Considering we spend an estimated 229,962 hours of our life sleeping, you must create the perfect bedroom environment.
Sleepers tend to underestimate the importance of creating the ideal sleep environment. However, optimizing light and noise levels, temperature, and comfort often means the thin line between snoring the night away and tossing and turning.
Plus, curating the perfect bedroom sleep environment doesn’t have to be impossible. Here’s a comprehensive guide to how the indoor environment impacts your sleep pattern and how you can create the ideal sleep bedroom:
A Quick Glance at Sleep Environments
Your sleep environment refers to the space where you sleep and rest. Typically, this space is your bedroom; however, it may vary depending on your lifestyle, such as business trips, camping, long flights, etc.
The top four elements that affect your sleep quality include:
- Lightning
- Noise
- Temperature
- Mattress Selection
Other factors like medical conditions, anxiety, jet lag, shift work, bedroom air quality, and more may also contribute to your sleep quality.
The Impact of Your Indoor Environment on Your Sleep: What Elements Contribute to a Relaxing Bedroom?
Start creating a relaxing bedroom by taking the following factors into account:
Lightning
Your body’s circadian rhythms guide your sleep-wake cycle and tend to follow the natural dark-light process. Throughout the day, your eyes receive light that encourages the brain to produce healthy amounts of cortisol- a hormone that keeps you energized. But during the night, your night produces melatonin that induces relaxation and sleepiness.
However, exposure to artificial blue light in the evening or night shifts can delay the onset of circadian rhythms. It, in turn, makes it challenging for you to fall asleep on time.
According to insightful research, light sources with ten or more lux can cause nocturnal awakenings and reduced slow-wave sleep. It interrupts your body’s natural cell repair and restoration cycles.
In addition, televisions, computer screens, and smartphones, among other devices that produce artificial blue light, can destroy your sleep cycle.
Noise
It’s no secret: it’s generally easier to fall asleep in a quiet and calm place. Our bodies tend to respond to external stimuli even when we’re fast asleep, meaning loud noise disturbances can cause sleep fragmentation.
Unfortunately, sleep disruption can negatively impact your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
It’s unlikely that you’ll become fully conscious because of low-level noises, but you’ll shift to a lighter sleep stage. Thus, sleeping in a noisy environment can compromise your ability to enjoy restful deep sleep.
So, you should try to keep your bedroom sleep environment quiet by blocking outside noises. However, soothing white noises can effectively mask slight outdoor noises and assist you in sleeping. Consider listening to ambient sounds or relaxing music or installing noise-blocking curtains if you’re finding it especially difficult to fall asleep.
Temperature
Most sleepers prefer a slightly relaxed and comfortable environment. Whether you enjoy wrapping yourself in wool blankets or without any coverings, you must regulate your temperature throughout the night.
If you wake during the night sweating or shivering, it means that you need to improve your bedroom environment. If you enjoy colder environnement consider cooling your room without air conditioning.
To create the ideal indoor environment, consider the temperature you would experience if you stepped outside. Since air temperature tends to fall during the night, our body temperature lowers two hours after we fall asleep.
Consider taking a warm shower or bath a couple of hours before sleeping to help transition to sleep.
Bedding or Mattress
The mattress you purchase may vary depending on personal preferences. You may choose memory foam mattresses that alleviate your pain points, latex bedding that offers unmatched support, or spring bedding that contours to your body shape.
Overall, the best mattress depends on individual factors, such as body weight, preferred sleeping position, soft or firm surface, chosen pillow, and more.
Not just your mattress, but you should also choose the ideal bedding items based on personal preferences. For instance, consider the firmness, thickness, and durability of your pillow and hand-feel and how hot you sleep for your sheets.
Moreover, a hygienic and clean bedroom also encourages healthy sleep cycles. Vacuum your bedroom regularly and wash your bedding weekly to remove dust mites, dirt, and dead bacteria that can trigger allergies. Ensure that you also wash your pillows every few months.
Enjoying Your Night Zzz’s: Preserving Your Bedroom Sleep Environment
Our bedroom often transforms into a multipurpose room. You may install a T.V. in your bedroom, sleep with your favorite pet, or spend hours scrolling through social media. Unfortunately, all of this can disrupt your sleep cycle or circadian cycle.
Your bedroom sleeping space should be a relaxing place free of stress, anxiety, and other stimulation. If you want to enhance your sleeping quality, ensure that you preserve your bedroom for sleep and sex, not other activities.
Moreover, remove electronics, including laptops, televisions, and other gadgets, from your sleep environment.
Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Bedroom Environment
Ensure your bedroom boasts a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere by following these tips and tricks:
- Keeping Sheets and Pillowcases Clean and Fresh- According to experts, you should wash your sheets and pillowcases once every two weeks, especially if you sweat a lot or share your bed with a pet. Through routine washings of your bedding items, you can prevent dust mites, dead bacteria, body oils, and dirt. Ultimately, you can enjoy improved sleep
- Making Your Bed Before Falling Sleep- An inviting, made bed helps you fall asleep quicker
- Add Soothing Fragrances in Your Bedroom- Essential oils, such as lavender or peppermint, can induce feelings of relaxation that help improve your sleep quality. It also ensures that you wake up refreshed
The Bottom Line
Your bedroom environment can significantly impact your sleep quantity and quality. The variables mentioned above combine to make your sleep environment.
Set yourself up for the best sleep and relaxation by spotting the factors in your sleep environment that put you at ease and those that cause distraction or stress.
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