Declutter your bedroom
Make sleep the main focus of your bedroom by decluttering your space. Move out any exercise equipment and consider putting this in another room. The same goes for a computer desk or home office. This will help your train yourself to better associate your bedroom with sleep.
Make your bedroom ideal for sleep
There are three features that make a bedroom ideal for sleep: darkness, quiet, and temperature.
Try to eliminate all light from your sleep environment. This goes for artificial light as well as natural light. Get rid of night-lights. Also, consider investing in blackout curtains or blinds.
You also need quiet in your ideal sleep environment. This means not just noises in your room, but outside of it as well. Try to break the habit of sleeping with music. If you can’t, set a timer so that it shuts off. This will keep any kind of sudden change in sound from waking you up.
If noises outside your bedroom (roommates, neighbors, street noise, etc.) make it difficult to fall and stay asleep, consider using a sound machine. Sound machines create soothing, constant noise that relaxes you and drowns out other distracting noises.
Finally, keep your bedroom cool. Your body naturally lowers its temperature as it prepares for sleep. By keeping your bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees (Fahrenheit), you actually help your body prepare itself for sleep.
Maximize comfort with your bed
A bad mattress can cause restless sleep and stiffness in the morning. If you haven’t replaced yours in 10 years or longer, consider making this a priority. The same goes for pillows. If you need to fluff our pillow throughout the night, it’s time to get a new one.
Also, consider adding a pillow top mattress pad and other sleep aiding accessories.
Get rid of distractions
One of the worst feelings when you are trying to fall asleep is watching the minutes tick by on your clock. Nighttime clock watching is a true enemy of sleep. If you are using a digital alarm clock, consider facing the clock away from you so you aren’t tempted to check the time. Also, consider moving any ticking clocks to another part of your house.
It’s also important to consider getting rid of your bedroom television. Watching TV before bed can engage your mind and make it more difficult to go to bed. TVs also emit blue light, which can actually cause your body to produce less melatonin and keep you from falling asleep.
Stay electronics free
Keep your electronics away from your bed. Your cellphone, laptop, tablet, or any other device only distracts you from sleep. And, just like your TV, these devices emit light that makes it harder for you to fall asleep. Consider keeping them plugged in elsewhere. And, if you’re used to using your phone for an alarm, invest in an alarm clock. Just make sure to keep it pointed away from you. Reading a “regular” book can be a great way to settle down and relax for sleeping.
If you found this of use, you may like to read Self Care and Essential Part of a Healthy Lifestyle
