Compiled from the millions of searches made through Google each year, the zeitgeist list – meaning spirit of the times – provides an annual insight into what matters to us most.

And let’s face it; most of us want a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep makes you grumpy, disorientated, more vulnerable to illness and does nothing for your appearance! Who wants that?

Tens of thousands search the internet for help with their sleep. An unlucky few will need expert medical advice to solve the problem but for most people simply following some common sense tips and hints for a good night’s sleep will make all the difference. Try our top sleep tips or watch one of our videos on how to unwind before bed.

So how do you sleep? Have you got any top tips to share with those who struggle to sleep?

Lisa – The Sleep Council

If your sleep is disrupted due to shift work, through a partner’s heavy snoring or you simply cannot fall asleep as well as you would like, then the BBC would love to hear from you.

It needs people whose lack of a good night’s sleep is significantly affecting their lives, and their family’s lives, and who would be willing to follow expert advice to finally put an end to the sleepless nights. These people could be suffering from a selection of sleep disorders ranging from insomnia and snoring to sleepwalking, circadian rhythm disorder and night time eating syndrome. Each of the participants will receive a bespoke treatment, in their own homes, from a team of experts and hopefully start achieving the high quality sleep they’ve been craving.

If you would be willing to follow expert advice to tackle sleepless nights please email your contact details and a description of your sleep disorder to sleep@walltowall.co.uk and a member of the production team will be in touch.

Lisa – The Sleep Council

Bedtime should be a blissful part of any Valentine’s day — the point at which you close the door on the world, cosy up together in bed in a welcome moment of intimacy, then drift off into a solid night’s sleep.

So on that note, I wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day – enjoy!

Lisa – The Sleep Council

Reading the news it seems that more and more couples are sleeping separately with reports that sleeping together may actually be bad for your health. Disruptedsleep can leave many couples short tempered with each other leading to rows and squabbles.

Sleep specialist Dr. Neil Stanley said couples believe they sleep better with their partner, however evidence has proved that couples suffer 50 per cent more sleep disturbances if they share a bed.

It was 10 years ago that we started noticing a problem with couples sharing a bed. A study we did found that almost half of the respondents complained of being awakened up to six times a night. While almost half (46%) fell asleep again within five minutes, others found it impossible to drop off again for an hour or more. The major complaints were against those who snored, hogged the bed clothes and tossed and turned.

A further survey we did in 2008 also highlighted the issue, finding that a quarter of British couples admitted to sleeping separately on a regular basis. It seemed that busy night time routines were driving couples’ bedtimes and even their bedrooms apart and nine per cent of those questioned admitted to always sleeping separately from their partner.

According to the National Sleep Foundation in the U.S, couples sleeping separately jumped from 12 per cent in 2001 to 23 per cent in 2005. The National Association of Home Builders (US) say they’ve seen an increase in requests for “two-master bedroom” homes and predict that by 2015, 60 per cent of all custom upscale homes will be built with two “owner suites.”

In our culture sleeping apart implies that there is trouble in paradise. But in reality, if your sleep habits don’t synchronise then it’s much better, for your relationship, to sleep apart. For most couples who sleep apart, it’s a practical decision and you can still have all those intimate moments of sharing a bed when you fancy it, before departing to your very own space to sleep!

So, if you want this Valentine’s to go down well, it may be that your relationship doesn’t need a fancy meal out or a nice little bit of bling, but in fact a trip down to your local bed shop!

Personally I enjoy having another bod in bed with me and the pillow talk we share at this time. Luckily I still manage to get a good night’s sleep. I’m not sure I would feel the same if I tossed and turned all night. But do you suffer? Do you think sleeping apart is good for your relationship? Or do you prefer to sleep with your partner?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Lisa – The Sleep Council

It’s one of the most searched for terms on the internet. And it’s a question that most people ask at some point in their lives.

How To Sleep is, according to the latest Google zeitgeist list, the sixth most commonly asked ‘How To’ question.

Compiled from the millions of searches made through Google each year, the zeitgeist list – meaning spirit of the times – provides an annual insight into what matters to us most.

