Why Is Sleep Important and How to Improve Environment We Sleep In
Have you ever tried lasting a full day at work having slept a couple of hours the night before? If you have, then you know what sleep deprivation can do to you. If we exclude partying and staying up late voluntarily, most people who face this problem have sort of a sleeping disorder. Furthermore, a huge number of these people actually sleep in poor conditions.
It is not enough to have a bed and a bedroom in your house, as both of these need to be fine-tuned for the best possible sleeping experience. The environment we sleep in always has room (pun intended) for improvement. Unlike other rooms in the house where sprucing up has a purely aesthetic role, a cozy bedroom is more of a necessity than a fashion statement.
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Why do we need sleep?
For those of us who are workaholics, sleep is really one big hindrance to get the job done. That’s why people are tempted to take off large chunks of napping time in order to get extra work done. This is the worst possible way to go, as sleep is just as important as work. Much like your cellphone needs to be recharged regularly so does out body need to rest and “recharge” its brain cells. Sleep is a great detox tool; it improves our memory and the ability to concentrate, as well as regulating our body weight. Last but not the least; we can never achieve happiness if we are deprived of sleep.
There are several stages of our sleep. The most popular being the REM sleep phase during which we dream. However, the important stage when it comes to the regeneration of our body is called “deep sleep.” This is the time when our body truly rests and it’s the longest stage that lasts several hours. This having said, is there something that we can do to assure we get the 7 hours of sleep on average that humans require?
Darkness, darkness, and more darkness
Once the sun sets, our body starts releasing hormones that make us drowsy, signaling that it is time to hit the sack. Even if we stay up late, we need a room deprived of light to sleep well. That is why the bedroom should at least be equipped with curtains in order to keep the light out. You will be thankful for any kind of draperies once the morning sun hits your eyes.
When it comes to falling asleep, you need to do more than simply switch off the lights. Closing the curtains or installing window awnings will help minimize the effect of light pollution. Moonlight and streetlights are the two most common sources of light that can leave you fidgeting for hours in your bed before you finally fall asleep.
The bedroom is for sleeping only
The trick to falling asleep fast is letting your body naturally become inert and drowsy. Many people hinder this process by introducing various distractions into the bedroom. The most common source of insomnia is a smartphone or a laptop. Even if you are aimlessly swiping through Instagram stories, your brain is triggered by the light the screen emits. This makes it virtually impossible to fall asleep even hours after you put the phone away. Remember, you want your metabolism to slow down and enter a state of dormancy, not arouse it with glaring images.
Another common problem is turning the bedroom and what is worse, the bed itself into a home office. Once your brain associated the bedroom as a place of work instead of rest, it will be impossible to sleep well. Leave the notepad and the laptop outside and restrain yourself from working from the sheets.
A comfy bed and a cushion to match
The bed you sleep in is a huge factor in the quality of your sleep. The mattress needs to be soft, yet sturdy enough to provide for excellent pack support. The pillow too needs to be ergonomic in design. There are so many pillow types and stuffing materials to choose from, that you won’t have a hard time finding the best solution for neck support. In fact, even a linen cushion that you would normally use during a nap has to be ergonomic in design. It too can help improve the quality of your sleep, as many people find it impossible to sleep the 7 hours on average in a single go.
A helping thermostat
We have already mentioned how you need to slow down your metabolism but there is another implication to this process. Research has shown that our body temperature drops when we sleep so it is wise to do the same with air temperature. Regardless of the season outside, the inside temperature should be regulated using a thermostat to lower after dark so we would have a cool room to sleep in. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should be cold, as you can use as many blankets and sheets you see fit. In general, the room temperature should be decreased overnight and raised once again in the morning when we wake up.
Mirror, mirror on the wall … in the hall
Another interior design that many people fail to attend to is the presence of a mirror. You might be thinking what does a mirror have to do with the quality of sleep but it does. It might not let light through like a windowpane but it still deflects light. As the sun or the moon move across the sky, their rays hit the mirror and deflect right into your eyes. This can potentially prevent you from going to sleep or even wake you up in the middle of the night. That is why the bedroom should not feature mirrors on the wall. They belong in the bathroom and if you’re interested in your reflection right after you get up, then step in the hallway outside the bedroom.
You have probably realized by now the importance of sleep, as well as an afternoon nap. You can say goodbye to work efficiency if you are deprived of sleep, so be sure to use the environment you sleep in to your advantage. The 6 points listed here are a good place to start.