If you are one of those people who seem to lay awake all night, trying harder and harder to get to sleep but not quite making it then help is at hand.
Follow these simple tips on how to fall asleep fast and see what works best for you.
1.
Unwind before going to sleep One of the reasons we find it hard getting to sleep is that we treat sleeping like a switch.
The trouble is that our mind doesn't work that way.
It can't stop working on a dime.
It takes time for it to slow down.
So allow yourself time to slow down and unwind before going to bed.
An hour or so of low key activity, away from your computer screen or "heavy" viewing like the television news will help you to do this.
2.
Keep to regular times We're creatures of habit.
If you go to bed at ten o'clock one night, midnight another night and the early hours of the morning another night, your body will get confused and won't know whether it's supposed to be sleeping or not.
Keeping a reasonably regular bedtime schedule will help your body to adjust and it will begin to instinctively know that it's time for you to get your nightly rest and recuperation.
3.
Blackness is best You're hopefully too old to need a light on at night to keep the monsters away.
So aim for a totally darkened room.
That includes the display on your alarm clock, the standby light on your television, the light the creeps through an open bedroom door, anything that interrupts the pattern of darkness.
If you can upgrade your curtains so that they're the blackout versions, even better.
But aim for the easy stuff first - you'll find it helps you get to sleep as otherwise the light from even small devices disrupts your sleep patterns.
4.
Watch the temperature Generally speaking, a cooler room is better for a decent nights sleep.
This can be awkward, especially at the change of seasons where the outside temperature can shoot all over the place.
Pay attention to the temperature in your bedroom and the layers of duvets that you use.
If they're too warm than that can wreak havoc with your sleep patterns and make it more difficult to get to sleep fast.
5.
Cut down on the caffeine and alcohol Caffeine is great (in moderation of course!) as a pick me up during the day but that same caffeine buzz will disrupt your ability to get to sleep at night.
The same logic goes for alcohol - it disrupts your sleep pattern and even if you drink so much that you just fall asleep that's not a good thing to do for your body's sake.
6.
Take a nice, long, bath This is really just another relaxation method but it's one that doesn't normally involve you tapping away at a computer keyboard or watching the TV news.
So it's a good way to help you to relax before hitting the sack.