A lack of sleep and poor-quality sleep can dampen your output during the day, and it can also take a toll on your health. The real problem mightn’t be caffeine and devices, it could be the environment you’re sleeping in. Here are four tips for creating a more sleep-friendly bedroom to help you sleep better at night.
#1 – Start with the Bed
If you are waking up feeling stiff, or with any aches and pains, then your bed may be the reason you’re not sleeping well at night. Your bed should result in an aligned spine: if it is too soft, you’ll sag down into the mattress, and if it is too firm, you’ll be out of alignment as well. It’s a matter of choosing between firm vs soft mattress for your comfort.
There’s not a one-size-fits all approach to finding the perfect bed, as “your” perfect bed will provide exactly the level of firmness that’s right for you.
If you’re a back sleeper, then try a latex or medium firm memory foam bed, and complement this with a pillow that won’t cause your neck to arch. Side sleepers should have a soft to medium-firm mattress. Memory foam is a common choice in this case.
Your pillow should be the right height to keep your spine straight while you sleep. Stomach sleepers can use any type of memory foam mattress or hybrid mattress, and thin pillows of any kind are ideal for them.
In every case, there’s a memory foam mattress that’s right for you. These days, you don’t have to pay a fortune to buy one, thanks to ‘bed in a box’ foam mattresses. If you want more information about them, you can learn more here.
#2 – Make It Dark
We’ve evolved to sleep at night, so TV screens, computer screens, and other artificial lights trick our brains into thinking we should still be awake. That’s why medical professionals advise turning off the screens at least two hours before you plan on going to sleep.
It is also why you should not have the lights on while you read in bed or check your phone. Place phones down on the dresser or charger so that their screens don’t light up the room.
Ideas to keep the room dark include, placing soft nightlights in the corner so you don’t have to turn on a lamp to get out of bed, and installing blackout curtains so that any outside flashes or lightness don’t startle you awake. Whatever your situation, at bedtime, you want to make your bedroom as dark as possible so it’s easier to fall asleep – and stay asleep. Check out Insidebedroom blog for further ideas about improving your nightly shut eye.
#3 – Cool Things Down
If you wake up in a cold sweat all the time, stop blaming nightmares and check the thermostat instead. You may find that your bedroom is too hot for you to comfortably sleep at night. The best temperature range is 18-21 degrees, however if you don’t want to use an air conditioner, turn a fan on instead.
Often, the problem of overheating isn’t caused by the room temperature, but the blankets used which can retain too much body heat. When the seasons change, make the effort to remove the winter blankets.
And, if you’re sharing a bed with someone who has different temperature preferences, get separate blankets. You may also want to switch from a thick bedspread to multiple layers of blankets so you can add and remove as necessary.
#4 – Clean Up
We often forget how much underlying stress clutter causes. That pile of books in the corner you haven’t read or clothes on the floor you need to wash are a source of stress. Basically, if you’re tripping on things getting to bed, your sleep is likely to be jeopardised.
In that case, consider dedicating a full day to cleaning up your bedroom. Then spend a few minutes every day cleaning up before you go to bed. If time is difficult to come by, a closed hamper is handy to stash your bits and pieces until you can sort them out on the weekend.
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