As you age, consistent uninterrupted sleep can be elusive – and that’s a health hazard. Which made this claim from a former combat engineer a must-read.

He wrote on Quora: “I served in the military very early on in my life and we were taught a simple technique that I use to this very day. I can sleep anywhere and at any time of the day or night, regardless of noise or light.

“It involves no medication whatsoever, but it does take practice.

“Lie down or sit back and close your eyes, now inhale as deeply as you can and count as you inhale –most people can get up to five seconds, I’m up to eight. Hold the air in your lungs while you count to five. Now exhale and count again as you’re exhaling.”

Our military man explains that the counting relaxes your mind and takes your thought process away from the stress at hand. The breathing slows your heart rate and calmness spreads throughout your body.

He says when he started using this process daily, he didn’t fall asleep until well after 10 repetitions. “Now? I’m out in three repetitions. It’s really strange how it works because all of a sudden it’s morning, and I can’t remember how I fell asleep.”

Have you tried this technique or will you? Do you have another strategy when sleep is elusive?