Dr Neil Stanley, who has been involved in sleep research for over 42 years, follows a simple yet effective routine of changing into his comfy nightwear and grabbing a book to read in bed. In fact, there many studies which indicate that reading a book in bed can induce a sense of calm which leads to improved sleep quality.

If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, struggling to wake up refreshed, these science-backed strategies can help you reclaim restful sleep.

To mark World Sleep Day, a neurologist shares her advice on how to optimise sleep – along with the habits to ditch immediately