IF your get-up-and-go has got up and left, it could time for a new bed. You might have had a good eight hours sleep but you still find yourself rolling into the office bleary-eyed and yawning.

We spend up to a third of our life in our pits, yet according to the Sleep Council many of us just don't pay enough attention to the quality and comfort of our beds.

The message from the council is that the older the bed, the less likely we are to have that extra spring in our step in the morning.

"A good night's sleep can help you feel as if you could take on the world," said consultant Jessica Alexander. "And fundamental to that good night's sleep is a decent bed."

To prove the point, the council has devised a novel way to determine how much get-up-and-go you really have.

According to its questionnaire, if you spring out of bed with alacrity, you can consider yourself a fully paid-up member of the G-up and Go Go club.

You are officially a fun-loving creature who is not afraid of spontaneity and a new challenge.

But, on the other hand, if you press the snooze button and go back to the land of nod, you need to make some radical changes to your lifestyle if you are ever to rejoin the human race.

And changing your bed is just the beginning.

A satisfying night's rest, enabling you to rise with vigour and enthusiasm, will apparently motivate you to join a gym, cultivate more friends, and enjoy a busier social life.

Experts at furniture superstore Textyle World hail the bed as the single most important piece of furniture in your bedroom.

They insist the bigger the bed, the better for an "amazing" night's sleep, and urge shoppers to next time consider a 5ft wide double instead of the 4ft 6in wide version they say 70 per cent of customers usually buy.

According to Sleep Council research, if your bed is changed every eight to 10 years, it could mean an extra 42 minutes of sleep each night.

Bedzz at Textyle World, which offers a choice of more than 400 bed frames and divans in its stores across the UK, can be contacted on 0141 304 7217.

And what of the myth that rock-hard beds are the answer to curing bad backs? The Sleep Council has well and truly put that one to rest.

A recent nationwide survey revealed 900 of the most acute back pain sufferers and nearly 500 back pain experts disagreed with the myth but agreed a "good bed" was one of the most important purchases they ever made. Three-quarters of the respondents said they would be prepared to pay more than £500 on a new bed, while nearly one in 10 said they would stretch to £2,000 to get the comfort and relief they needed.

A firm supportive bed, not a hard one, apparently works wonders. Across the nation, 22 per cent of back pain sufferers own an orthopaedic bed and 28 per cent have invested in a "medium" one.

Nine out of 10 said their bed was more important to them since they developed back pain, while 98 per cent agreed a good, supportive bed helped their bad backs.

As one sufferer said: "If you cannot rest properly and sleep well, it hinders recovery".

Finally, the finishing touches to that perfect night of slumber may be seen as fluffy and "girlie" but they work.

To keep a piece of summer with you through the dark and dreary winter months, the lavender-scented aromatherapy pillow by UK bedding specialist John Cotton, is available at British Home Stores for £10.

The non-allergenic product, which follows the lead of the European aristocracy during the middle ages who used the rare and luxurious herb in "dream pillows", combines the latest technology with the therapeutic use of essential oils.

The aroma is guaranteed to stay for at least 20 washes, providing a relaxing night's sleep month after month.

And if you don't believe the remnants of cherry conserve or kirsch liqueur can form the basis for a safe alternative to a water bottle, think again.

Made in Switzerland, CherryComfort is a natural, safe and washable hot and cold comfort aid for aches and pains.

Available in oblong and square shapes, the product moulds itself to the body providing soothing comfort as well as relaxing a tense neck, warming a baby's cot, and easing stomach pains.

Giving off the pleasant fragrance of cherries and hot wood, it is fully washable, easily warmed in a microwave, oven or traditional stove, and can be re-used year after year.

The CherryComfort is available at selected health food stores and pharmacies and the Lakeland Limited home shopping catalogue for £9.95.

Call 01480 421 805 for more information.

For a free copy of the Bed Buyers Guide call 01756 792327 or visit The Sleep Council's website at www.sleepcouncil.com