Catch up on sleep

For the "erratic sleeper", a holiday can be a waking nightmare, says Max Davidson in the Sunday Telegraph. A "strange bed, unfamiliar surroundings and night owls partying on the floor below" can all conspire to leave you more exhausted than when you arrived. Now, a hotel in Alicante is offering a "sleep programme", designed to help guests maximise on their precious eight hours. The five-star Hospes Amerigo runs what is "essentially a DIY programme" on sleep. It offers serotonin

enhancing diets, brisk walks, scented pillows, relaxing massages, and tutorials in some unusual exercises, such as clutching a spoon as you nod off for your after-lunch siesta: the idea is that the noise of the spoon falling to the floor will wake you from a short, "restorative" nap that won't impinge on your night-time sleep. And it works. Just don’t oversleep, or you may miss the flight home.

Hospes Amerigo (0034 965 146 570) has doubles at £94 (B&B). The Sleep Programme is free.