Not only is it frustrating at the time, but it also has the potential to ruin the entire next day. Lack of sleep means you won't be functioning properly. Add to that irritability and a headache and you find yourself in a miserable situation.

Although changing your diet won't be a magical cure for difficulty sleeping, there are certain foods that can help aid a good night's rest.

Altering your diet should come into effect in the afternoon and early evening. Remember to steer clear of caffeine once you've had your lunchtime coffee as it can linger in your system for hours after you've consumed your drink. Here are some other foods which should help your slumber.

1. Bananas. These yellow sleep saviours are rich in potassium and B6, which is vital to make melatonin - the chemical that helps control our body's internal clock.

2. Cherries are another great fruit to help you sleep better as they are one of the few natural foods to contain melatonin, so some cherry juice before bed could help you sleep more soundly.

3. Chickpeas, like bananas, boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin. Add some humus to your evening meal with vegetable sticks to get in one of your five-a-day.

4. Fortified cereals are also rich in vitamin B6.

5. Fresh herbs can have a calming effect on the body. Sage and basil are especially good as they contain chemicals that reduce tension. Try to incorporate these herbs into your dinner but try to avoid red and black pepper at night as they may keep you up.

6. Including high-glycemic-index (GI) jasmine rice with your evening meal has been shown to increase the ratio of sleep-inducing tryptophan relative to other amino acids in the blood, which allows more to get to the brain, making it easy for you to nod off.

7. Lean protein is the super food of aiding a good night's sleep as it contains amino acid tryptophan, which increases serotonin levels that play a key role in regulating sleep. Lean protein is found in foods such as beans, fish, greens and eggs. Consuming tryptophan late in the day will release melatonin and serotonin for good sleep. It speeds up the onset of sleep, decreases the level of spontaneous awakenings and helps to increase the amount of refreshing sleep that you get.

8. Passionfruit tea was recently found by an Australian study to help you sleep more soundly when consumed an hour before going to bed. Researchers believe that Harman alkaloids - chemicals found in high levels in the flower - act on your nervous system to make you tired.

9. Unsaturated fats, found in nuts, improve heart health and serotonin levels. Snack on nuts such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and pistachios. Don't over indulge though, a handful is enough.

10. Calcium. It's not just an old wives' tale that drinking milk before you go to bed can make you sleepy. In fact any dairy product can help aid a restful night's sleep. As well as dairy products calcium can be found in leafy green vegetable such as kale, spinach and broccoli, so stock up on these at dinner.