The short answer
Fix the timing before the tricks: same wake time daily, no caffeine after midday, a cool dark room at 17–19°C, and get out of bed if you are awake more than 20 minutes. Sleep latency usually drops within a week.
Falling asleep is a consequence of sleep pressure and a stable body clock. You cannot force it, but you can set it up.
Step by step
- Pick one wake time and hold it seven days a week, including weekends.
- Cut caffeine after midday — it has a 5–6 hour half-life.
- Dim lights and screens for the last hour; bright light delays melatonin.
- Cool the bedroom to 17–19°C and block light and noise.
- Do the same 15-minute wind-down every night so it becomes a cue.
- If you are still awake after ~20 minutes, get up, sit in dim light and read until sleepy.
- Keep naps under 30 minutes and before 3pm.
Common questions
Does melatonin help?
For jet lag and shifted body clocks, yes at low doses (0.5–1 mg) a few hours before bed. It is not a sedative.
Is alcohol relaxing?
It shortens sleep latency but fragments the second half of the night. Net loss.
When should I see a doctor?
Loud snoring with pauses, daytime sleepiness despite enough hours, or insomnia lasting over three months.