 A Better Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. So many parents tell their kids to count sheep if they can't sleep. Do you ever wonder who came up with that idea and if it even really works? My colleague, Sandy Lamott, looked into this the other day, and as far as she could tell, the advice dates back to at least the 12th century. It was said to be a way for medieval shepherds, devoid of human company for weeks at a time, to fall asleep every night. They just counted their sheep until drowsy. Does it work?