I couldn't sleep because of nighttime anxiety, but this doctor-recommended trick helped me fall asleep fast — here's how to do it

A woman lies in bed at night unable to sleep. She has her right arm over her face and her left arm resting on the duvet.

For a long time, I've considered myself a reformed bad sleeper. I quit alcohol almost five years ago and it revolutionized my sleep — gone were the 3 a.m. wake ups, inconsistent sleep schedules and mornings dogged by exhaustion after a night of poor quality sleep.

Recently though, I've noticed that my sleep is suffering again, thanks (or not!) to nighttime anxiety. Instead of drifting off easily after climbing into bed, I've been left lying awake, often for hours, anxious and restless.