If counting sheep and listening to whale sounds hasn't done the trick, then maybe it's time to try the 10-3-2-1-0 method of getting to sleep.
If you're someone who finds yourself lying awake at night, unable to stop thinking about how you accidentally said 'you too!' to a restaurant waiter who told you to enjoy your meal, then this might just be the life hack you've been missing.
It comes from Dr Jess Andrade, a paediatric doctor who regularly shares tips and information for her 133,000 followers on Instagram.
Advert
The doctor describes the 10-3-2-1-0 method as 'sleep hygiene basics', though warns it's 'not intended for everyone based on medical history', so you should speak with a doctor before making any radical changes.
According to Dr Andrade, it all starts with 10 hours before you go to bed - that's the '10' part of the method, in case you weren't sure.
The doctor recommends that you should stop drinking caffeine 10 hours before going to bed, explaining: "Caffeinated drinks will clear from the blood stream in around 10 hours and eliminate the stimulatory effects."
So if you're planning to go to bed at 11pm, you need to make sure your last coffee is at 1pm.
Advert
You're good for the next few hours, but Dr Andrade's method continues to count down to bedtime.
When the clock strikes three hours before bed, you need to stop eating and drinking alcohol.
Doing this can help reduce symptoms of reflux, and reduce the chance of alcohol impairing your natural sleep cycle.
An hour later, when you have two waking hours left, you need to put down your pencils and make sure you stop doing any work or homework. You probably won't need too much convincing for that one.
Advert
Dr Andrade explains: "2ish hours before, relax the brain and write down all tasks for the next day and give your brain a mental rest."
This will help your mind wind down before you go to bed, though Dr Andrade says you can only use your phone for one of those hours.
The '1' part of the method relates to your final hour before bed, when you should turn off all of your screens, including phones, TVs and laptops.
Advert
Turning off devices before bed can prevent the blue light from your screens from disrupting your body’s natural sleep cycle.
If you do all that, Dr Andrade says, then you'll achieve the '0' part of the method.
She explains: "Zero is the number of times you'll hit the snooze button in the morning."
Dr Andrade adds under her video that the information is for 'educational purposes only', adding: "Not intended to diagnose or treat any illness. Speak with your doctor with any medical concerns."
Advert
Still, if your only concern is the big circles under your eyes each morning, then the method is definitely worth a go!