It’s midnight, you’re lying in bed on your phone, and the knowledge that you need to be up in just six hours offers no help in getting to sleep. For the most part, sleep is something we know we should try and make sure we’re prioritising, yet more often than not, we neglect it. To help boost our sleep, here are five scientifically-backed tricks.

1. Maintain a regular sleep and wake time – even at the weekends

Your body works most efficiently when it has a clear schedule, and going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day tells your internal body clock when it should send off sleep hormones and when you’re most alert. It can be tempting to have a giant sleep-in on Saturday but try not to stay up much more than an extra hour or two than your usual bedtime.

2. Turn off your phone at least an hour before you sleep

Late-night phone scrolling and buzzing can interfere with your production of melatonin, the ‘sleep hormone’, and simply looking at bright screens stimulates the brain – the last thing you want when you’re trying to get ready to sleep. This isn’t about completely ditching technology, it’s all in when you’re looking at screens.

3. Cut your afternoon caffeine intake

Because caffeine has a half life of approximately 5-6 hours, the coffee you drink at 4pm is still having a noticeable effect 5 hours later – the perfect time for it to impact on your ability to get to sleep. This applies to energy drinks used to cram before an exam, too.

4. Expose yourself to morning sunlight

This one seems to simple but getting exposed to sunlight shortly after you wake can help adjust your body clock; making it easier for you to get up in the morning and ensuring you’ll be ready to sleep by the evening. Even eating your breakfast next to the window helps.

5. Designate your bedroom purely for sleep

If you sleep, revise, eat, scroll and consume content in the same room, your brain struggles to know when it’s time to actually wind down. Make your room as cool, dark and quiet as possible where you can – even something as small as setting up your workspace elsewhere is beneficial.