When you can’t sleep or feel like you’re having trouble falling asleep, let’s adjust your bedroom environment. We will explain how to prepare the environment to help you sleep soundly, such as the temperature, humidity, brightness, and sound guideline for your bedroom, and how to choose bedding such as futons, pillows, beds, and mattresses.
What is the ideal sleep environment?
In order to sleep soundly and wake up refreshed, it is important to adjust the sleep environment. This time, we will introduce the conditions of the ideal bedroom.
Approximate temperature, humidity, and brightness in the bedroom
■ Temperature and Humidity
When you sleep naked, the room temperature is 29 degrees and the humidity is 50-75%, which gives you the most stable sleep. When sleeping with bedding in summer, it is desirable to have a room temperature of 26 degrees and a humidity of 50 to 60%, and if it exceeds 28 degrees, the quality of sleep will deteriorate.
There is also a report that if you use bedding properly even in winter, sleep will not be affected if the room temperature is 3 degrees or higher. However, the feeling of sleep is good at 16 to 19 degrees. Putting these things together, a room temperature of 16 to 26 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 50 to 60% are the conditions for good sleep throughout the year.
■ Brightness
If you are exposed to light of 500 lux or more before going to sleep, especially bluish-white light, the sleep hormone melatonin will decrease. Therefore, spending 1-2 hours before bedtime under a slightly dimmed incandescent light will help you fall asleep better. The darker the lighting during sleep, the better.
In the morning, a strong light of 2,500 lux or more will help you wake up smoothly. In particular, if you gradually brighten the room from 30 minutes before the wake-up time, you will wake up refreshed. If your bedroom lights have timers, set them before you go to sleep. When you wake up, open the curtains and let the sun shine in, or take a walk outside if possible.
■ Sounds
above 40 decibels have a negative impact on sleep. This means that the bedroom should be as quiet as a library. The sound of operating the switch on the wall is also at this level, so you need to be careful when turning the lights on and off.
People tend to get used to continuous sounds, so it may be better to sleep without worrying about small sounds. However, sudden sounds may raise blood pressure and pulse rate, so be careful if you have high blood pressure or are elderly.
If there is a lot of noise coming from outside the room, thicker curtains may help. If the electrical appliances in your room are noisy, change them to quieter ones, or change the time you do housework. Earplugs are a last resort. Make sure you can hear the alarm clock before using it.
Read Also: Tips for using air conditioners and falling asleep
How to choose a futon, pillow, bed, and mattress for a good night’s sleep
■ Futon/pillow
Choose bedding that really suits youThe environment between a person’s body and bedding is called “in-bed climate”. You will sleep best when the bed climate is 32-34 degrees Celsius and 45-55% humidity. To maintain this temperature and humidity, adjust your comforter according to the season.
Also, the heat in the bed escapes more through the mattress than through the comforter. In order to sleep warmly in winter, it is important to increase the number of mattresses and cover the shoulders and neck completely.
Pillows are an important item for sleep, as it is said that you can’t sleep if you change pillows. The biggest issue with pillows is their height. The condition of a good pillow is that the natural neck curve is maintained during sleep. Also, pay attention to the width that allows you to toss and turn smoothly, and the type and amount of material inside.
Recently, an increasing number of stores have pillow fitters who are experts in pillows. If you don’t understand it yourself, it’s a good idea to ask for help.
■ Beds/Mattresses
Some people yearn for a soft bed like they see in movies. But if you think about sleeping every day, the mattress needs a certain amount of firmness. If it is too soft, your buttocks will sink too much, causing back pain and preventing you from naturally turning over. On the other hand, if it is too hard, your body will hurt and your body will get tired just by sleeping.
Also, if the width of the bed is too narrow, you will not be able to roll over comfortably. A width of about 100 centimeters is necessary to smoothly roll over 30 to 40 times a night.