Experts claim most healthy adults need seven to nine hours per night - but this is hardly exact, and it also depends on age and individual needs. Thankfully, a free online tool now tells if you're getting enough slumber. The sleep calculator, from non-profit organisation the Sleep Foundation, works out your optimum bedtime based on your details. It asks just two questions to ensure a decent amount of shut-eye each time - and it doesn't want your name or email address.
Melissa Milanak, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, noted that while pets can be comforting, many pet owners report sleep disturbances caused by their animals, revealing a complex relationship between pet companionship and sleep quality.