'Unusual but powerful' sleep tip will have you nodding off in minutes

We all know that we should get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, but with one in five of us suffering from a lack of sleep, according to one expert, many of us are willing to try hacks to be able to doze off quicker and stay there all night.

Sleep problems can be caused by all sorts of things, including your environment, life events and your lifestyle choices. If you're worried or not relaxed when you try to go to sleep you could be in for a night of tossing and turning, but there is a cheap and quick hack that can settle your mind and allow you to drift off quicker.

Sleep expert Adeel Ul-Haq, from , has revealed an "unusual yet powerful" trick that can help put your mind at ease at night time.

Adeel said: "There are many sleep aids that you can try, but one you probably haven't tried yet is spraying your favourite perfume on your pyjamas before you go to sleep. You may think this is a waste of money, as some perfumes are expensive, but smells are a powerful aid that can bring on strong memories because of the part of the brain that processes them.

"This is no different from using your perfume in the day to make you feel good about yourself and boost your mood, you can also use it at night time to make you feel better and more relaxed."

You can skip the high-end fragrances for this tip, as Adeel advises: "Don't use your most expensive perfume if you don't want to. All you need is a perfume that will stick around for 20 minutes, by that time the hack should have worked and you should be fast asleep."

He also recommends choosing scents wisely: "Try to avoid perfumes that are energising too, you want perfumes that are relaxing, so think natural smells such as lavender, bergamot, sandalwood and vanilla. However, the real goal here is to relax your mind, so your favourite perfume may differ."

For those struggling with sleep, start your routine an hour before bed, avoiding electronic devices and indulging in a warm bath. When it's time to hit the pillow, Adeel instructs: "Once you have begun to relax and it's time to jump into bed, give yourself three sprays of your favourite perfume, one spray on either side of your neck at the front and one at the back of your neck, creating a halo effect. Don't spray your sheets or pillows, as this can irritate your eyes and face, causing you to be awake all night."

Adeel further suggests that once you're under the covers, find a comfortable position, close your eyes, and systematically relax your body from head to toe, taking deep breaths and letting sleep take over.