How To Create The Ideal Sleep Environment
Do you battle to get enough sleep at night?
Creating the ideal sleep environment will help you get a deeper, better quality rest each night.
A better night’s sleep leads to a more positive outlook and a more productive day.
Getting enough sleep is also critical to help your body heal and repair after a long day’s work.
How much sleep do you need?
Your sleep needs change during the different phases of life. Adults generally need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. (In contrast, toddlers need 11-14 hours!)
If you’re getting less than this, your body is not getting what it needs. Here’s why: Your body needs a full night’s sleep for muscle repair, memory function, regulating hormones, and growth.
There’s more:
- Some sleep experts theorize that sleep helps the body rid itself of toxic by-products that could lead to Alzheimer’s or other diseases.
- A healthy sleep puts the “fight or flight” response in check, decreasing unhealthy stress hormones.
- A good sleep naturally calms your heart rate and breathing.
- A good sleep gives the liver time to rebuild and regenerate after a full day of filtering toxins from the bloodstream.
- Getting enough sleep helps to balance hormones like leptin and ghrelin involved in appetite.
- Getting enough sleep is a key to overcoming food cravings and overeating food binges.
- Getting enough sleep helps your memory functions reorganize and prioritize. Minor memory issues improve with enough sleep.
How To Create The Ideal Sleep Environment
We each have our own unique sleep preferences. What may work for one person may not work for another.
However, there are some universal rules to follow, which help most everyone sleep better.
Here are a few of my best recommendations for creating an ideal sleep environment:
First, keep your sleep space minimalist.
Most people sleep better when they are not surrounded by clutter. Energetically, clutter leads to more mental chatter and anxiety, especially if you’re surrounded by sources of worry like bills or paperwork.
Get comfortable.
Avoid restrictive clothing, and wear only your favorite sleep attire. Some people sleep best nude; others may like a long T-shirt or cool nightgown. Choose natural fabrics when possible.
Change into your favorite “jammies” about an hour before bedtime. This will let your body know that it’s time to decompress and rest.
Turn off electronics and the TV.
We have talked about how technology increases stress and disrupts sleep in this blog before.
LED (light emitting diode) light from computers, tablets, and smart phones affects the production of melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone.
If you use your devices for your morning alarm, put them on “do not disturb” before bedtime.
This will prevent calls, texts, or social media from interrupting you. You will sleep better with less technology stress and distraction.
Turn off the lights.
This is a no brainer, but is still important! Turning off the lights tells your body it’s time for rest. It also helps promotes the production of melatonin which lets you fall asleep.
Consider black out drapes if your sleep is continually disturbed by sunlight coming through your window. For people who work swing shifts, black out drapes can be a sleep saver!
If you’re not a fan of complete darkness, try a small night light in the opposite corner from where you sleep.
Set the temperature.
Your body naturally cools down during sleep. Sleeping in a cool room encourages the body’s temperature to drop slightly, which, in turn, helps you fall asleep faster.
Find the right temperature for you, set your thermostat, or open the window. If you prefer, use a fan.
Research finds sleep is disrupted if you’re too hot or too cold. Instead of sleeping, your body wastes its energy on trying to regulate temperature.
Add calming practices or rituals.
Try a short, guided meditation before bed. Or, repeat your favorite affirmations aloud.
Both of these techniques are invaluable to reduce anxiety and neutralize any mental stress keeping you up.
If sleep is still elusive, try an herbal blend like Sleep Nightly tonic about an hour before bed.
Sleep Nightly is non-addictive. It contains mild sedative herbs like passionflowers and hops, which decrease the effects of stress, and promote normal sleep.
Honor Your Sleep
Sleep is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Getting enough sleep can help turn around even serious health problems. It’s vital for mood, energy, and recovering from surgery or illness.
Customize the recommendations in this article to what works well for you. Some people swear by white noise machines for sleep. Others benefit from complete quiet.
The right mattress can make a huge difference, too. There are many options today.
Find what works for you, and stick with it. Honoring your body’s need for sleep will change your whole life.
References:
Hirshkowitz, M. (2015, March). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 1(1), 40–43. Retrieved from http://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218%2815%2900015-7/fulltext
Klein, S. (2016, Jan.). 10 Fascinating things that happen when you sleep. Retrieved from Prevention,
https://www.prevention.com/health/what-happens-during-sleep/slide/3
Tenhundfeld, C.M. (2017, Aug.). Science says sleeping in a cold room is better for your health. Retrieved from Simplemost, https://www.simplemost.com/science-says-sleeping-cold-room-better-health-because-body-heat/
What happens when you sleep. (2017). Retrieved from National Sleep Foundation, https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/what-happens-when-you-sleep
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