There are many reasons for sleep to evade you each night, leaving you feeling tired and restless the next day. Stress, anxiety, health conditions, and age-related physiological changes could all contribute to this.
But did you know that your sleep environment could keep you awake at night, too? External stimuli play a major role in your ability to fall and remain asleep. So, understanding these factors and how they affect your sleep behavior could help you set up your sleep environment for a good night’s sleep.
1. Lighting: It’s not just about switching them off.
Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to fall asleep with lights on? This is because the circadian rhythm, which regulates the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, takes its cues from light and darkness. Daytime light signals it to keep you awake, and darkness will prompt you to rest.
Now, exposing yourself to light during nighttime could disrupt and confuse the circadian rhythm, resulting in sleep deprivation. But it’s not always the lighting fixtures in your bedroom that’s responsible for this. Even when they’re switched off, there are countless other ways light stimuli could affect your sleep. For example, the blue light emitted by mobile phones and computer screens could have a significant effect on sleep quality.
So, what can you do to control light stimuli for optimum sleep?
- Use thick drapes to prevent outside light from seeping in. Complete darkness signals your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle that it’s time for a shut-eye.
- Switch off table lamps and other light-emitting devices in the room. For instance, if you keep a computer in your bedroom, ensure that it’s completely switched off at night.
- Avoid blue light-emitting devices at least 1 hour before bedtime. Exposure to devices like TVs, laptops, and mobile phones before going to bed could disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and keep you from falling asleep.
- Use blue light-eliminating tools. You can reduce exposure to blue light in the evenings with blue light blocking glasses and screens. There are even filters available as mobile apps or in-built features on laptops and phones.
- Expose yourself to plenty of daylight. This can help regulate your circadian rhythm for a more effective sleep behavior. Studies have shown that exposure to sunlight could increase nighttime sleep by up to 46 minutes.
2. Temperature: Don’t just count on the thermostat.
Your body’s natural sleep process is much more susceptible to outside temperatures than you may think. This is why, for many people, falling asleep in chilly weather is far easier than in the hot summers.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal room temperature for sleep is around 65℉ or 18℃. So, setting the thermostat is essential, although it’s not enough to avoid excessive coldness or warmth during the night. Here are a few more steps to help you achieve restful sleep.
- Dress appropriately to suit the room temperature. Select breathable materials like cotton in warm tropical climates and keep your body warm with thick socks and nightwear during winter.
- Select the right bedding. Use light-weight and breathable sheets with thin layers for warmer months, and top up with heavy blankets during winters.
- Protect your bedroom from unwanted drafts. Sealing leaks is important not only to stay warm during winter but also to keep the room cold during summers when the air conditioner is on.
- Remove electronic devices from the bedroom or unplug them before bedtime. These can emit heat and affect the temperature inside the room.
3. Sound: For those who are extra sensitive.
The impact of noise on sleep quality is no secret. Whether it’s a noisy neighbor, snoring spouse, or a playful pet, nighttime noises could severely disrupt your slumber.
Noise affects each person in different ways. So, measures to avoid it will depend on your level of sensitivity to sound. Here are some options to consider.
- Wear earplugs. This is perhaps the simplest method to prevent noises from disrupting your sleep. But remember, eliminating certain noises like a fire alarm could put you and your loved ones at risk. So, if you’re wearing earplugs, ensure that you’re not alone and there’s someone to wake you in case of an emergency.
- Use white noise. White noise can mask background sounds by using constant and static sounds. Research shows that pink noise could also reduce brain waves and help sleep better.
- Soundproof the bedroom. If you’re particularly prone to noise-induced sleep deprivation, try sealing any gaps around windows and doors. Use thicker soundproofing drapes, acoustic panels, and window inserts, and remove noise-generating electrical equipment. While these may not help soundproof your bedroom to the level of a music studio, they can certainly help you get a better shut-eye.
- Get help for snoring sleep partners. Sometimes, snoring could be a symptom of a more severe medical condition such as sleep apnea. So, seeking medical attention could help your partner access treatments without delay and allow you both to get more restful sleep.
4. Other sensory stimuli
Other sensory stimuli may also keep you awake at night. It could be the sudden jerks and movements of a sleep partner or even an intense fragrance that you particularly dislike.
Whatever it may be, you will need to address it with effective and practical solutions. For example, allowing pets to sleep on your bed could cause regular disturbances. Cats, for instance, could be highly active during the night. So, training them to sleep in their own sleeping space outside the bedroom is essential for pet parents to get a shut-eye.
Sleep has an undeniable link with your mental and physical wellbeing. It’s essential for the body’s healing process, immune system, hormone regulation, as well as cognitive health.
And the importance of your sleep environment for optimum sleep health cannot be stressed enough. After all, it’s the little things that often make the biggest impact. So, a little adjustment to your sleep environment could go a long way to help you wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
