It’s a fact that’s often quoted, but we spend one third of our lives in bed. So if we’re doing that amount of lounging, it’s essential that the surface we’re lying on is both comfortable and supportive – especially for those of us prone to back issues.

Comfort in the bedroom is something that The Sleep Council – an organisation founded to raise awareness of the importance of sleep to our health and wellbeing – will be promoting during National Bed Month this March. “We want to raise awareness of the importance of replacing your bed, ideally every seven years,” says Lisa Artis, The Sleep Council’s sleep guru. “Your current bed might not look worn out, but it won’t offer the same comfort and support as it did originally. Our research shows that sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress can rob you of up to one hour’s sleep per night, so investing in your bed is essential to a restful night.”

If that doesn’t convince most of us to head for the nearest bed shop, perhaps this will: apparently we lose around half a pint of fluid and a pound of dead skin cells in bed each year. This build-up can prove the perfect breeding ground for dust mites – which is bad news for allergy sufferers.

Convinced now? If you’re considering trading in your old bed for a newer model, The Sleep Council recommends buying only from companies that are members of the National Bed Federation – like Hyder – as their products can be “trusted to be safe, clean and meet trading standards requirements”. Hyder beds are manufactured to the highest possible standards and have to undergo rigorous tests before being added to the range; you can find out more here.

In the meantime, if you’d like more information about National Bed Week, including tips on choosing a bed and how to get a better night’s sleep, log on to The Sleep Council’s website at www.sleepcouncil.org.uk