Sleep Facts

Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Sanctuary

There's no reason to settle for anything less than perfect sleep. The quality and quantity of your sleep can make all the difference in how productive you'll be the next day. Here are some tips to help you get the sleep you need and deserve.

The Perfect Sleep Bedtime Story

 Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

• Be sure your mattress and foundation meet your needs for both comfort and support. If you sleep with a partner, your mattress should also allow you both enough space to move easily. A good mattress will help provide many years of quality sleep.

 Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.

• Light is one of the body's most powerful time cues. The rising sun can wake up the brain long before the alarm goes off. A dark room is the most conducive for sleep – day or night. Sudden, loud noises from inside or outside the home can disrupt sleep. Steady, low sounds, such as the whir of a fan or air conditioner, are soothing because they help block out distracting noises. The ideal bedroom temperature is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 18 degrees Celsius). A room that's too warm or too cool can disrupt comfortable sleep.

 Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends.

• Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music. This will help your body to “wind down”. Finish eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime. This will give your body time to digest your food and lower your risk of indigestion.

 Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex.

• It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment.

 Exercise regularly.

• It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime or when you wake.

 Avoid nicotine (e.g., cigarettes, tobacco products).

• Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.

 Avoid caffeine (e.g., coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime.

• It has be shown to keep you awake when used close to bedtime.

 Avoid alcohol close to bedtime.

• It can lead to disrupted sleep later in the night.