Bedroom and Bed

General Conditioning for Sleep

It is important that your bedroom is associated with sleeping and intimacy only. It should not be associated with mental or other activies. Do not eat, talk on the phone, or watch TV in your bedroom.

The insomnia sufferer should also get out of bed whenever he or she is not sleeping. This includes not lying awake in bed at night or in the morning for more than 20 minutes.

Some people sleep more comfortably with fresh air coming through the open window. For others, an open window is too noisy, or they feel insecure. Try both and see what works for you.

Darkness

Our bodies are naturally conditioned for sleep when it is dark. The light-and-dark parts of the day work together with a human's natural sleep-wake cycle.

Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Hang dark blinds over the windows or wear an eye mask if needed.

Noise

Even the ticking of a clock bothers some people; others fall asleep faster with a monotonous noise.

Do outside/street noises bother you? Do you have restless pet making noises during the night?

If noise is a problem, use a fan, a "white noise" device, or set the radio to the fuzz between stations to mask the noise. You can also use earplugs.

Bed

• Is your bed big enough? This is particularly important if you sleep with someone.

  I have noticed a definite improvement in the quality of my sleep since we changed our bed from Queen to King size.

• If you have back problems, you should sleep on firm mattress. If your bed is too soft, placing a bed board (sheet of 3/4-inch plywood) that is slightly smaller than the bed's dimensions, between the box spring and mattress for better back support, may help.
• Are your sheets fresh and comfortable? Satin sheets may be sexy, but they could be too slippery.
• Is your blanket too light or too heavy?
• Are your pajamas comfortable?