counted sheep
Tried to sleep
Counted sheep is the past tense of count sheep, the traditional remedy for sleeplessness: imagining sheep jumping over a fence one by one.
The monotony supposedly lulls the mind toward sleep.
I counted sheep for an hour but still couldn't drift off.
Whether it actually works is doubtful, but the image persists as shorthand for trying to fall asleep.
- visualizingForming mental images
- mental imageryPictures formed in mind
- insomniaPersistent inability to rest
- tossing and turningInability to sleep peacefully
- flockAnimals gathered together
can't sleep · restless night · ram · ewe · mindscape · bedtime rituals · sleep aid · guided imagery · lamb · pastoral scenes · rolling hills · imagining · fluffy clouds · animal symbolism · fences · relaxation · dreaming · nodding off
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