Tens of thousands of those searching the internet for help with their sleep find their way each month to the UKs number one source of free help and advice on sleep at www.sleepcouncil.org.uk

Established nearly 17 years ago, The Sleep Council offers a wealth of information about how to get a good night’s sleep with common sense tips and advice.

Said spokesperson Jessica Alexander: “Sleep affects us all and lack of it is one of the most common health issues of our times. An unlucky few will need expert medical advice to solve the problem but for most people, simply following our common sense tips and hints for a good night’s sleep will make all the difference.”

These are The Sleep Council’s top 10 tips for a great night’s sleep:

1. Keep regular hours. Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time, all the time, will programme your body to sleep better. Choose a time when you are most likely to feel sleepy.

2. Create a restful sleeping environment. Your bedroom should be kept for rest and sleep and it should be neither too hot, nor too cold; and as quiet and dark as possible.

3. Make sure your bed is comfortable. It’s difficult to get deep, restful sleep on one that’s too soft, too hard, too small or too old.

4. Take more exercise. Regular, moderate exercise such as swimming or walking can help relieve the day’s stresses and strains. But not too close too bedtime or it may keep you awake!

5. Cut down on stimulants such as caffeine in tea or coffee – especially in the evening. They interfere with falling asleep and prevent deep sleep. Have a hot milky drink or herbal tea instead.

6. Don’t over-indulge. Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, just before bedtime, can play havoc with sleep patterns. Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but will interrupt your sleep later on in the night.

7. Don’t smoke. Yes, it’s bad for sleep, too: smokers take longer to fall asleep, wake more often and often experience more sleep disruption.

8. Try to relax before going to bed. Have a warm bath, listen to some quiet music, do some yoga – all help to relax both the mind and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a helpful relaxation tape, too.

9. Deal with worries or a heavy workload by making lists of things to be tackled the next day.

10. If you can’t sleep, don’t lie there worrying about it. Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again – then go back to bed.

If you would like a high res version of the image used in this post please click here.

1. Use a washable cover to protect the mattress (and pillows) from stains. Barrier fabrics for allergy sufferers are also available.

Leave the bed to air

2. In the mornings, throw back the bed clothes and leave the bed to air for 20 minutes to allow body moisture to evaporate.

3. Unless otherwise advised by the manufacturer, turning your mattress over from side and side and end to end ever three or four months (every week for the first three months) helps upholstery fillings to settle down more evenly. Some more luxurious mattresses, with much thicker layers of fillings designed to mould themselves to the contours of your body, may retain signs of these impressions, despite turning. Non-turn mattresses still need to be rotated regularly.

Beds are NOT for jumping on!

4. Don’t make a habit of sitting on the edge of the bed and don’t let the kids bounce on it.

5. Don’t roll up or squash a mattress to store or transport it – this can cause permanent damage.

6. Handles are designed to help you position a mattress on its base – do not use them to support the full weight of the mattress on their own – they may pull out.

7. Don’t leave any polythene wrappings on a new mattress – dampness, mildew and rotting could all result from a build-up of condensation.

8. Vacuum your mattress and base from time to time to remove fluff and dust. This should be carefully done with a brush attachment so as not to dislodge fillings or damage tufts. Open windows while vacuuming – especially if there is an asthma sufferer in the house.

9. When tackling stains, use mild detergent and warm or cold water. Never over soak a mattress or base.

10. Don’t put a new mattress on a base for which it was not intended, a new mattress on an old base or a board between the mattress and base can impede comfort and reduce the useful life of the mattress – as well as affecting any guarantees or warranties.

Out with the Old
Once you’ve bought yourself a new bed, make arrangements to have the old one properly disposed of (increasingly recycling options are becoming available). Don’t give it to the children, relatives, guests or neighbours. If it wasn’t good enough for you, it’s not good enough for anyone else, either. In fact, it’s a veritable health hazard – get rid of it!

If you have any other tips for us on caring for beds, we would love to hear them!

Lisa – The Sleep Council

1. They choose a bed that’s too hard or too soft for their needs.
Solution: People need to spend more time making the right choice of bed – trying them out properly in store; assessing from previous experience the level of firmness/softness they like. It’s your decision – not the salesman’s!

2. They don’t understand that luxury, pocket spring beds don’t have flat surfaces – they mould themselves to the body shape and the indentation remains even if you turn the bed regularly (which is very important with this type of bed).

