Changing your bed linen is such a small, routine act, yet it brings such tranquil satisfaction.

When you need a boost, a quiet win, something to make the day better and the night more restful, to unfurrow the worries from your forehead and bring a moment of pure, deep-sigh relief: fresh sheets. A beautifully made bed is always an appealing prospect, but it’s magnified exponentially when the sheets are brand new on – from the packet, from the laundry or from the washing machine. Pillows plump with sumptuous featherdown, ready to receive heavy heads. Sheets pristine and taut, duvet wafted with layers of softener-fragranced air. A smoothing hand to stroke out the final wrinkles, scatter cushions arranged on top and only the delicious anticipation of when you get to pull back the cover and snuggle in. It’s not just the feeling, either – there’s science there. The pleasure is so great that the US National Sleep Foundation (a truly great-sounding place to work) looked into the power of fresh sheets and found three quarters of us will get a better night’s sleep on the first day under new covers. A proven moment of peace.