Sometimes, falling asleep isn't the problem - but staying in that dreamy deep slumber is a different matter.

According to a new survey by bed company Dreams, 56% of women and 49% of men are bad sleepers.

Thankfully, there are ways to limit broken nights, and prise open the gates to the land of nod again...

PET PEEVES

Dreams reveals 58 per cent of us are woken by pets sleeping in the bedroom. As hard as it might be to give up that living hot water bottle, try and train cats and dogs to sleep in another room, establishing your bedroom as strictly off-limits.

SNORE THING

As many as one in four people in England snore regularly, say Dreams, with men twice as likely to be culprits. They recommend sleeping on your side, rather than your back, to alleviate gravitational pressure on the airway. Snoring can signal underlying conditions, so consult your GP if it's becoming problematic.

LOSE THE BOOZE

It's estimated that around 7.9 million Brits use alcohol to help them sleep, but it can make the quality of our sleep worse. Dreams recommends "avoiding alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime, to avoid suppressing melatonin (the sleep hormone)."

RELAX

More than 80 per cent of people who have restless leg syndrome (RLS) also experience twitchy legs while asleep, according to the research. If this affects you, massage your legs, or try doing some light stretching or yoga before bed. Take a warm bath, or apply a hot compress to your legs to help relax the muscles.

READDRESS THE STRESS

According to a YouGov poll, one in five people in the UK suffer from anxiety most or all of the time - and the middle of the night is a hard time to banish bad thoughts.

Dreams says: "Resist the urge to keep checking the clock - this will only heighten the anxiety of being awake. Distract your mind with a mug of hot milk or watching traffic outside until drowsy again."