Large cities such as Los Angeles have a tendency to make life feel rushed, especially when traffic makes what should be a 10-minute drive home a much longer hour-long drive. That’s valuable time out of the day! It’s no wonder more than a third of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep. You need restful sleep so your body can repair, replenish, and prepare for the next day. If you’re struggling to get enough sleep, which experts say should be about seven or eight hours, here are some tips to help you create a sleep-friendly home.

1. Take Care of That Noisy Water Heater

Homes can make all kinds of strange sounds at night that keep you up. One of the most common is the noises your water heater makes when it has a water hammer. Water hammer is caused by air that gets in the pipes and creates a vibration that moves through the pipes and water heater.

Water hammer creates wear on your plumbing and could result in a leak. It’s important that you get the issue resolved so you can not only protect your home, but also so you can get your pressure sleep. Locate a water heater company in Hollywood to get the job done right.

2. Cut Off Electronics

The electronics everyone likes to stare at are actually delaying the onset of the sleep hormone melatonin. If your retina senses light, it signals your brain to remain alert. If you delay melatonin production, you can find yourself lying awake in a dark room frustrated that sleep doesn’t come on sooner.

The fix for this issue is simple. Stop watching the tv, working on your computer, or looking at your tablet or phone at least an hour before bed. Two hours is even better.

3. Turn Down the Thermostat

When you sleep your body’s temperature naturally drops. You can help it cool faster by lowering the temperature in your room at night. This is why many people enjoy sleeping with a fan on at night. Somewhere at 67 or below is perfect for falling into a deep slumber.

Be careful to not go too cold. Temperatures below 61 can also deprive you of sleep. Especially if you wake up shivering.

4. Keep Your Room Clean

If you work in your room, it’s difficult to associate your room with sleep. You may need to train your mind to relate being in your bedroom to sleeping and nothing else. Remove any desks for work, exercise equipment, and televisions.

It also helps to keep your room clean so you don’t feel anxious thinking about everything you need to do. Declutter your room and keep it simply so there’s nothing to distract you from the job at hand, which is getting sleep. That way, when it’s time to sleep, everything is ready and waiting to take you away to far off dreams and sleep cycles.

5. Use Room Darkening Curtains

For many who try to get shuteye, outdoor lights can be a nuisance to their slumber. From headlights to streetlights, if you have lightweight curtains, you’ll be plenty aware of what’s going on outside.

Hanging room darkening curtains will work to block the light. Heavy curtains can also double to help reduce outdoor noise. Look specifically for labels that say “blackout.”

6. Have a Comfortable Bed

Mattresses weren’t made to last forever. If you’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for 10 years or more, you’re past due for a new one. As mattresses age, they lose shape. They can sag in some areas, or flatten in others.

Pillows are the same way. If you’re always trying to get your pillow just right, you may not be using the right pillow.

Purchasing a mattress might seem like a big investment, but sleep is vital to your daily functioning. Think of it like a car. You need it, and you need a reliable one. When you look at it that way, the mattress is much more affordable.

7. Make Sure It Smells Good

Your bedroom should have a pleasant scent. If it has an odor such as must, let it air out on a nice day by opening the windows. Choose your favorite mechanism for scents, whether it’s a satchel of potpourri or a stick of incense.

Essential oils are a great way to make your room smell cozy and peaceful. A diffuser is a safe alternative to a candle or plugin.

8. Keep Your Sheets Clean

It’s actually been studied and determined that people sleep better on clean sheets. Changing sheets may seem like a chore, but you can’t deny that you, too, enjoy the fresh scent and feel of crisp, clean sheets.

Using a scent booster in the washing machine can make them especially pleasant. If you time the dryer just right, on a cold winter night you can pull them out just in time to experience their inviting warmth against your skin.

9. Keep It Swept and Mopped or Vacuumed

When dust gathers in the corners of your room or under your bed, it creates the perfect environment for dust mites. These little critters can create allergy-like reactions that trigger respiratory issues including asthma.

Get under the bed every season and give it a good cleaning. Vacuum or sweep and mop your room at least once a week and make sure you get those hard to reach areas as well.

10. Keep a Regular Schedule

Your circadian rhythms prefer a regular sleep schedule. That way, your body knows what time it can start winding down. If you have to be up at 6AM every morning, then getting to bed by 10PM every evening should help you feel refreshed and renewed every morning when you wake up.

With sleep hormones and circadian rhythms working in your favor, you’d think it would be easier to just fall asleep every night. But remember, humans didn’t always have artificial light, entertainment on a backlit screen, sounds of traffic, and clutter invading their sleep space.

If you try all these tips and find you’re still struggling to sleep, it might be time to visit the doctor. You could have a sleep disorder that is treatable with a prescription. It’s not a cause for alarm, as 70 million other Americans suffer from them as well.

Sleep is a complex facet of your life, and it would behoove you to ensure you take care of this important biological function. After all, you spend more than a third of your life with your eyes closed. The best sleep starts with a clean, noise-free, light-free environment, along with a regular schedule.

For some, their sleep problems go beyond any small home adjustments.  You don’t have to battle lack of sleep alone.  call Alaska Sleep clinic today @ 907-420-0540 to speak with one of our board-certified sleep specialists.  Improve Your Sleep.  Improve Your Life.