1. Simmer bruised cloves in 500 ml (2 cups) milk. Sweeten with honey and drink before you go to bed.

2. Stuff a small cushion with fresh or dried lavender leaves and flowers, and place it near your head at night. You can also sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow.

3. Chew aniseed before bedtime.

4. Stuff a small cushion with fresh pelargonium leaves and sleep on it.

5. Eat an apple before you hit the hay.

6. If you’re thirsty, drink rooibos or camomile tea. They contain no caffeine, which is a stimulant.

7. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your sleep pattern, among other things. Take a supplement 2 hours before bedtime. Your pharmacist will tell you how much you need.

8. The root of the valerian plant (Valeriana officinalis) is a mild tranquiliser that may help you to sleep better. It’s available in capsule form. (Ask your pharmacist.)

9. Just after you wake up every day, spend 10 minutes outdoors. It may help you to become sleepy in the evening, says Professor Andrew Huberman of Stanford University in the US. Morning sun regulates your circadian rhythm – your body’s mechanism to determine when you wake up and fall asleep.

10. Learn a relaxation technique such as meditation. If you don’t know where to start, search for videos on YouTube (or at Hubermanlab.com)

Sources: Hubermanlab.com; Gesonde Raad by Dione Sale, JL van Schaik Publishers