Image: Pixabay (CCO license)
How well you sleep can have a lot to do with your bedroom.
If your bedroom environment isn’t set up for an optimal night’s sleep, you may find you have trouble drifting off or that your sleep is more restless than you’d like. The conditions of your bedroom can affect your sleep in several ways – from the hardness of your mattress to the room temperature.
So if you want to power up your sleep schedule, why not take a look at your bedroom environment and decide what changes to make to ensure you get a better night’s sleep.
Here are a 5 ideas to help you create a healthier bedroom environment for good sleep.
1 – Pick The ‘Right’ Mattress
Your bed is a good place to start if you want to have a great night’s sleep.
When you have a ‘bad’ mattress, it’s uncomfortable to lie on, it makes it harder to sleep, and you can wake up feeling sore and unrested.
Mattresses typically last for around eight years, after which it’s time to get a new one. But even if your mattress isn’t that old, it might not be ideal for you. Mattresses should support you while you’re sleeping and match your sleep needs. For example, if you’re prone to over heating at night, many mattresses have features that can help you stay cool at night. Other mattresses can help stop your partner from rolling into you or even track your sleep patterns.
And if you have allergies or want to reduce chemicals and flame retardants present in many mattresses, why not consider investing in an organic or natural mattress?
2 – Choose Quality Sheets
When it comes to dressing your bed, choice of bedding can make a huge difference to your sleep too. For example, if you suffer from night sweats, polyester sheets may not be the best option, since polyester is a manmade fabric that doesn’t breath well. 100% cotton or a bamboo fabric may suit you better.
Investing in quality sheets (or sheets appropriate to your own needs) can not only feel good on your skin, they can also help to keep you cool and even help prevent allergies.
If you look at hotel bed linens, you can see what a difference it makes to invest in a set of good quality bedding. From your sheets to your duvet and pillows, look for bedding that’s comfortable for you and your own individual needs.
3 – Adjust The Temperature Control
Cooler temperatures are better for sleep – although you don’t want it too cool. The ideal temperature for your bedroom is around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, which is a little below what most people would regard as room temperature.
To keep your bedroom the perfect temperature, why not set your thermostat at a temperature that suits you?
Breathable bedding and a breathable mattress can also help you to keep cool, while also ensuring the air flows more freely. Another option is to consider having two duvets for different seasons. You can even get a three-in-one duvet, which can be taken apart or buttoned together, depending on the season or climate.
4 – Keep the Bedroom for Sleep
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Sleep experts often say the bedroom should just be for sleeping in (as well as for intimacy). Anything else should be kept to other parts of your home.
For example, when you watch TV or work in the bedroom, it can be more difficult to disengage from the activities, which keep your mind alert, making it harder to relax your brain and naturally fall asleep.
TVs, laptops and Smartphones all emit something called blue light, which inhibits the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin, making it harder for the body to naturally become drowsy in readiness for sleep. So avoiding any sort of technology for the hour before bed is often recommended by sleep experts.
So a key factor to good sleep hygiene involves keeping activities to the appropriate room in your home.
5 – Remove Electronics
As well as avoiding the use of electronics in your room, it can be a good idea to remove them from your bedroom completely.
Laptops and Smartphones in the bedroom often lead to the checking of emails or the sending of a quick text.
Also, if your phone or tablet needs charging overnight, charge them in a room outside your bedroom, so you’re not tempted to check your Twitter feed at 2am. And if you regularly use your phone as your alarm clock, consider investing in a traditional alarm clock instead.
Bright lights can also disrupt your sleep, so try and keep the lighting low in your bedroom as you prepare for bed. The helps to keep your body in line with natural sleep/wake cycles.
And whilst the affect of low-frequency EMFs on sleep quality is very much a topic of debate, switching off your WIFI at night is an easy thing to do if you’re router is close to your bedroom.
6 – Blackout the Windows
The less light there is in your bedroom, the better your sleep is likely to be.
Whilst some people prefer to have a bit of light on to help them drift off, a dark bedroom can make it easier to fall and stay asleep. Blackout blinds, or curtains, might be the answer if you need a little more darkness in your bedroom environment.
If you don’t want to invest in new blinds or curtains, wearing a sleep mask to bed is an inexpensive alternative.
Conclusion
Making a few simple adjustments to your bedroom environment can often lead to a more restful night’s sleep.
You don’t need to embark on a huge, costly, re-design of your bedroom – simply implement a few tweaks such as those suggested above. Whilst some are completely free to do right now, others (such as new bedding) can be done when budget allows.