Creating an elegant atmosphere is one of the key considerations for dinner hosts, whether they're putting together a three-course meal to impress the boss or having a load of friends round for a hodgepodge supper.

That's why dimmer switches are becoming a popular choice among sociable homeowners, with interior designer Jo Hamilton noting that light control is a main reason for choosing the illumination option.

"I think it just helps you - by putting everything on a dimmer switch it gives you complete control over how much impact you have with light, and how much you want to turn it down. So during the day you can have a really strong light and then [turn it down] in the evening," she explained.

Having a dimmer switch in the dining room or lounge can also help householders create layers of light for a subtle change in the surroundings.

"You might be running around after children in the morning, then you might have friends for lunch, then you might have a glass of wine and bit of romance, or friends over for dinner - so you need the light to be really versatile. Dimmers can just help with that - I think they're great," Ms Hamilton added.

Installing dimmer switches in the bedroom could also help insomnia sufferers still their racing minds and get some good quality sleep in the evening, as the Mirror pointed out.

The newspaper reported that research shows a quarter of us skip the snoozing in order to do more work, and then find it difficult to switch off at night.

It suggested starting to wind down at 8pm and turn off any mobiles or laptops to that you're not tempted to check your email. Putting in a dimmer switch so that you can reduce the amount of light in the room is another good idea, as this promotes the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.