Having trouble sleeping? You're not the only one.
A previous study revealed the majority of Brits find nodding off at night difficult, with women needing at least at 15 days more sleep each year and men needing 10 more days each year than they are currently getting.
But all that could change thanks to one little spray.
Scientists in America have created Sprayable Sleep - a melatonin-based spray that is designed to help us get the shut-eye we need at bedtime.
Melatonin is a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. It encourages sleep, which is why it often appears in medication for insomnia.
But unlike traditional sleeping tablets, Sprayable Sleep is designed to allow the body to absorb melatonin gradually over time once the spray has been applied to the skin.
The product's designers say this will mimic our body's natural melatonin production.
The company behind Sprayable Sleep plan to sell the product online in the near future, but if you can't wait until then, why not try out some of the foods to help you sleep from the slideshow below.
6 Foods That Help You Sleep
Oatmeal with milk and honey(01 of06)
Open Image ModalWhen To Eat: 90 minutes before bedtime
How Much: 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon honey
Heart-healthy oatmeal may already be your breakfast of choice, but it might be time to flip flop your routine. Oats are one of the few foods that contain melatonin, a.k.a. the “Dracula of hormones,” which helps you fall asleep each night by relaxing the body after the sun sets. Melatonin production decreases as we age, which is why more seniors suffer from insomnia and why it’s important to combat sleeplessness by eating melatonin-rich foods.
Add some warm milk, which contains melatonin and tryptophan – the amino acid found in turkey that makes us sleepy – and stir in a teaspoon of honey, which is a natural relaxant – and you’ve got a perfectly healthful bedtime treat to help lull you off to dreamland. (credit:NatashaBreen via Getty Images)
Banana with almonds(02 of06)
Open Image ModalWhen To Eat: 90 minutes before bedtime
How Much: 1/2 medium banana and 23 almonds (approx. 1 ounce)
Chock full of potassium, which stimulates slow-wave sleep (a.k.a. deep sleep) according to new research, and sleep-inducing magnesium, bananas are the veritable superstars of sleep! Couple them with almonds also loaded with magnesium and tryptophan, and you’ve got a delicious snack that will help you get to sleep and stay asleep. (credit:Tastyart Ltd Rob White via Getty Images)
Tart cherry juice(03 of06)
Open Image ModalWhen To Drink: One glass in the morning and one glass two hours before bed
How Much: 8 ounces
Similar to oats, sour cherries contain the highest amount of naturally-occurring melatonin compared to any other food. In fact, research from the Journal of Medicinal Food shows that drinking a glass of tart cherry juice before bed can combat age-related insomnia by helping your body drift off to sleep. (credit:Shaiith via Getty Images)
Rice and beans(04 of06)
Open Image ModalWhen To Eat: With dinner or at least 4 hours before bedtime
How Much: 1/2 cup cooked rice and 1/2 cup cooked beans
Legumes, like cow peas and lentils, are rich in magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and B vitamins, all of which help regulate your circadian rhythm. Adding a high glycemic carbohydrate, like Jasmine rice, will help you fall asleep faster thanks to a sugar spike and subsequent fall. In other words, the rice will help you hit the hay, and the legumes will keep you asleep throughout the night (credit:John Rodriguez via Getty Images)
Cheese and crackers(05 of06)
Open Image ModalSweet potato with dark, leafy greens(06 of06)
Open Image ModalWhen To Eat: At least 90 minutes before bed
How Much: 1 medium sweet potato and 1/2 cup cooked greens
When sweet potatoes and dark, leafy greens – like Swiss chard and spinach – combine, they create a potassium powerhouse that will help your body get that super restorative deep sleep it needs to stay active during the day. (credit:jo.schz/Flickr)