by The Spinoff
Ah, sleep. Those six to eight gorgeous hours when we lie back, do nothing and let our subconscious and random firing neurons take us for a ride. Then, like magic, we wake up and feel better, or at least like we’ve done something that’s good for us, and then we get to have coffee.
That is how our most treasured biological function is supposed to go. Unfortunately you’re here because you know the horrors of reality. The holidays are over and, for many parts of the country, at least, the hot mugginess has come, along with the mosquitoes and the flies. In these conditions, sleeping easily can be kissed goodbye. I am here, as a chronic insomniac, to tell you that unfortunately life goes on, and to give you some tips to endure.
What does an insomniac know about sleeping well? Years of trying, my friend – visits to doctors who only prescribe three sleeping pills at a time, and insist on sleep hygiene instead, hours of trawling the internet for advice, and real-life tests of every sleepy reckon ever.
![It is not easy, but it is possible to get to sleep in the summer heat, here's how to do it. Photo / Archi Banal](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/AB3HJ3HLVNDMZEUTWFTQR7VTGY.png?auth=97816961f61318c549ad954ddd0cf29e3f2e94b23fb9d938d3e8c92646253c46&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)