A good nights sleep has many important health benefits which I will write about in this article. I am the kind of person who is just unable to perform to my best if I have only had a small number of hours of sleep, I also have a step-daughter who is extremely moody during the next day, if she has not had slept for around seven hours during the night.

I would have to say that I would even class sleep as a hobby of mine, you may think that this is a bit strange but it is true. I feel very safe and comfortable when I am in bed and some people suggest that it is possibly like the way young infants feel when they are in their mothers womb.

When I am in the type of mood that means I find it hard to get to sleep, for example when I have a lot on my mind, I imagine that I have driven off to some long off place in the distance, parked up the car and then have gone to sleep in the back of the car with around four pillows and three quilts. I suppose this is a way of me dreaming of running away from my troubles to an area where no-one can hurt me and again making myself extremely warm and comfortable. This again might be a bit weird in some peoples eyes but it helps me to get to sleep. It certainly beats counting sheep.

Sleep itself has many benefits. People who often find themselves in a depressed state, which is what I have been in the past, can find that a good nights sleep can have a very positive affect on their overall state of mind. This could be because it helps people to think in a clearer and more positive way. The sleep helps bring more life and energy into people helping them to start fighting their problems and challenges.

Sleep can also help people who are often stressed. This is very much for the same reasons as above. What people may of course say is that they actually find it hard to sleep when they are stressed or depressed. This is very understandable and the example above where I have described how I manage to get myself to sleep in this situation, may hopefully be of use to people. Other methods would be to think of other ways of trying to switch off the mind from over worrying about things, as an example people can read part or all of a good book before attempting to fall asleep.

From a personal point of view, I have found that even though it is important to sleep for quite a long time (around seven or eight hours per night), that it is also important not to over stay in bed in the morning. I am not sure exactly why this is but I always have a sense of feeling heavier. This leaves me in a negative and lethargic mood all day. This could be just me of course. I basically in general go to bed at around ten at night and wake up at around seven in the morning.

What I enjoy most of all is what happens in my house at around eight o'clock most evenings. This is when my son goes upstairs to bed. He always has around an hour of playing with his toys before he decides he is ready to go to sleep and he likes me to listen to him whilst he is playing. This is fine by me as it allows me to lie in my bed and relax. I do not always fall asleep but it is extremely enjoyable to hear him play while at the same time I am in a way re-charging my batteries.

In conclusion, I would advise people to enjoy the benefits of sleep. Sleep in some peoples eyes is a hassle and they would rather be watching the television or socialising with their friends. As previously stated I treat sleep as a hobby and look forward to going to bed. For people who are prone to depression or who are often stressing about this or that, a good nights sleep could be exactly what you need.