The Effect Your Environment Has On Sleep

I'm sure we all know the feeling of staying the night, or being on vacation somewhere and not being able to sleep.  So much of the way we are able to sleep actually depends on our environment.


Let's take a look!

We’ve all had the experience of going to sleep in a strange bed when on vacation, visiting family or attending a meeting. Is it the strange bed, the noise outside the room, the light coming through the window or the difference in temperature from our own room? Or all of the above? While at home, we have considerable control over how our sleep environment is arranged. Here are four things to consider:

• Get the most comfortable bed you can afford. This is not the same thing for all of us. Some like a very firm mattress; others prefer one much softer. Although research touts the benefits of a firmer mattress in supporting the back and body stress points, mattresses are a matter of personal preference and if you have what you’re comfortable with, you’re more likely to go to sleep easily;

• Make sure your pillow supports the curve of your neck so that your spine is in a straight and aligned position. Many pillows do little to support the spine. Invest in one that keeps your body in great alignment and reap the benefits of great posture while you sleep. Consider the position you’re sleeping in. This can also affect how restful your sleep becomes;

• In general, complete darkness is best for the brain to shut completely down, the ideal sleep environment. Like our computer, the brain shuts down gradually over the nighttime hours with increasing darkness. Many people, for a variety of good reasons, like to sleep with a light on, which does limit the complete relaxation of the brain as long as light is coming into the pineal gland. If you need to keep a light on, or even if a small amount of light comes into your room, using a sleep mask might be a good alternative to more restful, deeper sleep.

• The best environment for sleep is a room that’s cool, but not cold.Depending on your climate and the season of the year, this can be achieved by a variety of temperature adjustments in the room, clothing you wear to bed and sheets, quilts and blankets on the bed. Many times, a small fan can help keep air circulation in the room from becoming stagnant and stale. Notice how you’ve slept in the morning, and try making adjustments in each of these things to see if your sleep improves.

Original Article Here

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Nathan says: Hopefully this article gave you some ideas on how to keep up an environment of sleep.  Do you have any tips that you would include?  If so, please comment below!

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