“Health is wealth” goes an age-old proverb. One of the practices that is going to help is getting a better sleep every night. The better you sleep the better are your chances of leading a healthy and happy life. You sleep poorly, you are bound to have a rough day. There are various practices that need to be followed for sleeping better every night and one of them is having a better sleeping environment.

It is important to have a better sleeping environment otherwise, if you have to sleep in the noisy, hot, humid environment you are going to have fragmented and restless sleep which doesn’t augur well for the good health. Your bedroom should be comfortable resting den. Some of the conditions that are important for having a better sleeping environment are listed below.

1. Invest in a good mattress

If you are waking up with body ache, stiffness, or had a restless sleep, it may be because of your mattress. If your mattress is more than 10 years old, is ripped in places, has holes, or has lumps, or has lost the bounciness, you should change your mattress. Mattresses usually last around 8-10 years that is how they are designed.  If your mattress has developed a deep impression of your body, it is time to buy a new one.

Deciding which mattress, you are going to need is based on your personal choice. The mattress comes under different forms, some are soft, some are hard, some vary on thickness, some vary with the stuffing inside the mattress and some can even be adjusted. Look for the best types of thin mattress available in the market to find one that suits your style.

You should go for a mattress that is going to suit your sleeping position style, body structure, that you feel comfortable. You can go for a mattress which is made of fabric that can absorb moisture and you should feel more comfortable. It should be made of fabric that works for your skin as well, no rashes or creases. If you have dust allergies, then you should buy one that is allergen-proof.

Once you have the perfect mattress for your bedroom, you might want to complete a relaxing ambiance by adding a comfortable pillow. If you’re a stomach sleeper, you need a stomach sleeper pillow, which is a super flat pillow made of latex with a low profile. This pillow provides enough height and support to lift your head carefully and prevent neck pain when sleeping on your stomach.

2. Consider the lighting 

If you sleep with lights on or have an artificial light source that is close to the natural daylight then you are going to miss on good quality sleep. If possible, try to sleep with lights switched off. If you can’t, then for artificial lighting during the night, go for a bulb that emits red or even pink light, they are better than full-on light bulbs.

Invest in dark-blinds or heavy curtains that would cover the windows so that no outside lights pierce into your bedroom. If you’re working too late at night, you need blackout curtains so you can sleep more even when the sun outside is high and bright.

If you sleep with your cell phone alongside, put it screen-side down, when you are sleeping. You don’t want your smartphone to keep blinking every time you receive a new email, message, or social media notification.

3. How about temperature check?

Studies have shown that our body temperature drops slightly when going to bed. Bedroom with cooler temperature helps in having a good quality sleep. So, adjust your thermostat to the suggested temperature anywhere in the range of 16-19.4°C (60-67°F) for better benefits.

If possible, try to sleep naked. It helps in cooling down your body when there are no clothes that may raise your body temperature. For couples with different needs, one may like hot and another colder thermostat setting, try having different comforters to have a good sleep.

Wear breathable, comfortable, and soft fabrics when sleeping to avoid night sweats. Avoid synthetic fabrics such as nylon or spandex. Buy high-quality pyjamas and other sleepwear made of cotton and cotton blends. You want to ensure that your sleepwear isn’t the culprit to your uncomfortable sleep.

4. Don’t forget the sound

Any kind of noise is going to rob you of good quality sleep. It doesn’t matter from where the sound is coming, whether from noisy neighbours, traffic on adjacent streets, a snoring partner or even from family member watching TV in the living room, it is going to be a nuisance for your sleep.

If you live in the noisy surroundings then you should opt for earplugs or if possible, opt for pink. Studies have shown that having pink noise helps some people in sleeping calmly.

If you are a kind of person who believes in going to bed with music on, put a timer so that it turns off after some time. By this, you will be safe from sudden fragmentation of sleep.

If you are having a ceiling fan in your bedroom, ensure you don’t have any wall hanging or any other thing that can flutter during the night which can disturb your sleep.

Also, if you are using the alarm for waking up in the morning, you should keep it away from your bed. Remember that sleep deprivation could compromise a lot of things, including your relationships and career. That’s why you need to get enough rest and sleep at night to become more functional and energized the next day.

5. Keep your bedroom in order

Is your bedroom also a home office, or study, or gymnasium or you have a TV? For most of the people it is going to be one of them, get rid of all these distractions from your bedroom if you want to have a good quality sleep. Your bedroom has to serve only one purpose that is to give you a nice sleep.

Eliminate unnecessary things in your bedroom, such as your work files, laptop, and any work-related objects. You can place them in another room to make your master bedroom a more relaxing place to rest and sleep. You don’t want to make any last-minute tasks that can just add more stress to your bedtime routine.

Clutter also need to be taken care of as well. Clutter does create stress and makes you anxious.  We tend to store some items that are not in use under the bed if you are short of storage space. Neaten up your bedroom, don’t leave things lying around. Whatever is in excess, like books, unfolded laundry, anything else needs to be stored properly. One more piece of advice, keep your nightstand neat and clean, no mini garage sale in your bedroom furniture.

Final Thoughts

Having a better sleep environment is going to cover one of the practices required for getting quality sleep. It is going to serve the purpose of achieving a quality sleep that is going to lead to a healthy, vibrant, positive and happy life. Curious about sleep science? Check out Sleepstandards.com for more tips and tricks.