IT'S 3am. You're looking at the clock. You have to go to work in a few hours, but you haven't slept a wink.

For many of this scenario won't sound unfamiliar.

We all know that a good night's sleep is beneficial but a chronic lack of sleep could lead to serious health concerns later in life.

Here are some top tips for a speedy trip to the Land of Nod.

Set a bedtime

Get into a routine by going to bed early and getting up early. Try not to go to bed before you feel tired, otherwise you could spend hours tossing and turning before you finally drift off. Long lie-ins on a weekend, to compensate for missed sleep during the week, is not conducive to healthy sleep patterns.

Stay off the coffee and wine

Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. It can take up to six hours for caffeine levels in your body to drop to half the dose you originally took, leaving us anxious and delaying sleep. Likewise with alcohol, though it may help you drift off more easily as it is a depressant, it will leave you dehydrated and therefore affect the quality of your sleep.

Avoid technology

Turn off your TV and put down your phones, tablets or computers an hour before going to bed. This may seem an impossibility for many of us, but the short wave length of blue light has been shown to alter the restfulness of our sleep. If you cannot turn your device off completely, turn down the brightness and consider a blue light filter.

Improve your sleeping environment by investing in thick curtains or blackout blinds, and consider changing your mattress if you have had it longer than 10 years.

Go herbal

Essential oils such as lavender and marjoram can help you to feel more relaxed and therefore more sleepy. Try putting a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow or drink a chamomile tea before bed.

Relax

This is often easier said than done. However by taking just half an hour to do some stretches, have a bath, read a book, or have a go at a mindfulness colouring book, you will be much more inclined to fall asleep quickly.

And if all that fails try this...