Dull reading for good sleeping
                     by Leon Altman

Reading is one of the better natural sleep aids. Of course, it all depends on what you read and when you read it. To be a good sleep aid, reading material must be a bit dull, but not too dull or something you have absolutely no interest in. The trick is to have enough interest so you want to keep reading, but soon you find yourself reading the same sentence over and over again.

That's the sign that your book or article is doing its job. Now what's considered good reading for sleep is a highly individual matter. And it has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. Some of the best works in English literature can make excellent sleeping material (we'll get to that in a moment).

Beware of page-turners
First, a word on timing. An exciting page turner, like a Stephen King or james patterson novel may be a good way to get your mind off the day, and away from the television, but I would strongly advise you to stop reading such books an hour before you go to sleep. At that point, I'd advise turning to duller reading for sleep.

(Of course not all mystery/thriller authors have that page-turning quality. If you find one you like whose books are also slow-going you might want to add that author to your “reading for sleeping” list.)

No work-related or hobby-related reading
Another no-no is reading about a skill you are learning, or a work-related subject. For instance, let's say you're trying to fix your golf slice, and you're reading the latest tips. Stop at least an hour before bedtime. Even if you're not consciously thinking about your golf swing as you go to sleep, your subconscious may be mulling over the different techniques you've just read about.

Classic sleep inducers
So what makes good reading for sleeping. This will get a bit controversial. So let me again say: sometimes it is classic literature. The language is more convoluted or verbose than the modern ear and attention span is attuned to. Late at night, this kind of language can have a nice sleep-inducing effect.

But there is another reason why the classics or high quality articles can make good reading for sleeping. Even if you can't get through more than 2 pages, there is a feeling that you are doing something good and enriching for yourself. You're reading a classic novel, not a piece of fluff; or you're attempting to read an article about, let's say socioeconomic conditions in developing countries. That feeling of doing something worthy can take away the feeling that you are up in the middle of the night wasting time.

So what is some good “dull” reading. Again this is highly subjective. I found that Joseph Conrad can work very well (maybe more for men than women). You may have had to read his novel Lord Jim when you were in school. It's actually a good adventure yarn, but the language is more langorous and baroque than we are accustomed to. In other words, perfect for our purposes.

George Eliot, one of the greatest classic novelists, exemplifies a kind of writing that offers good soporific reward. Many of her sentences can be long, convoluted to the modern ear, and can take a bit of figuring out, but in the end they are satisfying because of the quality of the insight. This kind of writing can be very useful because you are motivated to pay attention and read the sentence…but late at night, the long and winding sentences can get you nodding off pretty quickly. Middlemarch, in particular, is an example of a great classic, full of wonderful, sleep-inducing sentences.

I've heard reports that people who worked their way through Anna Karenina, felt they got a lot out of it, and along the way, got many good nights of sleep. If Anthony Trollop works for you, you're in luck, because he offers thousands of pages to help you get to sleep.

Of course, a good deal of modern fiction can also be great to add to your sleep inducing reading list, though these books are often lacking in a couple of benefits you get from the classics: 1) the feeling that you are doing something worthwhile: experiencing a book that experts consider to be very valuable. 2) the sentences are much shorter and usually without the kind of insight you gain from the classics.

As for magazines, the New Yorker, one of the very best, remains a good standby for sleep. Look for long articles on subjects you are vaguely interested in. Years ago, when many of its articles reached novella-like lengths, it was even better for sleeping.

A note about reading for sleep induction and sleep maintenance (industry lingo for getting to sleep and staying asleep). Reading is great for both. In fact, it may even be better for those times when you get up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. Far better to get out of bed, go to another room and try to read one of the books you have on hand for just such purposes than lying in bed, trying to get back to sleep.

You should certainly develop your own list of books and articles you can turn to help you fall asleep. But again, be careful. Nothing too interesting or too stimulating