National Bed Month in March is the ideal time to “get it right between the sheets”, according to the Sleep Council (TSC). The quality and duration of our nightly sleep is critical to our wellbeing, but, as a nation, we are sleeping less than ever, with an increasing number of people getting less than six hours a night. According to TSC, this underslept group is also likely to suffer from “slanger, the seething anger that consumes a person when they don’t get enough sleep”.
So this month the sleep specialists are recommending a sleep MOT, starting with a critical look at your ageing mattress and asking questions such as “Is it sagging?” and “Would it be embarrassing if neighbours saw it without its covers?”
Asked whether, at about seven hours a night, they thought I was getting enough, the official response was “Fnarr, fnarr”.
Good Housekeeping’s top tip
We are always looking for ways to make our lives less complicated. These handbag essentials should make things that little bit easier.
There’s nothing more frustrating than losing the house keys or your purse. Tile (£18; thetileapp.com) is a small plastic tag you attach to your essentials. It’s linked to a free phone app; touch “Find” on the app, and, as long as the Tile is within 100ft, it appears on a map on your device’s screen and plays a tune. The location shows on your map even if you are miles away, as long as someone else with the app is near the lost item.
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Pop a Veho Pebble Smartstick Plus Portable Battery (£13; argos.co.uk) in your bag and you’ll never run out of phone power on the move again. The portable charger is compatible with most phones, light-weight (about 85g) and gives enough power to recharge a smartphone from flat, depending on the phone’s battery capacity.
goodhousekeeping.co.uk/institute
Luxe/Less
LUXE
Italian 1950s armchair, reupholstered in a Dedar cotton velvet called Adamo & Eva.
£1,695; charles burnand.com
LESS
Traditional button-back Pimlico armchair, in dark blue velvet.
£429; atkinand thyme.co.uk
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Andrew Ludick jugs
The crafts of Ireland are in London this month. Shoppers at Heal’s will be able to see demonstrations by makers and buy their work. Highlights include these hand-pinched jugs by Andrew Ludick (H25cm , £192). Heal’s Tottenham Court Road, London W1, March 7-27 ; dccoi.ie/designirelandatheals
Grecian cushion
The illustrator and designer Luke Edward Hall has taken the classical Greek key motif, reinterpreted it as colourful paper collage and then turned it into a fabric pattern. Just launched on his website, the 45cm x 45cm cushion will also be available throughout April at his pop-up shop in Pentreath & Hall, London WC1 .£80; lukeedwardhall.com