How to Sleep (A masterclass from the expert in the science of sleep)

Are you tired today?

Perhaps you tossed and turned trying to drift off. Maybe a regular day ended with the panic that mounts as soon as your head hit the pillow. You might have fallen asleep just fine only to wake, raw-eyed and restless at 4am. Even if you slumbered soundly for a full eight hours, you may still wake wishing a witch would curse you to sleep for a full hundred years.

Whether quantity or quality, troubled sleep is an epidemic. The white noise of Twitter feeds, Netflix's auto play function and work emails pinging on smart phones during the small hours just exacerbate the issue.

Then it's a self-perpetuating cycle. The less you sleep, the more you worry about not being able to sleep, therefore rendering yourself too anxious for sleep. Even the rich, famous and fabulous are not immune, as award-winning actress Kim Cattrall revealed when her insomnia forced her to pull out of starring in a play.

But before you yawn in despair and order a triple espresso, help is at hand.

Enter 'sleep guru' Nick Littlehales, the go-to-guy for world famous athletes whose next win depends on sufficient shut eye. He's coached Premiership footballers, Olympic medalists and the British Cycling team on how to sleep like a champion. As Chairman of UK Sleep Council, with 30 years' experience studying the science behind human sleeping patterns, Littlehales has turned the nebulous nature of snoozing into an actionable set of strategies.

In this morning talk for the How To: Academy he will teach yawning Londoners: 'How To Redefine Your Rest for Success in Work, Sport and Life'. So whether you're a chronic 3am ceiling-starer or the kind of busy person who needs to optimise precious downtime, come along to learn about understanding your sleep cycle, how to nap effectively and which bedding will make you rest like a contented baby.

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