In my last column I discussed how important it is to get the proper amount of sleep and to develop regular sleeping habits for a well- rested feeling. Many of us go until we cannot anymore then fall down in bed for as many winks as we might be lucky enough to get. As I wrote last time with age our health depends on, among other things, a good sleep regimen. Part of getting the right amount of sleep is setting the proper environment for it. I never really thought about consciously making an effort to set the mood for great sleeping until I started looking into this series of columns on sleep. There are entire businesses which are built on creating the right sleep environment, and that goes well beyond just good mattresses and pillows. Those are also essential, but that is another subject for another week.
Most sleep experts agree that the proper bedroom environment is something to think about when we are trying to determine what it is that is preventing us from feeling rested when we awake from sleeping. There are some people who have physiological limitations which keep them from sleeping well, but for the vast majority of us a few simple things can be done at home to make for better rest. Noise level, temperature, humidity, light level and, believe it or not, décor and cleanliness of the room all play roles in the quality of your sleep. I fall asleep fairly easily but if any noise occurs in my immediate environment I awaken instantly. That is annoying. I have oak trees which hang directly over the area of my house that includes my bedroom. You can imagine how much fun the acorn rainy season was for me and my attempts to get sleep. I have on my bedside table a pair of those squishy earplugs that form to your ear canal and if I can’t block out the noises I have to insert them. They’re cheap and readily available at drugstores everywhere. Another way to block out the dripping faucet noise or the barking dog across the street is to create some “white noise” in your room. Ceiling fans’ whirring works and so does a room air conditioner or humidifier. If you aren’t pleased with these the gadget stores like Brookstone and Hammacher-Schlemmer carry machines which have sounds like ocean waves, rain, or just low-level static that will lull you to sleep. Whatever remedy works, it is vital to keep the noise level down if you want to go to sleep easily and stay asleep. Television and radio noises and light from the television actually create a more stressful environment and should not be used to help fall asleep.
Some people are light –sensitive and couldn’t sleep with a pinhole of it present if their lives depended on it. If this is you, use heavy dark draperies to block out light that comes into the windows and some sort of draft-dodger to keep out the light that sometimes comes under the bedroom door. As goofy as you might think they look, eyeshades actually help to keep out extra light and can help if you are trying to nap when it is light outside.
It is healthier to sleep in a cool room. Whether it is winter or summer a cool 65 degrees is the perfect temperature for sleeping. Studies have shown that being too hot can create restlessness and even induce nightmares. If you feel too cool at this temperature a blanket will help but breathing is easier and you will sleep much better with the room at 65 degrees. The ideal humidity level is somewhere between 60 and 70 percent for a good night’s rest. Humidifiers are available to keep this level steady and are more necessary for us in the South in winter. These machines will also help create the “white noise” effect and induce deep, comfortable sleep.
When you are decorating your bedroom, keep a few simple thoughts in mind. If you want a restful sleeping space, your refuge should be painted in colors that bring about in you feelings of peace and tranquility. Blues and greens are popular choices because they bring inside the colors of water and trees. Try sleeping in a bright red and orange room. The difference in the quality of sleep is palpable. The best, most restful sleep is found in a soft blue or green room as these are much more soothing colors. Go to the paint aisle of any decorating store and pay attention to what mood changes might occur as you consider one color over the next.
Keep the room free of junk and clutter. Piles of laundry, stacks of reports to be read, trinkets and knick-knacks all create feelings of stress. Walls cluttered with multiple busy photographs or meaningless space-filling hangings will make you feel as if the room is closing in on you. Keep the space as free of clutter as possible including floors and walls. A friend of mine has a grandmother who is a hopeless packrat. She has a house that is unbelievably cluttered to the point of having trails through “stuff” so that you can walk from one room to another. My friend’s little brother had nightmares of suffocating every time he spent the night with their grandmother because he was afraid the piles of things would fall on him at night and no one would be able to find him. Although that seems irrational the feeling of being swallowed up by clutter is a very real one. Pay attention to the clutter in your sleeping space and check it out for yourself. A neat and orderly space is definitely more conducive to quality sleep.
Making a few changes in the room in which you sleep will definitely increase the restfulness you feel after the necessary 6 to 8 hours in bed. The right sleeping environment might not be something you have thought about before, but will guarantee a better night’s rest. Treat your body well.