5 Ways to Make Your Room Sleep-Friendly

Woman sleeping while wearing Fitbit tracker

Good sleep habits have been linked to better weight control and improved mood. Plus, getting enough shut-eye gives you the energy you need to get up and get active. Want to improve your time in the sack? Here are five ways to make your room more sleep-friendly.

Adjust the Thermostat

Try lowering the temperature in your room. Studies have shown being too warm can disrupt your sleep, and a cool room and comfortable bed are ideal.

Turn down the lights

It’s probably a no-brainer that you should turn off the lights before you go to sleep, but turning them down as you get ready for sleep or start winding down for the night is also a good idea. Keeping the lights on tricks your body into thinking it’s still daytime, so by keeping things dim you’ll start producing more melatonin.

De-clutter

Having too much extra stuff around can be stressful. So cut down on your stress by removing excess clutter from your bedroom. Bonus points if you take the time to dust in all those places you haven’t seen in awhile.

Change your sheets

Studies show people are more excited to go to sleep when they have fresh, clean bed linens. Wash your sheets at least once a week to keep them fresh.

Create a sleep-only zone 

Being in bed tells your body that it’s time for sleep. But if you spend time in your bed doing other activities like reading or browsing the internet during the day, that natural mechanism won’t work as well.

How do you keep your room sleep-friendly? Join the conversation below.

123 Comments   Join the Conversation

123 CommentsLeave a comment

  • My goal is now 8 hrs. I am forcing myself to go to bed earlier & its working. I am 68 and had a brain injury. Healing now. Sleep is great

    • Well , I walk least 8-10 miles a day plus got a personal trainer twice a week ! I still only manage around 5.5 hrs per day .

      • I also get anywhere between 5-6 hours of sleep. All my life it’s been like that. (50) Could that be our regular norm.?

        • The amount of sleep people need is not a exact science and it probably won’t ever. although I’m sure that 5-6 hours isn’t that good I don’t think that you need 8 hours and if you want more sleep that’s good but you don’t need 8 hours a night

      • I am the same Billy, no personal trainer, but work hard outside in the garden or walking…..still no difference in hours asleep.

      • Yes exercise didn’t work for me either. Removing all caffeinated drinks even decaf for two weeks is what did the trick and removing most of my supplements, especially naturopathic thyroid medication

    • So with you! I’m turning 68 in October. I consider a successful night when I unplug from it all!!! Have a Fitbit setting to remind me if the commitment w myself. Sleeping is so healing and empowering!

    • How accurate would you say the data is in regards to tracking sleep?!

      2 years ago I could sleep 6-7 hours sleep and no interruptions now I’m lucky to get 30-40 mins without being restless and sleep for a total of 3-4 hours and the rest is made out of restless sleep.

      • That’s where I am as well. On the weekend I can be in bed for 10 hours and all the little sleep pieces added together only add up to 4-5 hours. Week nights it might be only 2-3. I bought the Fitbit to track sleep. Too damn tired to exercise.

        • You should try push yourself anyway at its the omly way you will get proper sleep beeing up your awake- try walking an other divided to to 30 min and som damcinf and house chorees – swim and stretch full body – hope for better sleep for ta

      • Same with me. 2 years ago I had 9 hours of sleep now I barely get 4. Does anybody thinks this sleep tracker is acurate??

      • Katie my girlfriend brought me some black out blinds you stick them on to window I just cannot believe how much better I sleep with the room dark and the fan on low curtains drown and I brought a temper mattress not cheap but worth every dollar and now I am getting 6to 7hr sleep a night I get home 3am and I just sleep so good and the big one is I cut right back on my coffee intake a few changes and I sleep well

    • I agree. It shows me sleeping when just relaxing or reading. I don’t get accurate readings at all.

    • I’ve noticed that telling it to log your sleep gives you the old type of log.

      The new type of log is interesting but it frequently makes mistakes either shorting me sleep hours I know I got or giving me too much if I was lying still while trying to get to sleep.

    • I’m not liking the new version either. I’ve called the fitbit customer service line a couple of times in regards to it. They told me it to hit the begin sleep button on the app and just let the Fitbit device recognize your sleeping. It worked for a while but it started not loging my sleep correctly the last couple of nights. I guess I’ll be calling them again.

  • Hi…
    The Best Way for Me to Fall asleep, is to listen to A story. I turn the Sound Down so I hardly Can heat it. I Fall asleep within 10 min.

    • I also enjoy listening to a book while waiting to fall asleep. It helps keep me in bed while waiting for sleep to arrive. Otherwise I get restless and want to get back up.

  • I have trouble getting the sleep information to come up every day. I tap on it different places, after sehile it comes up; but I never know what I did that eventually makes it show up.

    • I’ve managed to fix this issue, when you’re on the home screen in the FitBit app swipe the screen down until your phone starts syncing with your FitBit. Sometimes I have to do this a few times but in the end it always works!

