Sleep-friendly Environment
Have you ever had to sleep at a friend’s place on an inflatable mattress, the room air thick from an evening board game tournament? Waking up the next morning probably didn’t feel great. When you think about it, you don’t have to be Kene Vernik to understand that the environment we sleep in plays an important role in sleep quality.
There are all kinds of pieces of wisdom out there. Some say you should sleep with your head pointing north and that your bed shouldn’t be over a water vein. Even if that’s true, we can share some less mystical tips for improving sleep quality. After all, we spend a third of our lives sleeping, so it makes sense to do it in a way that lets us rest as well as possible.
Here are some suggestions on how to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly:
- Cool room temperature – our body temperature drops before falling asleep, and a cool room helps with that. When the temperature is above 20 ºC or below 16 ºC, sleep becomes more fragmented and we may wake up more often during the night. If you can control the air in your bedroom or home, try different temperatures and assess what feels best in the morning based on how you feel. In Estonia’s climate, it’s usually enough for most of the year to ventilate the room before bed and let in some cooler outside air.
- Keep the room dark while sleeping – the body knows that when the sun is high, it’s time to be active! Your eyes may be closed, but our skin also reacts to light. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep cycles and promotes falling asleep. Melatonin production increases in the evening after darkness falls. How to make the room dark? Well, you’re reading the blog of a blinds manufacturer, what do you think? Invest in quality blinds that ensure maximum darkness in the room and block streetlights if you live in the city. A sleep mask can also help deepen darkness and shield you from intrusive light. For small children, a nightlight is often used to scare away monsters, but you have to keep in mind that any artificial light disrupts our sleep and signals to the body that the sun is out and it’s time to wake up.
- Reduce noise – when living in the city, the main issue is the noise coming from outside, the amount and impact of which depend on where and with whom you live. Noise interferes with different stages of sleep. Various sounds can cause movement from a deeper sleep stage to a lighter one or even cause full awakening. To reduce noise, you can try using earplugs. Wink-wink, honeycomb fabric pleated blinds also help dampen noise coming from outside;
- Temptations in the bedroom – some activities before bed improve sleep quality, others hinder it. If you often find yourself watching shows or scrolling TikTok late at night, know that blue screen light doesn’t help you fall asleep. It’s better not to look at bright screens an hour before bedtime, because blue light signals to the body that it’s daytime. To avoid temptations, don’t place a TV in the bedroom and don’t go to bed with your phone or laptop. To make sure you still wake up on time after quality sleep, consider getting a classic alarm clock.
A bedroom ideal for all of us hasn’t been invented yet, but the reins are in your hands! If you feel like applying all the tips in your life is overwhelming, maybe you could start with just a few? If your sleep improves, you’ll likely find the motivation to take the next steps too.
Evening Sleep Routine
Why is an evening sleep routine important?
We may like routines more or less, but the fact remains: by doing things the same way repeatedly, we can expect similar results. Our body loves routines – in eating, moving, and also sleeping.
An evening sleep routine plays an important role in ensuring high sleep quality. It’s the time when we prepare for bed and unwind from the day’s efforts.
A signal to the body
A regular evening routine acts as a signal to the body that it’s time to get ready for sleep. It helps program our biological clock and establish sleep habits. By doing the same relaxing activities in the evenings, our body can calm down and prepare for falling asleep.
Stress reduction
A proper evening routine should include stress-relieving activities – reading, meditation, a relaxing shower, a calm walk, drinking soothing tea, etc. Everyone has different activities that suit them, so listen to your body, experiment, and find what works best for you. Keep in mind that changes don’t happen overnight. If you try something, give it a week or two and then evaluate whether and what kind of improvements you notice in your sleep quality. Evening activities help reduce the tension and anxiety accumulated during the day, which supports better-quality sleep.
Contrary to common practice, it is not recommended to engage in active physical activities or sports a few hours before bedtime.
Part of the sleep routine is also having set bedtimes and wake-up times. Ideally, we should stick to this even on weekends and during holidays. If just the thought of waking up with an alarm on Sunday makes you nauseous, the point of the sleep routine is precisely to train the body so that it’s easier to wake up both on Sunday and Monday mornings.
We sleep in the bedroom, right?
Speaking of signals to our body, there are some activities that don’t really belong in the bedroom:
- Phone and scrolling – the evening is perfect for unwinding and letting the brain rest before night sleep, but blue screen light is one of the main reasons why it’s hard for us to fall asleep. Lifehack – scroll as much as you want in the evening, just don’t do it in the bed where you sleep.
