I’m not a bad sleeper, but I am very bad at going to bed. A night owl by nature, I can often be found hanging up laundry or running through my six-step skincare routine long past midnight. On good days, I’ll be in bed with a book by 11.30pm – but because there’s no space in my room for a bedside table, I still have to get back up to turn off the light. And then I’m wide awake again.

So I was intrigued by the Casper Glow, a portable, wireless lamp designed to aid sleep. I was sceptical about its slumber-inducing powers, but the prospect of being able to pop it on my headboard was enough for me. Plus, it looks adorable: a sleek, touch-sensitive pod roughly the size of an Easter egg.

And I’m now eating my words, because the Glow has been lulling me into extraordinary sleep for the last two weeks. Flip it over and it emits a soft, golden light; turn it anticlockwise, and it gently dims (seriously, the lack of cords or switches is incredible). I like to let the light slowly fade to black, an experience akin to nodding off to candlelight or a dying fire. I’m obsessed. From £109, Casper

On weekday mornings, I could set five alarms to sound next to my head and I’d still rely on my partner dramatically wrenching off the duvet just to wake me up. When I do finally crawl out of bed, I’m bleary-eyed and bewildered. Needless to say, I’m not a morning person.

But the Lumie Bodyclock 300 is designed for a much gentler start: by mimicking a sunrise. The science is that the light helps to reset your internal clock, encouraging a regular sleeping/waking pattern. So for the last week I’ve been stirred by the sensation of a warm sunny glow beyond my eyelids, which gradually gets brighter until it’s time to wake up.

I had hoped that this would help make being roused less of a shock to the system. It has – and then some. I don’t feel as groggy, I’m far more productive in the mornings, and I’ve actually started to wake up naturally (and happily) – for me, that’s ground-breaking. And while the Lumie Bodyclock 300 has lots of other features going for it (FM radio, multiple alarm tracks, a lovely, calming ‘sunset’ setting), the sunrise feature alone makes it well worth the investment. £129, John Lewis

The romance of travelling by train is slightly lost when you’re on the overcrowded 18:06 from Euston. So, how about travelling on the restored 1920s train that’s carried royalty and some of the silver screen’s biggest stars? Climb aboard the Belmond British Pullman and you’ll get the full luxury experience, served by your own waiter and poured glasses of champagne as you head towards a scenic location. With tickets usually going for upwards of £300, you’re not going to want to miss this train.

Competition ends at midnight on 5 November, terms and conditions apply, check website for details.