Being sleep deprived is a real drag.  Spending your day tired because you couldn’t get to sleep the night before means you get less done, and the quality of your work suffers.  Adults need around 8 hours sleep per night, but a large proportion of the population gets only 5-6 hours. This not only has a negative effect on the next day, but can also lead to poor health in the long run.

The short term effects of sleep deprivation can lead to loss of focus, lowered coordination, and mood swings, while in the long term, things can be far more dangerous.  Learning and memory problems, high blood pressure, and even stroke have been linked to sleep deprivation.

So what can we do to ensure you get enough sleep, when it can be so hard to simply fall asleep when you go to bed?

Well, luckily there are some steps you can take to get your body and mind ready to fall asleep quickly. The following are 5 scientifically backed tips to help you.

5 Tips to sleep – An infographic by the team at DownDuvet