  • I take natural herb One each night have a fan gong I’m still restless go to bed at a regular time I wear ear plugs
    Somebody snores (hubby) that’s help some But just never been a 8hr a night sleeper
    Sadly my granddaughter is the same as me she will be 17 this year

    • My husband got a mouth guard that eliminates his snoring! Go to sleeping isntsexy.com and print out all the reasons he should eliminate his snoring. He can go to the dentist and they will fit him.

  • Yes, the sleep registration is wonky. Sometimes I have to close and open my app to make it register or try to add a sleep log and wait for it to tell me that there is already a sleep log for that time. Also, I hate the new interface because I can’t see how activity and sleep impact each other because sleep doesn’t change in the stats.

    Finally, my sleep tip is to get one of the lights that is dimmable and programmable for color through your smart phone. You can get them for under $30. With it, I can avoid blue light and adjust the intensity — I like red before sleep. It really switches the brain into a new mood.

    • I’ve managed to fix this issue, when you’re on the home screen in the FitBit app swipe the screen down until your phone starts syncing with your FitBit. Sometimes I have to do this a few times but in the end it always works!

      • Mine takes less than a minute to sync, but if you’re in a hurry you can pull it down. Also, I find my sleep tracker to be pretty accurate. One night I had trouble with it and then tightened the band a notch and wear it two fingers above my wrist bone and it works great now.

      • Yes it inhibits production of melatonin. That’s why screens should be off completely. I face my phone down between two cushions two hours before trying to sleep, use a ‘sleep’ book; no Stephen King! Then have the room dark and cool. Have gone from 2-4 hours interrupted to 8-9 hours of sleep. Room dark and cool. I’m in my sixties

  • I have found reducing alcohol, walking in my local woods in fine weather, sleeping in a room with blackout curtains and not thinking about the next day until the day dawns really helps

  • Sleeping at an older age brings a whole new realm of difficulty with many different factors. If I awake during night, I deep breathe but if that does not work, I turn on the tv which is supposed to hurt sleep but it helps divert the mind and helps me quit thinking and fall back asleep.

    • I’m the same I need to watch a bit of tv in bed and it has to be something I’m interested in that i want to see the end of but fall asleep with glasses on
      If it’s something I don’t care about, I stay awake
      Weird

  • Sleep – Blinds that darken the room, no electronics 1/2 before bed time, air purifier for white noise, fan in the summer for those hot days, exercise. Five drops of Melatonin under the tongue if I’m having sleeping issues.

  • I use a wake up light alarm clock to help me get up in the morning by mimicking natural sunrise. Also I use guided meditation soundtracks to help get to bed which works very well for me & have noticed I sleep better when I do as opposed to having my TV on. Michael Sealey has the best guided meditation I’ve found so far & you can just listen to it off YouTube!

    • My wife has a mindfulness app which we sometimes listen to together, doesn’t always work but can help us nod off. At the end it asks you to count backwards from 1000.

  • I have not had a problem sleeping since I started wearing a sleep mask every night. I tried several kinds before I found one that I really liked, but I never go to bed without one. You don’t have to worry about blackout curtains, small lights on electronics, or if someone else in the house needs a night light. Really works for me!

  • I like the sleep tracker. Not exactly accurate but helps track down my wobbly sleep pattern to quite an extent. I like to sleep more soundly so I’m reading various comments and find out various points of view. But I’d caution- to each his own.

  • I agree with many of the comments on here about the sleep accuracy in the updated app.
    It seems that the new app is much more sensitive to any movement and that delays it registering the onset of sleep

  • I like the new sleep app!
    Also doing yoga before bed helps me!
    If I do wake up during the night and can’t get back to sleep, I get up and go read in another room until I’m tired and then go right back to sleep!

  • What helps me go to sleep is always reading and watching Netflix for a while. Reading after watching Netflix helps instead of the opposite of that

  • To help me sleep is to read and watch Netflix for awhile. I like to watch Netflix then read because studies show that reading calms you and makes you tired faster then watching TV. A good book will help you sleep really fast.

    • I installed a dimmer switch for my bathroom light. If I have to get up to use the bathroom, I just barely turn it on so I can stay sleepy. Another trick I use is that I only open one eye when I get up to pee. That way, when I turn the light off, I can open my other eye and still have good night vision to make my way back to bed.

      As far as sleep goes, I started wearing a sleep mask to help with dry eyes, and it helps me sleep so much more soundly! I tried 4 or 5 different styles over six months before I found one I really liked, but it’s a must-have for me now. It also helps me to get right back to sleep after I get up, because it keeps my eyes closed. I prefer having a fan on, but I could never do it until now because it would dry my eyes out. Life-changer!

  • I started struggling with sleep post menapause. Waking up every hour.
    Tried meds for 10 months.
    Never again. Now regular bedtime, don’t eat after 8, cool room, no TV. I take magnesium and evening primrrose. One for muscle relaxation and the other for Hot Flashes. Get up early. Regular schedule tellls mind and body time to sleep.

