Room Conditions

After establishing a consistent bedtime routine it is important to create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere in your bedroom.  The more cozy and harmonic your bedroom is the more relaxed you will feel.
 
Your goal is to promote a calming and restive atmosphere.  This can be achieved by creating a bedroom environment that is not only appealing to you but also functions without interruptions or annoying irritations.

Ensure that the room temperature is set according your preference.  Ideally your room should be on the cooler side; however you should experiment with your own comfort level. 

 You don't want to wake during the night either too hot or too cold and then find yourself wide awake once again.  Sleep experts say that the ideal room temperature is 65 to 70 degrees F.

If at all possible try to sleep with the window open, however slightly.  This will allow for proper room ventilation.  Adequate air current is necessary for you to breathe in circulating air.  This will aid your body in breathing deeply and correctly.

You may be sensitive to noises around you and outside of the bedroom.  If this is the case and you find that noise is disturbing or interrupting your sleep you may want to consider purchasing ear plugs.
 
Ear plugs may take a little getting used to, however there are plugs on the market that are specifically designed to be comfortable and unobtrusive to your sleep.  Take time to try what works best for you.
 
If you find ear plugs to be too uncomfortable you may want to use a "white noise" machine, such as a fan.  "White noise" from the fan is used to over-ride or mask other sounds that may be disturbing to your sleep, such as traffic and voices.

 Ideally your bedroom should be as dark as possible so that you experience the daytime/nighttime cycle.  Light may disrupt your normal circadian rhythm and signal your body that it is time to wake up.

If you find it difficult to fall asleep in a room that is infused with too much light, try purchasing an eye mask.  There are eye masks on the market that will be comfortable to wear as well as effectively block out any interfering light.

If you find an eye mask to be too uncomfortable try hanging thick curtains or install blinds.
If you find yourself listening to the sound of a ticking clock you may want to remove the clock from your bedroom and replace it with a digital clock.



 
If you find yourself constantly looking at the time to see how many hours you have left to sleep you may want to turn the digital clock to the wall.  Knowing that time is passing will only increase your anxiety and stress about not sleeping.

Make sure that your room has no stimulation to lure you from sleep.  This includes the television, computer, stereo equipment.  You want to ensure that your bedroom is only used for sleeping and sex.

 If you have a CD player in the bedroom make sure that you only use if for playing relaxing music or sleep inducing CDs.
If you find that your room is too dry you may want to purchase a humidifier, especially in the winter months.

Wear comfortable, loose clothing.  The more constrained or uncomfortable you are the more likely you are to wake up during the night.

The goal of this section is to encourage to you find the ideal sleep conditions for you personal preferences.  You may have to experiment and try a variety of techniques to find what works best for you. 

Comfort and Posture

As you make changes in your life to promote and achieve natural sleep you should take into consideration the conditions of your bed, bedding, and sleeping clothing.
 
The goal is to be as comfortable as possible and to avoid any irritations that will prevent you from falling asleep or that may you wake you during the night.
 
You may have to make adjustments as you experiment with what works best for you.

Your mattress should be comfortable and firm so as to provide you with sufficient spinal support.  It should be free of lumps and bumps.
 
Make sure that the bed is big enough for your stature.  If you have been sleeping on a single mattress and find that you are needing more space you may want to consider purchasing a double or a queen size mattress.
 
Make sure that the mattress does not sag as this can lead to inadequate spinal support
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Use a pillow that suits your personal preference.  It can be soft or firm so long as it provides you with the proper support and is anatomically correct.
    
You can place an herbal sachet underneath your pillow to benefit from the sleep inducing properties provided by herbs.
The bedding on your bed should be crisp and clean.  You may want to leave the sheets un-tucked at the bottom of the bed so that your feet feel free and unconstrained.

Try not to use too many or too few blankets.  Your goal is to find the right temperature for sleeping so that you are not waking at night to make adjustments.  You should be sleeping in a cool room so take that into account when you use blankets.
 
The pajamas you wear to bed should be loose and comfortable.  Tight clothing may cause you to feel restricted and wake during the night.

Do not use your bed for anything other than sleeping or sex.  Your mind and body should associate the bed with rest and sleep.
Your bed should be a place of comfort and harmony for you.  Take pleasure in finding bedding and sleeping clothing that makes you feel calm and good about you.

Find a favorite position to fall asleep in, whether it is on your back, stomach, or on your side.  Stick to this position when you first get into bed so that your consciousness is convinced that it is time for sleep.