How to Turn Your Bedroom Into A Sleep Sanctuary

Your bedroom should be a place you can retreat to at the end of a busy day. A space that’s designed for rest and relaxation, allowing you to unwind and drift off to sleep. Here are five ways you can create your own sleep sanctuary:

1. A Bedroom Designed for Sleep Don’t bring your work to bed with you. A bedroom should be associated with sleep, not stress. All those to-do lists and unanswered emails can wait until the morning.
2. Invest in the Right Mattress A sore back can disrupt even the best night’s sleep. Make sure you change your mattress approximately every 10 years, testing out different mattresses to see if you prefer one that is firm or plush.
3. Keep It Cool A room that’s too warm can keep you up at night or fragment your sleep. The optimal temperature for sleeping is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Shut the Lights Even the smallest sliver of light can tell your body it’s time to wake up. Invest in some blackout blinds and make sure you can’t see the lit up screen of your cellphone or the neon red numbers of your alarm clock.
5. Turn off the Screens Avoid reading on an iPhone or tablet or watching TV in bed. Exposure to artificial light can suppress the sleep hormone melatonin that helps you drift off.