"People simply do not seem to make the connection between lack of sleep and the state of their bed"

Old beds could be the cause of a rise in TOXIC SLEEP.

A survey conducted by The Sleep Council as part of National Bed Month has found that nearly half of us are only getting 6 hours of sleep or less a night.

It was also found that four fifths of those questioned reported ‘toxic sleep’.

"The average person needs a good seven to eight hours sleep a night to function properly but what we are seeing here is nearly half the population suffering from quite significant sleep deprivation. An even higher proportion are reporting disturbed, interrupted or 'toxic sleep' - that is, sleep that leaves you still feeling tired in the morning" said Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council.

"Our survey also found more than a quarter of us would be embarrassed for other people to see the state of their mattress.”

The solution to TOXIC SLEEP could be as easy as buying a new mattress.

A bed can deteriorate by as much as 70% from its ‘as new’ state after 10 years, according to the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA).

"People simply do not seem to make the connection between lack of sleep and the state of their bed" said Professor Chris Idzikowski of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service and Edinburgh Sleep Centre.

"It is surprising to find that 67% of the sample were waking up with neck or back pain and not connecting their poor sleep with their, presumably old, bed."

Signs of deterioration in a mattress include height loss, compressed and rusting springs, compacted fillings, split seams and severe discolouration.

National Bed Month is running throughout March and centres around a campaign by The Sleep Council which is focused on mattress deterioration and the importance of regular bed replacement.

To coincide with the National Bed Month, Sueno is offering great Healthopaedic Mattresses at knock-down prices. Here's 5 Healthopaedic Mattresses to look out for in the Sueno March Sale:

• Total Comfort 1500 Mattress
• Smartcell 3000 Mattress
• Cashmere 1000 Mattress
• Destiny 1000 Mattress
• Silk 1000 Mattress