Sleep Stealers Hiding In Your Bedroom
Struggling to get enough sleep, but you’re not sure why? It’s no secret that experts recommend adults snooze between seven to nine hours a night for optimal health, immune function and mental performance, but most people aren’t hitting that goal. Only 26% of Americans snooze at least eight hours nightly, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Some of us think we know what’s behind the sleep slump, blaming a high-stress job, non-stop social life, or being a night owl, but it could be something closer to home. Sleep experts say these common bedroom “sleep stealers” may be the reason you’re awake when you should be in dreamland.
- A poor support system - We’re being literal here, it could be a mattress that’s too soft or saggy, or one that’s too firm. Both can make you uncomfortable, leave you tossing and turning, and waking up in pain. According to experts, soft-medium mattresses are best for side sleepers, medium-firm are ideal for back sleepers, and stomach sleepers need a firm one.
- A glaring problem - Light is an unwelcome intruder in the bedroom, whether it’s from porch lights or small screens. The problem is light suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells the body it’s time to rest, and it doesn’t take much to disrupt it. Neuroscientist Dr. Allison Brager explains, “Even that tiny, microscopic amount of blue light emitted from a charging device or the backyard light peeking through the window is enough.”
- A heated rivalry - But not the fun kind, this one refers to temperature, which is “what controls our entry into deep, restorative sleep,” Brager says. Too hot or too cold is no good, but certified clinical sleep educator Terry Cralle says the sweet spot for the bedroom is 60 to 67-degrees.
- A strange bedfellow - You can love your partner, but not love the way they snore, toss and turn, or disrupt your rest in some way. A sleep divorce - sleeping in different beds or rooms - may sound extreme, but it could be the fix you need. “Independent sleeping is not indicative of relationship problems, but sleep differences and the resulting sleep deprivation may certainly be the cause of relationship problems,” Cralle explains. “Everything — and I mean everything — is better with sufficient sleep, including relationships.”
- Your furry friends - Like your partner, your lovable pets may be a nighttime nuisance. They move, bark, snore, and scratch, all of which can wake you up multiple times before your alarm, so consider kicking them out while you snooze.