- TV in the bedroom – screens are evil.
- Books in the bedroom – it’s a common belief that a bedside book and reading before sleep is top-notch. True, you’ll escape blue light, but the goal of sleep is to rest. For that, the brain needs to come down from high gear. A gripping crime novel or self-help masterpiece will make your thoughts race and push sleep further away. If you want to read something, count sheep.
In summary, the goal of a sleep routine is to give the brain and body clear signals that it’s time to relax and go for well-deserved rest. You don’t have to go overboard with it, and pillow talk and cuddles with your partner are absolutely in their place.
Blue Light
How does blue light affect our sleep quality?
It’s true that thanks to technological advancements, our everyday life has become very convenient. Everything seems to be within reach – we can communicate anytime and anywhere, follow what others are doing, entertain ourselves, or acquire new knowledge. In addition to daytime hours filled with work, household tasks, and hobbies, screens charm many of us from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep.
Maybe you’ve found yourself in a situation where the hope of becoming a FIFA world champion or seeing the climax of a hit series is so strong that at some point a third or even half of your sleep time is already gone. And even when you stop in shock, pull the blanket over your head, sleep still won’t come. In the short term, the result is a zombie-like state and bad mood the next day; in the long term, accumulating sleep debt and constant lack of energy.
What is blue light
Light, bluish-green light (as G. Graps sang), is the visible part of light with a short wavelength and high energy. Natural blue light is especially important to us during the day because it stimulates wakefulness and improves mood. The blue light particles in daytime sunlight help keep us awake and alert. Artificial blue light has the same purpose. That’s why casinos and nightclubs don’t have windows – to trick our body and perception. As long as it hasn’t gotten dark, it’s not time to sleep yet – makes sense.
How does it affect our sleep quality?
Blue light suppresses melatonin production in our body. This is the hormone that helps regulate the sleep cycle and promotes falling asleep. When you’re exposed to blue light before bedtime, the amount of melatonin in the body decreases, which interferes with falling asleep and, in the worst case, can lead to more serious sleep problems.
Recommendations:
- Golden rule: avoid screens for at least an hour before bedtime. If that feels impossible at first, start with 30 minutes.
- If possible, make your bedroom screen-free. Do your scrolling in other rooms and leave the bedroom for sleeping.
- If you must use screens, use blue light filters later in the day.
- Spend more time in natural daylight, as it helps regulate the circadian rhythm and reduces the effect of blue light at night. In an ideal world, a morning walk wouldn’t hurt.
Constant exposure to blue light isn’t healthy. In the world we live in, it’s of course getting harder and harder to avoid. By making small changes to your daily routine, you can reduce your exposure to artificial blue light and thereby improve your sleep quality, eye health, and overall well-being. Start somewhere, set achievable goals for yourself, and monitor the impact of the changes on both your body and mind.
The Impact of Physical Activity on Sleep
The impact of physical activity on sleep
It is well known that physical activity and sleep are both very important for health. Moderate activity and sufficient hours of sleep help improve our overall well-being and reduce risks related to mental and physical health. If you want to improve your sleep quality, one possible approach could be adding physical activity to your daily life.
Yes, an active lifestyle directly affects sleep quality
Physical activity is closely tied to both body and mental health, and it has several positive effects that also carry over to sleep quality. At first glance, it might seem contradictory that physical activity could help us sleep better. Is it “the more I exhaust myself = the deeper I sleep”? Not exactly. Physical activity helps improve sleep quality because it has a stress-relieving effect. When we move, our body releases endorphins, which reduce stress and anxiety, helping us relax and fall asleep more easily. During exercise, body temperature rises, but after training it gradually begins to drop. This drop essentially tells our body, “calm down, the worst is over,” and the body slowly cools down and prepares for rest. As a result, we’re more tuned in for sleep.
Evening workouts can hinder sleep
It’s important to keep in mind that balance is key. Overdoing workouts can have the opposite effect on sleep quality. Likewise, intense evening workouts, a few hours before bedtime, can raise our alertness level and make it harder to fall asleep. Try to find the right time and load for yourself; if needed, you can gradually increase the intensity step by step. The golden recommendation is to be physically active for 30–60 minutes every day at a moderate to vigorous intensity.
Therefore, if you have trouble achieving good sleep, adding physical activity to your life may help. Exercise helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which controls when we feel tired and when we feel alert. It’s important to find balance and adjust your workouts according to your individual needs. Late-night workouts should be avoided, similar to eating too late.
