Nobody wishes to spend the night tossing and turning, periodically checking the clock whilst desperately hoping to fall back to sleep. The frustration of sleeplessness can be almost unbearable but is there anything we can do to encourage better sleep? Naturally a comfortable bed is essential for a good night. It sounds obvious but too many people suffer back stressing dips in old mattresses and the discomfort of bed-springs that have lost their bounce. The Sleep Council is on record claiming that a good quality mattress and bed frame can give you an extra hour’s sleep every night, so it can be well worth the investment.

Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to pre-sleep rituals as everyone is different, so you have to know what works for yourself. Therefore bedtime rituals are uniquely personal, however there are several routines and habits that countless people believe will improve a night's sleep. Here are PJ Pan's top tips for a restful night:

Stick to a sleep schedule

Your body will get to know your routine. If you can head to bed and get up at around the same time each day your whole system will settle into a pattern of unwinding and waking at the right time.

Chuck out the bedroom television

OK, no need to throw it out completely, but get rid of it from the bedroom. Television is not conducive to sleep. Some people end up becoming addicted to television in the bedroom and will 'sleep' with it turned on all night long. The trouble is that this results in disturbed sleep and rarely, if ever, will you wake feeling fully revitalised if the goggle-box has been broadcasting mediocre repeats throughout the night.

Open the window

Fresh air is great for sleep and those who live in the countryside or near the sea are particularly lucky.

The luxury of a candle

A delicate and soothing scented candle will envelop your bedroom in with a calming aroma and after a few minutes can have an almost hypnotic relaxing effect on you

A bath before bedtime

Have a soak in a relaxing warm bath. This will help your body reach a temperature that's ideal for sleep. Perhaps infuse your bath with oils that include the sleep inducing properties of Camomile, Lavender or Vetivert.

Warm milk in your pyjamas

An old wives' tale? Not quite. Milk contains ta specific amino acid that is known to cause sleepiness. Apparently turkey meat contains the same acid, but we're not suggesting you gnaw on a leg of roast turkey in the moments before bed!

Light Yoga

Gentle stretching can help to relax the muscles but be careful not to over exercise too enthusiastically or it will have the opposite effect.

The best nightwear

Whether you prefer pyjamas, nightshirts or bed shorts you need to feel comfortable. Clearly we can help you here and our luxuriously soft cottons will help to keep you incredibly comfortable and at exactly the right temperature, right through the night.

A five minute massage

If you have a partner make a massage pact and give each other a gentle back rub.

These are just a few ideas and we'd love to hear from you about any tips or rituals you have at enquiries@pjpan.co.uk of via Twitter @pjpan_nightwear

A candle scented with Lavender, Vertivert or Chamomile can induce sleepiness