3. They think they need a firm bed – because they’re suffering from aches and pains – when in fact what they need is a new bed which offers the right support for their spine (not necessarily hard at all!).

If you have any comments, we would love to hear them.

Lisa – The Sleep Council

And according to The Sleep Council, bargain hunters could bag themselves more than just a cut-price bed: they could get a whole new lease of life.

“Research has proved* that buying a new bed can lead to a real improvement in sleep – and if you sleep better you feel much better,” says Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council.

With many top brands on offer for less than half price in the January sales bonanza, savvy shoppers are being advised to:

- Spend as much as you can afford. Instead of buying the bed you might have chosen during a non-sale period more cheaply, take the opportunity to trade up to a more luxurious model.

- Buy as big a bed as you can: a roomy king-sized bed will ensure less partner disturbance during the night than a standard double (at just 4’6” wide it only offers each adult the same space as a child’s cot!). So take advantage of the low prices to trade up a size.

- Avoid the ‘Seven Year Hitch’ – the point at which existing beds may still look good but are beginning to offer less support than a new one. Seize the sales opportunity to invest in a better night’s sleep if your bed is seven years old or more.

- Only buy a drawer divan if you really need extra storage space: four drawers can account for well over £100 of the purchase price – money better invested in a good quality mattress. The same applies to other features – only go for them if they offer real benefits.

- Make shopping for a new bed a special trip – you’ll choose more wisely if you are not in a rush, tired or harassed.

- Dress sensibly and comfortably so you can lie down properly on a selection of beds in your normal sleeping position without feeling embarrassed.

- Once you’ve narrowed your choice down to between one and three beds, spend a good five to 10 minutes or more lying down on each one.

- If the bed is for two, you should try it out together.

- Remember that every £100 invested in a new bed costs less than four pence a night over seven years.

Said Jessica: “New Year’s resolutions are generally about ensuring better wellbeing through diets and fitness. It should also be a time to focus on better sleep which makes us all feel so much better and able to cope with life more effectively.”

*A ground-breaking new study by Dr Chris Idzikowski of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service (SAAS) in 1998 showed that you may get a better night’s sleep by buying a new bed rather than popping a sleeping pill. It found that when replacing an uncomfortable bed, a new bed was associated with an increase of 42 minutes sleep.

*Proof that mattresses could offer significantly less support and comfort than a new one after as little as six years were confirmed in the results of a scientific mattress ‘autopsy’ conducted for The Sleep Council and published by FIRA – the UK’s leading furniture testing and research centre – earlier this year.

• The world’s sleepiest animals are said to be sloths, armadillo’s and opossums. They spend 80 per cent of their lives sleeping or dozing. But the Koala is the most sleepy, knocking up 22 hours a night!

• In 1987, the US Federal Highway Administration agreed to allow waterbeds to be fitted into the cabs of long distance trucks: drivers said the waterbeds smoothed out the bumps while they slept on the move (presumably while a colleague drives!).

• Sister Sharon Stringer and nurse Michelle Benkel from the Royal Masonic Hospital, London, hold the current pairs record for making a bed with an uncased pillow, one counterpane and ‘hospital’ corners, in just 14 seconds.

• An elderly couple holidaying in the Emerald Isle told The Sleep Council they booked into a remote farmhouse expecting an idyllic stay. But when they pulled their suitcase from under the bed the following morning, two legs appeared. Shocked, they told the landlady who admitted a man had died in the bed and had been put underneath it until they had time to move the corpse!

• Back in 1998 Vicar Brian Rawson told the Sunderland Echo that he delivered his church sermons from a bar stool because he suffers from narcolepsy, a rare sleep disorder which means he could drop off at any second. The vicar said that sitting helps him stay awake.

• According to the Encyclopedia of Superstition, if three people take part in the making-up of a bed, there is sure to be a death in the house within a year.

• The record distance for bed pushing is 5,204km (9,233 miles!). The record was set by nine employees of the Bruntsfield Bedding Centre, Edinburgh who pushed a wheeled hospital bed in an effort that lasted from 21st to 26th June 1979.

Do you have any good stories to share with us?
We look forward to hearing from you!

Lisa – The Sleep Council