An Easy Trick for Better Sleep

Most of us grew up listening to our parents tell us to straighten our room and make the bed. I'm sure I am not the only one who wondered why it was so important to make the bed, especially because it was just going to be unmade again that night! To be honest, some of us may still feel that way.

It turns out that, like many things, mom and dad may have been right about this one. A recent article suggests that a clean room could lead to a better night's sleep.

Your bedroom is more than just the room that happens to house your bed -- it is your personal environment for sleeping. A proper sleep environment is essential for quality sleep. We're talking about more than sweeping the room to keep allergies at bay (though a clean room is incredibly helpful if you suffer from seasonal or dust-related allergies).

Believe it or not, the perfect sleep environment is all-inclusive. The study found that participants slept better when...

• they made their beds every day,
• bed sheets were clean and changed once a week,
• the bedrooms were dark and cool,
• they slept on comfortable mattresses and pillows.

The participants even reported that sheets with a clean, fresh scent helped them to sleep more comfortably.

I cannot emphasize this point enough: A clean, cool, dark and comfortable atmosphere is needed to create an ideal sleep environment. Particularly comfort!

The ideal sleep environment soothes all of your body's senses, easing you into sleep. We've talked before about the positive impact that a cool bedroom temperature has on sleep. You can darken your bedroom by using low wattage bulbs (45 watts or less) near your bed and making sure all the lights are off for bedtime. A quiet room can be achieved by shutting off all electronics: TV, computers and cell phones. Try using a fan or a noise machine if outside noises are an issue.

Of course, none of this matters if you cannot get comfortable!

Many people neglect the importance of comfort. Your mattress and pillow are the building blocks of your sleep environment. Making sure they are right for you and still supportive is the first and most important step towards a better sleep experience.

How do you know if you are sleeping on a "dead" pillow? Follow these simple steps:

1. Begin by laying your pillow across your arm and look at how it's folded.
2. Does it have a slight fold, but still sticks out at the ends? If so, then the structural integrity of your pillow is fine.
3. Or does your pillow fold -- or flop -- over your arm, like an old saddle bag? Then you have a dead pillow, and it needs to be replaced.

Still not convinced? Try this:

1. Lay your pillow on top of your bed and fold it in half.
2. Now place a shoe on top and let go.
3. If the shoe goes flying, then your pillow is fine; if it is stays put, then you need a new pillow.

I suggest developing a consistent schedule that includes routine bedtime habits to calm you down and prepare you for sleep. Avoid alcohol and caffeine within three hours of bedtime. Know how much sleep you need to wake up feeling rested and go to bed in time make it happen. Adding a few simple tasks to your routine -- taking a little time at the end of the day to straighten up your bedroom, making your bed when you first wake up and washing the bed linens once a week -- can help to create a relaxing ambience for your sleep environment.

Parents, don't forget to have the kids make their beds and clean their rooms too; tell them it's good for their health!

Sweet dreams,

Michael J. Breus, Ph.D.
The Sleep Doctor™

***

Everything you do, you do better with a good night's sleep.™ Please visit www.thesleepdoctor.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesleepdoctor

 

 

 

Follow Dr. Michael J. Breus on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thesleepdoctor

Comments

[matthewnsea]

05:16 PM on 03/20/2011

My best nights sleep was in an Alaskan Winter, cold and dark.

[rocker8012]

04:24 AM on 03/20/2011

really great ides to get to sleep.

[e-mail]

[patsteward]

12:28 PM on 03/19/2011

Sticking to a sleep schedule is important too. You shouldn't vary your sleep/wake-up time by more than an hour, aside from the occasional late night.

[TexasRed1978]

08:41 AM on 03/18/2011

I started using a sleep mask about 6 months ago, and I have noticed a big difference in the quality of my sleep. I seem to fall asleep faster and I wake up a lot less during the night. I also suspect that I toss and turn less because I am more likely to have a slightly sore shoulder in the morning and less likely to wake up on my back.

I convinced my husband to try it, and it seems to help him as well. He is a big talker in his sleep, and he does that less often now.

[Debbie338]

03:26 PM on 03/18/2011

I totally agree about the light. We found sleep masks uncomfortable, so we put dark tint on the window and made a window treatment that completely blocked out the light. We have no night light in the bedroom, and if any electronics are left on, they get covered. You'd be amazed at how much light your cable box clock puts out. :-)

[JC80]

08:01 AM on 03/18/2011

One of the hardest things for me was giving up the electronics by the bed. I can honestly say I am able to get a good nights sleep. Also, I have a notebook by my bed now, to write down any thoughts, things I remember throughout the night, etc so I don't stress about things to do.

http://thesocialshrink.blogspot.com/

[llisa]

04:07 AM on 03/18/2011

Bedtime routine is something that works very well from infancy through adulthood. My Dad read to us before bedtime every night. We couldn't go to sleep without our books. To this day, we middle-aged sisters cannot sleep well without reading, even if it's only a page or two as our eyes threaten to close.

