The cold tundra of Alaska is inhabited by over 700,000 people. They live, work, play, and sleep in a subarctic climate that rarely reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit annually. The low temperatures can reach negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas.

This is why the homes are built to maintain a comfortable living environment, holding a consistent temperature year-round. Preparing an Alaskan room for sleeping is similar to preparation in other areas.

A large difference, however, is that many Alaskan bedrooms are on the second floor, as heat rises naturally.

Look at the Room, then Think Again

Many people do things in the bedroom that have nothing to do with sleep. The first step in improving sleep is to change this. When the room is reserved for sleeping only, the mind associates it with that activity.

Do not have heavy conversations here, study, work, play, or use electronic devices. Use it only for the relaxation of sleep. Light up that fireplace, let the soft glow calm the mind, and do nothing but sleep in this room. The brain will eventually be trained to shut down while in that room.

Darken the Room

Alaska has different periods of daylight than other American states due to its closer proximity to the North Pole. However, it is important to keep the room dark during times of sleep.

Purchase blackout curtains for the windows and shut the door. Some wonderful blackout curtains double as insulators against the starkly cold Alaskan winters. Use low lighting when the lights are on to remind the brain that this is the place for sleep. If the cell phone must be in the room, flip it over so the screen light is hidden.

Keep all light sources covered or turned away from the bed to avoid sleep disturbances.

Keep it Quiet and Cool

Noise must be eliminated from the bedroom, as it is the biggest culprit in preventing, or disturbing, sleep. The concept that bothers a sleeper, however, is not the noise itself, but the inconsistent sound it causes.

The brain will focus on that silence, but immediately snaps to attention in a protective manner if a noise breaks it. Purchase a sound machine to help keep external noises from breaking the silence, using the consistent white noises as a steady stream of sound.

Fans work well for white noise, and they also keep the room cool. Keeping the sleeping area cool may seem counterproductive in Alaska, but with improved, climate-controlled homes, it has become a valid point. The body cools naturally as it falls asleep, so keeping the room around 60 degrees Fahrenheit will help this process.

Change the Bed

If you’re restless, or you wake up to stiff muscles and other aches, you aren’t sleeping as well as possible. It may be time to change the bed. A bad mattress or pillow will cause tossing and turning while the body tries to find a comfortable position.

The aches and pains from the bad bed will cause exhaustion as the body spends all day in repair mode. Make sure the pillow and mattress are comfortable, and if they’re not, shop for something different.

Sleep is essential for proper brain and body function. Do not pass on excellent sleep, no matter where you live. Alaskans, call Alaska Sleep Clinic today if nothing you have tried has led to better sleep in your life.  We are ready to help you correctly diagnosis and treatment any sleep issue.