Most Americans sleep just six hours and 40 minutes a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2008 Sleep in American poll. Yet, the average workday is nearly 9.5 hours long.

Aside from long workdays, long commutes and also bringing work home (58 percent of Americans bring work home with them to finish at night, according to NSF) are clearly interfering with American's sleep time.

It takes the average person about 15 minutes to fall asleep once they're in bed, yet about 30-40 percent of adults say they have some symptoms of insomnia that can keep them up for much longer.

And let's face it: sleep time is scarce as it is. And what you really need is to fall asleep, fast.

Whether you often have trouble falling asleep, or you want to make your bedtime routine easier, these tips will help you to fall asleep as soon as your head hits your pillow.

1. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a bath before bed, brush your teeth, get into your PJs and turn on some soothing music that will let your mind know it's time for slumber.

2. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning.

3. Exercise, ideally everyday. This positive stress will tire out your body in a good way -- just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime (within three hours), as it could keep you up.

4. Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark -- and use it only for sleep (not watching TV, surfing the Web, chatting on the phone or playing video games).

5. Drink a cup of relaxing tea, like chamomile.

6. Massage your feet, especially with warm oil, right before bed -- it's very relaxing.

7. Stretch a bit before you lie down. You can literally stretch out some of the "kinks" and tension of the day.

8. Once you are in bed, listen to a relaxation CDto help you "shift gears" and relax into sleep.

9. Stop working well before bedtime. This gives your mind a chance to settle down before sleep.

10. Don't drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages near your bedtime.

11. Reduce stress in your life.

12. Make your room "sleepable." A very dark, cool room is best for sleep. You should also consider upgrading your mattress so that you feel completely comfortable and relaxed.

13. Grab a snack. Eating a heavy meal right before bed can keep you awake, but so can feeling hungry. A light snack, such as peanut butter on whole-grain crackers, can help you to get a good night's sleep.

14. Wear earplugs or an eye mask. If you can hear noisy traffic or see lights from outside, earplugs and an eye mask can give you the silence and the darkness that are ideal for sleep.

15. Make love. Sexual activity helps to relax your body!

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