How The Environment You Sleep In Influences Your Sleep

Sleep quality can determine how energetic you remain throughout the entire day. Well, that is a no-brainer thing to state. And the importance of quality sleep is not something new.

This concept has been around for more than 2000 years. However, we are not here to discuss the idea and its origin. Instead, we will primarily focus on how the environment you sleep in influences your sleep.

How will this information help you? Well, if you are finding yourself exhausted and drowsy through the entire day, even if you believe that you slept well in the night, the things that we will discuss will surely shock you. So, without further ado, let us get into it!

How The Environment Puts an Impact On Your Sleep

There has been a load of research about the determinants of proper sleep. And in most cases, the researchers would put a high emphasis on the environment you sleep in. Here is a summarized version of the findings from those studies:

Temperature

There are many hot sleepers. However, no matter how hot you get before sleeping, the body temperature is sure to see a drop in temperature if you are a healthy adult. It is a natural process where your body will lower the core temperature to make you feel more sleepy. So, what conclusion can we draw from this?

Well, if you are struggling to sleep, there is a high chance that the environment does not have a proper temperature. If it is too hot, your body stays alert. And many researchers agree that the ideal temperature should be 65 degrees Fahrenheit. However, this will not be compatible with most sleepers.

Just like hot sleepers, some people sleep somewhat cold. For them, the ideal range will be around 71 degrees Fahrenheit. If you still find the temperature to be chilly and find yourself shivering a bit, consider adding a layer or two into the bedding.

Noise

It is no surprise that you will find it easier to sleep in a quiet and less-noisy bedroom. And researchers do agree with that. In fact, they have found out that loud noise can cause severe disruption and fragmentation of sleep.

Now, initially, outside noises might not seem like something that one should worry about. But over time, this can impact both mental and physical health.

Conversely, different researches have suggested that sleeping in an environment with a low noise level is not any good either. That would allow your sleep to be in light stages and make you wake up momentarily.

But that does not mean you should not put in the effort to make the sleeping environment as quiet as possible. So, what is the right balance?

Block the outside noise but keep the ambient sound at the right level. In fact, if you sleep with soothing music or ambient sounds, easing physical pain and alleviating anxiety can become an effortless task.

Lights

You might not know this, but the circadian rhythms guide your overall sleep-wake cycle. And the rhythms can be heavily affected by the natural light as well as darkness. During the day, your eyes perceive sunlight as a signal to stay awake. The brain produces cortisol, a hormone that helps you stay energized and alert.

During the night, the brain produces another hormone, melatonin. This hormone induces feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. Now, the exposure of artificial lights can also play a role in terms of circadian rhythms.

Higher exposure can delay the rhythms and can make it take a prolonged amount of time to make you fall asleep. Different researches have concluded that light exposure should be less than 10 lux. Higher intensity of light would cause less slow-wave sleep and initiate nocturnal awakenings.

Also, we guess we do not have to state this, but you should limit the usage of screens before you sleep. The blue light that digital screens emit can also make you struggle to get a sound sleep.

Final Words

A large number of studies have shown us how the environment you sleep in influences your sleep. And the main takeaway from them is to adjust and manage the factors effectively. Without that, it would be pretty impossible to get a sound sleep at night and stay fully energized throughout the next day.

Meta

Are you struggling with your sleep schedule? Want to fix it easily? But first, you need to understand how the environment you sleep in influences your sleep.