Rohrscheib also suggests keeping your sleeping area away from vents, since sudden temperature changes can make you too warm or too cool during the night, which can increase ”sleep fragmentation and restlessness.”
When it comes to electronics, experts say you should consider removing them completely from your room. That includes TVs, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. “Your brain is highly adept at forming associations between environments and behaviors, meaning that how you use your bedroom influences your ability to sleep well,” says Rohrscheib. That’s why sleep experts advise refraining from working from bed or lounging in it all day. Your bed should be where you sleep, and the more you spend time in it doing other things, the more your brain might start to associate it with something other than a dedicated sleeping spot.
To put it more bluntly, Robins says, “Your bedroom should be for two things—sex and sleeping.” Rohrsheib adds, “Your brain is highly adept at forming associations between environments and behaviors, meaning that how you use your bedroom influences your ability to sleep well.” And the blue light emitted from screens like smartphones suppresses melatonin production. Melatonin is responsible for regulating your sleep-wake cycle. Rohrsheib adds that “even passive exposure to notifications, vibrations, or standby lights from devices can increase alertness and disrupt your ability to fall and stay asleep.” Robins says that if you want to read before bed or need to use the restroom during the night, you should consider using a red light flashlight.
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Photograph: Yiu Yu Hoi/Getty Images
Realistically, I know a lot of people (myself included) are still going to be using electronics before bed. I personally have a habit of reading on my phone’s Kindle app before falling asleep. There are some phone settings that can mitigate the blue light emitted from your phone. On iOS, you can turn on Night Shift in your Control Center or phone’s brightness settings. This adds a yellow tint to your screen. On Android, go into your Display settings and choose Night Light. You can also lower the phone’s brightness even further by going into your Accessibility Settings (on iOS) and choosing Reduce White Point, and even more by selecting Zoom. This darkens your screen much more than the default lowest brightness. On Android devices, navigate to your Display settings, choose Advanced, and then slide the White Balance slider lower to achieve a similar effect. For other devices (such as some e-readers), consider turning the screen brightness down and the warmth level up where possible to help cut back on that sleep-disrupting blue light.
As far as lighting goes, Kaylor advises to “get as much natural daylight as you can to strengthen the circadian rhythm.” She says you can dim the lights in your environment as it gets closer to bedtime to mimic the sunset. This is easy to achieve with smart lighting, smart bulbs, and even some smart alarm clocks—such as the Hatch Restore 3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which is a sound machine and a sunrise alarm all rolled into one.
Your circadian rhythm relies on cues from the environment to signal to your body when it’s time to get up or go to bed. Electronics can disrupt it, but they also can be of some assistance if you set up lighting routines to help with those cues. Natural daylight plays a factor too. “We want the bedroom to be dark, cool, and quiet!” says Kaylor. Research says that something in the low 60s Fahrenheit is the ideal sleep temperature. She advises minimizing noise, either with earplugs or a sound machine, and that you should use blackout curtains or a high-quality eye mask to block out light. Robins adds that you should have breathable cotton or bamboo sheets, and that you might want to keep a weighted blanket on the end of the bed in case you get chilly. If weighted blankets are too heavy, or you struggle to regulate your body temperature, a good comforter can make a difference too. I like the Buffy Breeze, since its eucalyptus fabric helps to keep me cool during the summer and warm in the winter.
Your general environment also plays a role. Kaylor advises that you keep your room tidy and clutter-free to reduce stress and improve sleep quality. You know how after you do a deep clean of your room—vacuuming, washing the bedding, putting away the clothes piled up on your chair—you sleep like a baby? You can achieve that feeling all the time if you keep your room tidy. (Advice I myself should absolutely be taking.) Robins also points out that adding plants can help improve the oxygen levels in your bedroom (spider plants and snake plants are two low-maintenance houseplants that can help), and suggests using neutral colors for paint, rugs, and bedding.
All in all, your bedroom should be a sanctuary. Keep busy decor and clutter limited to other areas of the house, set yourself up for success, and you’ll have an easier time getting high-quality sleep.
