You could be one of around 30 million Britons suffering from semi-somnia, a new epidemic identified by sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley.

"A huge number of people are, often without realising it, battling with persistent low-grade exhaustion due to a combination of lack of sleep or poor quality sleep," he explains.

"Around 75pc of the population admit to waking up exhausted every day, but many are wrongly blaming other factors like lack of exercise or a poor diet."

Dr Stanley says semi-somnia shares similar, but milder, symptoms to chronic insomnia, a serious sleep disorder.

While insomniacs may take more than 30 minutes to get to sleep and wake frequently during the night - most nights for a period of more than three weeks - semi-somniacs may also experience those problems or simply not sleep for long enough because of a demanding lifestyle.

He blames the explosion of semi-somnia on our 24-hour society which makes it increasingly hard for people to switch off, coupled with our general disregard for the value of a proper night's rest.

He discovered that four out of 10 people surveyed deliberately reduced the time they spent sleeping to try to cram more hours into their day.

" The importance of sleep is completely underestimated despite the fact it is vital for good emotional and physical health," says Dr Stanley.

"As a result, we live in a 'tired' society, where we have become accepting of being tired.

"The days when many people can claim to feel really good and refreshed are incredibly rare."

His research, commissioned by Horlicks, found that 42pc of people sleep badly some or most nights and a third of people who visit their doctor complain about their sleep.

Dr Stanley who's now manager of the Clinical Trials & Research Unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, warns that short term deprivation can lead to irritability, a lowered immune system and depression. Long term, he says, it can put us at risk from heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

He estimates that this year semi-somnia will cost the NHS £290m in treatment.

Yet he cites an apparent ignorance among doctors about the problem

One study found half of all doctors received no training in sleep conditions, and the other half get only five minutes training in seven years.

But Stanley says there's a remedy, which isn't dependent on the medical profession or drugs.

He advises: "We should prepare ourselves for sleep rather in the same way we warm up before we take exercise.

"We recognise that children need to wind down before bedtime but adults need to do the same, physically and mentally.

"You can devise a routine to suit yourself - there are no rigid rules - but what's most important is to see sleep as a pleasure.

It's also as good for you as having as a balanced diet and exercise.

"Remember what you felt like when you last had a really good night's sleep and awoke refreshed and bursting with energy?

"Think how much better life would be if you felt like that all the time.

To combat insomnia, Dr Stanley advises the following three R's - Resolve, Relax, Release.

RESOLVE:

Get a routine each night which will help get you in the mood for sleep.

Ideally, eat three or four hours before bedtime. An hour before bed, start preparing yourself by 'turning off the day'.

Switch off the computer and the mobile and don't have them in the bedroom.

Texting's a major problem of teenage sleep, as they commonly leave mobiles on day and night.

RELAX:

Choose a favourite relaxation technique - yoga, meditation or perhaps a warm bath.

Pay attention to the body's sleep signals. Many of us stay up yawning and half dozing in front of the TV when we should be in bed.

Don't watch TV or listen to the radio in bed unless it's a vital part of your pre-bed routine, as it may just encourage you to stay up later. Ensure the bedroom has adequate ventilation as the body needs to cool down before sleep.

Keep out natural light with thick curtains or a blind. Only around four minutes of sunlight on your retina are enough to make you feel wide awake.

If a partner's snoring, or tossing and turning, consider a larger bed or separate room.

RELEASE:

Clear your mind before sleep by making a list of the things you have to do the next day and leave it on the bedside table.

Counteract a racing mind by listening to music, or thinking of a peaceful setting - real or imaginary.

If you wake up in the night don't lie there trying to force sleep.

Get up, make a drink, read or do a boring chore for half an hour and allow drowsiness to set in again. Return to bed and try to sleep again.

› Dr Stanley's report, Making Time For Sleep, is available on www.horlicks.co.uk