DR. WALLACE: I'm having trouble falling asleep lately, and I've tried most of the usual recommended remedies like keeping my room dark, not exercising within an hour or two of bedtime and even trying to go to bed at the exact same time every night.

But nothing has worked for me so far! Is there anything else you might recommend that could help me? — Sleepless Near Seattle, via email

SLEEPLESS NEAR SEATTLE: In this fast-paced day and age, we all seem to struggle to get enough sleep, so I can appreciate how frustrating it can be to actually have trouble falling asleep when the time comes to rest.

And indeed, I have an idea for you to consider. It's called "progressive muscle relaxation." Many people find it to be great for relaxing to enable sleep and also quite useful during the daytime to reduce stress and help an individual to find valuable moments of calmness during a busy day.

Our friends at Healthline.com have suggestions designed to help you get started on your own personal plan to achieve relaxation and even a better night's sleep. Pick and choose from this list and try different combinations to see what works best for your body:

No. 1: Start by lying or sitting down. Relax your entire body. Take five deep, slow breaths.

No. 2: Lift your toes upward. Hold, then let go. Pull your toes downward. Hold, then let go.

No. 3: Next, tense your calf muscles, then let go.

No. 4: Move your knees toward each other. Hold, then let go.

No. 5: Squeeze your thigh muscles. Hold, then let go.

No. 6: Clench your hands. Pause, then let go.

No. 7: Tense your arms. Hold, then let go.

No. 8: Squeeze your buttocks. Pause, then let go.

No. 9: Contract your abdominal muscles. Pause, then let go.

No. 10: Inhale and tighten your chest. Hold, then exhale and let go.

No. 11: Raise your shoulders to your ears. Pause, then let go.

No. 12: Purse your lips together. Hold, then release.

No. 13: Open your mouth wide. Hold, then let go.

No. 14: Close your eyes tightly. Pause, then release.

No. 15: Lift your eyebrows. Hold, then release.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY PHYSICAL EDUCATION GRADE

DR. WALLACE: I'm a freshman in high school and let's just say that I'm out of shape. One of my classes at my school is physical education, and I can already tell that I can't keep up with most of the other students when we do certain things like running around the track.

I'm worried that I'll now get a bad or failing grade in this class because I'm limited physically. Is there anything I can do about this? — Not an Athlete, via email

NOT AN ATHLETE: As long as you show up for class on time, do your best and follow all the class instructions, you should not be penalized for not being a great runner or overall athlete.

In some states and school districts, the P.E. classes are graded on a "pass/fail" basis, so I suggest you start by finding out what type of grading system is in place at your particular school.

If your school does have letter grades, then request a meeting with your instructor to explain that you are doing your very best physically to the best of your ability. Also, ask if there are any other criteria that are being used toward grades so that you can be aware of them right away. Finally, it also never hurts to ask if you can do anything to earn extra credit as well.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Nathan McBride at Unsplash