A poor sleep environment is one in which there are many distractions or disruptions that can wake you up during the course of the night. Things like too much light in the room, too much noise coming from outside, or the constant comings and goings of a pet, are the most common. Other sources of distraction can come from too many electronics in the room, which emit electromagnetic fields that can interfere with your melatonin levels while you sleep. Your bedroom should be as dark and as quiet as possible to ensure restful sleep.
Use room darkening shades to ensure the room is totally dark when you go to bed. If you can’t get it dark enough with shades alone then use an eyeshade to help. Earplugs can block out peripheral noise like voices or other noise coming from outside. If you have a pet you may want to keep them out of the bedroom at night or provide a separate pet bed to minimize the disruption of their nocturnal movements. A Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center survey revealed that among patients with pets 53% reported that they disturbed their sleep every night!
Remember that anxiety over falling asleep (or not falling asleep) can also affect your ability to fall asleep, so eliminate or address anything in your sleep environment that could add to that type of anxiety. That includes removing or reducing the presence of electronics in your bedroom (i.e. TVs, radios, computers, stereos, etc.) because the electromagnetic fields they emit can interfere with your circadian rhythms and your body’s melatonin levels.
A battery-operated alarm clock is preferable to an electric one. And if you must keep it by your bedside, then place it in a way it’s facing away from you. That way, if you wake up in the middle of the night you’re not tempted to look at the clock and panic as your brain calculates how many hours you have left before you have to get up and how little sleep you will have had. For many people, this simple shift alone can make all the difference.
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