Secrets of a perfect sleep: From precise times and nightwear

Having read a few pages of a book, a room temperature of 60F and two pillows can help to ensure you are fully refreshed in the morning. 

A darkened room and clean sheets will also help to achieve the gold standard of eight hours shut-eye a night, a survey found. 

Phones should be put away at least 37 minutes before bed. 

But almost a third of 2,000 adults quizzed said they checked them fewer than 10 minutes before trying to drop off. 

Four in 10 said they slept better solo, with three in 10 saying their partner’s incessant snoring kept them awake at night. 

Women were more likely to turf out their other half to improve sleep quality. 

Half of respondents said they were more irritable after a bad night, with one in five saying he or she was more likely to eat junk food and nod off during the day.

One in three said he or she read a book before bed to help him or her fall asleep, while four in 10 need the room to be completely dark and a quarter need total quiet to drift off. 

Most of those polled slept on their right side and most lived up to the national stereotype by hitting the hay in pyjamas, with fewer than a quarter going to bed naked. 

But while one in five thought getting intimate with a partner guaranteed a good night’s rest, many blamed their lack of slumber on the bedroom being too hot. 

Jas Bagniewski, of mattress retailer Eve Sleep, which commissioned the poll, said: “As a nation we are wise to the basics, like getting a solid eight hours. It still seems that we have some way to go towards putting this knowledge into practice, though. A massive 50 per cent don’t sleep well because they are too hot – and the good news is that really is easy to fix. 

“A breathable mattress can make a significant difference. Couple that with bedding made of a breathable fabric like linen, which allows for good airflow and absorbs moisture, and you should see a very fast improvement.”