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Don’t fret the first night and nap if you need: how to sleep well, away from home

Disturbed sleep is very common as you adapt to a new environment but, with good sleep hygiene and some practical adjustments, you can quickly settle in

As the working year draws to a close, many of us only have one hope for the season, and that’s a decent night’s sleep. While not every family visit or post-Christmas getaway is going to be a trip to Rancho Relaxo, a few things can help us catch holiday kip. Pre-departure apps can be useful, so can pillow mists and thermoregulation, but when it comes to maximising rest on the road, some say less is more.

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© Photograph: AleksandarGeorgiev/Getty Images

© Photograph: AleksandarGeorgiev/Getty Images

© Photograph: AleksandarGeorgiev/Getty Images

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Around the world in 50 countries: the globe-trotting Christmas travel quiz

From the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to Donald Trump’s territorial wishlist, test your travel knowledge. Every answer is the name of a country

Name the six countries or territories Donald Trump has said or suggested he would like to annex, acquire or take control of.

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© Composite: Phil Hackett; Getty Images; Python/Allstar; Alamy

© Composite: Phil Hackett; Getty Images; Python/Allstar; Alamy

© Composite: Phil Hackett; Getty Images; Python/Allstar; Alamy

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‘An unsung alternative to the Cotswolds‘: exploring Leicestershire’s Welland valley

This hidden gem has country inns, canalside walks, a stunning viaduct, the historic town of Market Harborough – and not a tour bus in sight

It was a chilly Sunday in November 2000 when the gods chose to smile on Ken Wallace. The retired teacher was sweeping his metal detector across a hillside in Leicestershire’s Welland valley when a series of beeps brought him up short. Digging down, he found a cache of buried coins almost two millennia old. He had chanced upon one of the UK’s most important iron age hoards, totalling about 5,000 silver and gold coins.

More than 25 years on, I’m staring at Ken’s find at the civic museum in the nearby town of Market Harborough. The now gleaming coins are decorated with wreaths and horses. They’re about the size of 5p pieces, but speak of a wild-eyed age of tribal lands and windswept hill forts.

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© Photograph: Darren Staples/Alamy

© Photograph: Darren Staples/Alamy

© Photograph: Darren Staples/Alamy

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