How to Create the Perfect Environment for Restful Sleep

A great night of sleep is more than just the number of hours you get — the quality of sleep is just as important.

You may be getting your recommended 7-9 hours, but if you’re going to bed too late or waking up during the night, you won’t be getting all of the health promoting benefits that your nightly snooze can provide. 

Why We Need Quality Sleep

Great sleep is like a reset button for the body. Several organs, including the liver and the brain, use the time we are asleep to clear out waste and focus on repair.

Sleep also induces the release of human growth hormone (HGH) which regulates muscle growth and metabolism. Getting less than 7 hours or sleeping poorly can impact your hormones, immune system, digestion, energy levels, mood, metabolism, and more. Over time, this can cause chronic health conditions and impact overall well-being.

When it comes to sleep, our bodies rely on a circadian rhythm to regulate the hormones that make us tired and wake us up. When we wake up in the morning, the hormone cortisol is high and gives us energy to start the day. As the day goes on, cortisol tapers off which allows the hormone melatonin to rise. Melatonin makes us feel sleepy and prepares us for bed. 

Our circadian rhythm can easily be impacted by artificial light, loud noises, temperature, stress, an unbalanced diet, and excess caffeine consumption.

Signs your circadian rhythm is off:

• Having trouble falling asleep

• Having trouble staying asleep

• Sleepiness during the day

• Needing coffee to wake up in the morning

• Needing coffee to get through the afternoon

• Feeling tired all day but wired at night

• Poor concentration

• Not feeling hungry in the morning

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT SLEEP ENVIRONMENT

The environment you sleep in is critical to helping you get a great night of sleep. Think of your bedroom as a sanctuary away from the stressors of the world.

Following these tips can ensure a cozy sleeping environment and help you support your circadian rhythm so you can get the best 7-9 hours your body needs for optimal health!

Lighting

The lighting in your home should mimic the rising and setting of the sun. Use soft, warm lighting and avoid fluorescent and LED bulbs, especially at night. If possible, use candles or twinkle lights as your main source of light once the sun goes down. Also, avoid using electronics that emit blue light (like TVs, computers, and your phone) at least two hours before bed. Blue light tells your brain that it’s time to wake up, so this will throw off your circadian rhythm. I recommend using blue light blocking glasses to help mitigate blue light exposure if you need to be on your devices after dark.

Electronics

Keep mobile devices, computers, and TVs out of your room. These devices emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which have been shown to impact melatonin production -- the hormone that makes us sleepy. If you must use your phone as an alarm clock, turn on airplane mode. You can take it one step further and completely turn off your WiFi at night to limit EMF exposure while you sleep.

Darkness

Remember, light tells the brain it’s daytime. Keep your room as dark as possible. Invest in some blackout curtains, especially if you live in a city. Turn your alarm clock away from you so the light from the screen doesn’t affect your sleep.

Sounds

If you live in an area with lots of street noise, a sleep sound machine or fan can help block out those sounds that are keeping you up or disrupting your sleep.

Temperature

Sleep experts say that keeping your room between 60 and 65 degrees is ideal for a good night’s rest. We all have different needs, so find whatever temperature works best for you and stick with it.

Bedding

Use comfortable, breathable sheets and bedding. If you are sensitive to fragrances and chemicals, you may want to invest in organic bedding and non-toxic laundry detergent. Depending on where you live, you may want different bedding for warmer and cooler months. 

Clothing

Wear comfortable, breathable clothing. Especially for women, you don’t want to wear underwear that is too tight — that area needs breathing room! You can even ditch the underwear completely while you sleep.

Mattress and Pillows

Obviously having a comfortable mattress and pillows is important when creating a good sleep environment. Find companies that allow you to make returns if you find your new mattress uncomfortable after a few weeks of use. If lowering your exposure to toxins is important to you, opt for an organic, low-VOC mattress that doesn’t contain chemical flame retardants and other harmful compounds. You can check out EWG.org for more information on different options.

Other tips that can support great sleep and optimize your circadian rhythm:

• Eating balanced meals throughout the day - include proteins, carbs, and fats in each meal or snack to ensure stable blood sugar levels (helps avoid a cortisol spike)

• Have your last meal at least two hours before bed - digestion requires a great deal of energy. Eating too close to bedtime will affect your ability to digest the food you ate and affects the circadian rhythm. 

• Have a nightly routine — the body loves routine. Optimally, you want to get into bed at the same time each night; aim for 9:30/10pm. Create a routine that helps you wind down and prepare for bed. Activities like taking a hot bath, meditating, reading, doing gua sha, or giving yourself a massage are a great start.

• Avoid drinking any caffeine after 3pm. Limit alcohol and nicotine use. 

• Drink calming herbal teas like chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, or lavender before bed. Magnesium glycinate, a more calming form of magnesium, can also help you relax when taken before bed. Always check with your doctor before using any herbs or supplements.

• Exercise for 30 minutes a day -- the earlier in the day, the better. Find types of movement that you enjoy that also support your hormones. Lower intensity exercises like walking, yoga, and controlled strength training are more supportive for the body when dealing with circadian rhythm imbalances. High intensity exercises spike cortisol levels, so you want to be mindful of this if your sleep is already off. Morning walks have been shown to regulate your circadian rhythm because the sunlight supports your morning peak of cortisol.

WHERE TO START

The first thing I recommend focusing on is dim, warm lighting at night, getting black out curtains, and avoiding screens that emit blue light. Light is one of the easiest triggers that can throw your circadian rhythm out of balance.

Don’t feel like you need to make all of these changes at once. Create a list with your biggest priorities at the top, and go one by one. 

Happy sleeping!

This article was originally published for it’s magazine.