Reading for half an hour or more before turning the light out helps you fall asleep more quickly, and books are a great form of entertainment and a way of learning something new. Although reading at night can provide us with some much-needed time alone, sharing a good book can also help us connect with family and friends.

Bedside reading in comfort

Eyestrain is a major cause of headaches and fatigue, and it's important to avoid it when reading in bed. Make sure you have regular eye tests and that the prescription for your spectacles (if you wear them) is up-to-date. You should also visit your optician for regular eye tests even if you're not aware of any problems. Even a small correction to your eyesight with reading glasses could improve the quality and length of your reading time.

Ensuring you have the right lighting in your bedroom will also help you to avoid straining your eyes. If you sleep with your partner, it's best to have bedside lights with individual switches. An adjustable or swing-arm reading lamp is ideal for you to avoid disturbing each other if you like to go to sleep at different times. Your bedside lamp should be bright enough to illuminate the page of your book adequately, but not too harsh. Even the colour of your lampshade can have an effect: a dark lampshade makes it difficult for enough light to shine through, a too-pale colour creates a glare on your page, and a patterned shade may cast a shadow over your book.

Sitting up in bed to read for long periods can put a strain on your back and neck. It's difficult to maintain a comfortable position while leaning against an ordinary pillow, so consider getting a pillow that's designed to give extra support to your back and neck. If you find holding a book up makes your arms ache and you'd prefer to be hands-free, a variety of moveable bedside reading stands is available. Some of these come with clip-on lamps, and even page holders so you'll never fall asleep and lose your place again!

If you like to have several books on the go, or to flick through a stack of magazines or comics, the area around your bed can easily become cluttered. Many bedside cabinets are designed with voracious readers in mind and contain shelves and magazine racks, so you can keep all your reading material to hand while your sleeping environment remains tidy and inviting.

As for what to read in bed: fiction or non-fiction, light or literary, it's really up to you. If you're stuck for ideas, take a look round the bestseller section in your bookshop, read reviews and swap recommendations online, subscribe to a new magazine, or join your local library or reading group. If you suffer from insomnia or bad dreams, avoid stories with disturbing content and don't bring work-related reading into your bedroom. If you have to work in the evenings, try to do it in another room and allow yourself time to switch off in bed with a good book.

Children and bedtime reading

Around two thirds of UK parents regularly read a bedtime story to their children. Not only can bedtime reading help develop a child's literacy skills and creativity, but it can also strengthen the bond between parent and child by allowing them to enter and explore an imaginary world together. Bedtime stories help children calm down and unwind, which aids restful sleep.

Reading to children encourages them to enjoy reading for themselves once they are older. Children who read for pleasure typically display higher reading attainment, better writing ability, broader vocabularies and better general knowledge than those who don't. Once your child is old enough to read in bed on their own make sure they have a good bedside lamp, and take them to get their eyes tested if they show any signs of eyestrain such as headaches.

Children's favourite books range from works by contemporary authors J. K Rowling and Philip Pullman to old classics like the Narnia Chronicles, Winnie-the-Pooh, or Alice in Wonderland. For advice on the most appropriate books for different age groups, visit the children's section of your bookshop or talk to your child's teachers. If your child is particularly sensitive, you may want to avoid anything too scary just before bedtime.