Since we continued the tradition, all our kids are the same way. And now the first grandchild must have her books and blankie before bedtime.

Not a bad habit at all.

[darcylu]

02:23 AM on 03/18/2011

Good tips. I love clean sheets and a good mattress, bedding and pillows, and a lovely room.

When I wake up, making my bed seems natural because my room is so nice, and a joy to return to each night.

But I had to move out of it into my daughter's old room, Hubby snores (we both do somewhat), he steals the sheets and his alarm clock is so loud, and by the 3rd "snooze" ... no way. It was not working). But I want my room back. He can sleep in another room for a while.

[dmherb]

12:56 AM on 03/18/2011

When I have trouble sleeping I take a benadryl. It's not addictive or harmful, and knocks me right out.

[thebearschick]

11:33 PM on 03/17/2011

xanax is another option

[Ganeshari]

10:29 PM on 03/18/2011

Yes, but Xanax is not good for you and can be addictive. I've had three MD's all warn me against using it and if at all, no more than a couple times a week at the most.

[joemartin1296]

10:19 PM on 03/17/2011

comfortable mattresses and pillows isn't really a 'sleep trick', is it? neither is the notion of having a dark, cool room.

sorta seems like common sense to me.

[Bucket-Of-Love]

03:58 AM on 03/18/2011

This is what Ph.D.s get paid for.

[Ganeshari]

10:31 PM on 03/18/2011

Call it what you will, but it is sound advice on how to to get a more restful night's sleep. These all make a difference for me, most notably a cool room.

[shylove2]

08:58 PM on 03/17/2011

Forget to change to daylight savings time in spring and fall since it doesn't have any environmental impact but has considerable impact on biorythms in a rather aggressive way... but we love forcing people to do thing they don't want and that gives some people pleasure anyway...anjd I suppose it is for their own good too...

[suzukimom]

02:23 AM on 03/18/2011

I have been thinking about this... do you think that part of the issue is that are bodies know in the evening that it is not as late as the clock indicates, so we tend to stay up, but then we are forced to get up in the morning based on the clock even though we are still tired? Silly question?

[MontanaSouth]

03:31 PM on 03/18/2011

Living in Arizona does not have many advantages, but one that I love is the state's refusal to participate in DST.

[patsteward]

12:30 PM on 03/19/2011

Same is true for Saskatchewan.

[Widespread Panic]

08:32 PM on 03/17/2011

Landing a Full time job will do the trick for me.

[compliancepmp]

03:22 PM on 03/21/2011

I am wishing you luck in your search~!

[Widespread Panic]

03:39 PM on 03/21/2011

Thank you!!!

[whiteconch]

07:19 PM on 03/17/2011

ready for my siesta nueva! good article...now this can help so many poor souls who struggle thru the nite..and lately i'm sure that's alot of folks. get some rest -for goodness sakes! nite!

[playsindirt]

07:09 PM on 03/17/2011

My sister is a horrible housekeeper. There - I said it out loud. I mean, borderline "hoarders". My niece and nephew have always had sleep problems and other relatives hate visiting them. I've always privately theorized that it was her cluttered, dirty house. I get the dry heaves just thinking about dining there, let alone sleeping so I totally agree with this theory.

[suzukimom]

02:25 AM on 03/18/2011

Do you think their lack of organization might actually be a symptom of some internal dis-regulation that manifests itself in their sleep patterns as well? This, versus the idea that their home is messy and that is why they can't sleep?

[Bucket-Of-Love]

04:00 AM on 03/18/2011

Sorry, you have to pay extra for that answer.

[playsindirt]

02:34 PM on 03/18/2011

Wow - you've spent too much time thinking about this. Physician heal thyself.

[sabelmouse]

09:36 AM on 03/18/2011

i'm a terrible house keeper. i have ocd and other anxiety problems that affect my sleep and my ability to cope with things.

[french queen13]

06:35 PM on 03/17/2011

Good article! I agree with all of the above, though I've never really taken note of what my sheets smell like, lol.

I would add: earplugs for sleeping. I never sleep withiout them, now. I'm on the suburban fringe, so it's nowhere near as loud as the inner city, but there is a big bypass not far away, and its noise never stops. There are many sorts of earplugs available. They do take a little getting used to, but they don't cost much - even if they did, it's a better option than running the power of a white-noise machine or fan, if one can avoid it.

One question - what sort of pillows flop? Feather ones, loose foam ones? I sleep with a shaped neck-support pillow, with padding sewn into compartments, and I don't think I could get it to flop even if it was ready for the rubbish, lol. That's another thing, too - there are various shaped or memory-foam pillows and mattresses around now, and good back and neck support is another big element in sleeping well.