Preparing a Sleep Conducive Environment

27/12/2013

preparing your sleep conducive environment

In order to get the best sleep possible many things have to be considered. Many factors play a key role in the quality and amount of sleep you get each and every night. Factors such as noise, lighting, temperature, your partner, even your mattress all matter. It is important to do everything you can to make your bedroom a sleep conducive environment. Sleep impacts your health, weight loss, happiness, and other parts of your life.

Even the slightest noises can be what is stealing your sleep at night, like a dripping faucet. However, the absence of a familiar noise can have just as great of an impact on your sleep. There are studies that prove that sirens and traffic noise from city streets can actually become soothing to a long time city resident. As noise is what keeps you up at night try to block unwanted sounds by using earplugs or a white noise machine such as a fan, air purifier, or soothing music. If you’re a long time traveler it may be helpful to take your favorite white noise or clock with you when you travel in order to re-create your home sleeping environment.

Temperature can also help create a sleep conducive environment. The best sleeping temperatures are between 54° and 75°. Anything more or less will probably keep you awake at night. It is recommended that you keep your room slightly cool, especially if you have a warm partner you share your bed with. Additional partner problems include a partner with a sleep disorder, not enough room, and of course temperature. Bed partners with sleep disorders can have a negative impact on your sleep conducive environment. If your partner snores or talks in their sleep try wearing earplugs or refer back to a white noise machine. If space is the problem you may consider purchasing a bigger bed or making some sort of arrangement that works for the both of you.

It is our biological clock to feel sleepy at night and awake during the day. Light such as the sun or strong bright lights and doors is the most powerful regulator of our biological clock. That determines when we feel sleepy and when we feel alert. In order to get on a better schedule expose yourself to bright light during the day, and when it’s time for bed make sure that your room is dark and avoid any bright lights. If you are a day sleeper, it is also important to have an environment that includes light blocking shades, curtains, or blinds. It also helps to have a white noise machine of some sort.

Not enough sleep or good-quality sleep is a common problem, but with some effort the quality and amount of sleep you get can be improved. Creating a sleep conducive environment might be a challenge and take some trial and error but will be well worth it in the end. Additionally if you have an old lumpy mattress that doesn’t give you support anymore, it is recommended to try and buy a new one as mattresses are not meant to be used past 10 years. Additionally, ultra firm mattresses are the best for support, unless you have back problems then you should look into a more contouring kind. Also if you have asthma or allergies it is important to purchase a hypoallergenic cover for your bed to protect you from possible allergy and asthmatic triggers such as dust mites.

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