  • I had my thyroid removed 3 years ago and ever since I have not slept so well and trying to keep my weight down is a lot harder although I go to the gym 5 times a week. Alcohol does not help my sleep

  • I agree with everything except for not reading in bed. I don’t agree with that because that is the only way I can go to sleep. I know everyone is different but it’s relaxing and it distracts my mind. I have a lot of anxiety and sleep issues and reading before bed has changed my life. It really helps me.

  • Guided sleep meditation called cutting the cords if anxiousness. This will put into a sleep state quickly.

  • I always put my AC on in my room because I like it cold. My room usually gets to 59 degrees Fahrenheit by Morning.

  • I listen to audiobooks and set a sleep timer to stop, after a short time. I never stay awake for more than about five minutes. When I watched TV or read, I found it difficult to fall asleep quickly.

    • I enjoy reading or listening to my local Christian radio station until my eyelids begin to feel heavy and sleep just washes over me. I always have my ceiling fan on and have an analog clock that ticks. I usually prop myself up to read, but once I am done with my chapter I lower my pillow down to a flat position; better for sleeping.

  • Being 65 and coming from a large family I have trouble staying asleep. Fitbit helps me. I especially like the rest and deep breathe mode to relax

  • My husband will not let me turn the air down for bed. Its 76 degrees I like 71 degrees to sleep. Awake all night because I am hot. Anyone else have this trouble or advise

    • Try an electric blanket with dual controls or a twin size on just his side of the bed. You can leave your side off; turn his on ten minutes before bed and lower the thermostat at bedtime. If he’s nice and toasty, he shouldn’t notice the cooler ambient air.

  • How about tips for shift workers as I am a nurse and as I have gotten older I find after working the night shift (22:45 – 07:15hrs) or the late shifts (14:00 – 23:00hrs) it is really difficult to switch off at night and go to sleep at all some nights. There are many shift workers out there who also experience sleep difficulties. It feels like I live with chronic sleep deprivation!

    • I have that problem with alarm clock lights. I have one that projects onto the ceiling and I put a sunglasses lense over the projector light at night to dim it.

  • I completely agree with all of these sleep tips. I notice that when all of these are in the groove I feel more rested and my heart rate is lower.

  • Seems to be lots of comments on the new sleep measurement application…. I like it and find it very accurate and reliable. I depend on it.

  • When I can’t sleep (have restless leg syndrome) I get up and do odd chores. Emptying dishwasher or crosswords until I feel calmer it sometimes works. Any tips for restless legs. I take magnesium.

  • I have multiple psychiatric diagnoses and have also had a sleep disorder as well. There were years where I got very little sleep often going 6-7 days with none, it was claimed that I probably only felt like I got no sleep but I was probably getting more than I thought, until I would point out that I had not been to bed that whole time, but I can also remember years when I was grumpy if I didn’t get 12 hours, 14 was just right. Now I have developed PTSD and nightmares are very common and it’s always interesting to look at the time it says I spent in REM sleep, on a bad night it can reach 35 % whereas a good night often gives a reading of 7%. One of my problems is I still go long periods without sleep followed by many hours sleeping and it often fails to record these sleep periods but I have an iPad Pro and it often goes a long time before syncing, sometimes it shows up eventually but often nothing but I think the number of hours is often more than it can handle as my last reading had me at 18.5 hours, but it also said I was awake a bunch of times for a total of over 3.5 hours. I find it very annoying when I have been crashed for a total in excess of 24 hours and no report, the excess number may be the problem. This function wasn’t available when I purchased my Fitbit charge 2, and initially I thought it was useless until they added the sleep stages and graphs, which I didn’t trust but with time have found quite accurate, but you have to remain motionless for an hour to trigger it, but often I find I took a nap I wasn’t aware of really or at least not that it was 90 minutes but of course that isn’t long enough for sleep stages, but lying motionless in bed can also make awake hours read as asleep. Overall I am surprisingly surprised how much I value this function as it wasn’t really part of the reason for my purchase decision, but that has changed as it’s often very reflective of how my ptsd affects me, when I am sleeping, too bad it misses some of the really long ones, and they typically involve the use of a sleeping pill and it’s very long acting, of course they affect your sleep patterns just by their use. There have been some problems after a firmware upgrade or even one to the iOS app, but usually temporary, and during the holidays a Fitbit Charge 2 was selling for $150 Canadian. Overall I would give it a high rating considering all the other functions it performs, I am thinking of using the food intake function soon.

  • I keep getting simplified sleep details. I follow the advice on how to wear device but it makes no difference. I’ve just had a whole week of this. When I do get good results it’s for maybe 4 to5 nights in a row then it goes back to simplified again

  • How about your partner snoring? I move to another room but sometimes have a hard time falling back asleep…

  • Hi I’m on nights a lot and now I’m older I’m finding that after my shifts I’m always tired and the afternoons are spent asleep for a couple of hours and then at night I can’t sleep just getting slightly frustrated now tried to ask for days but no one will change

  • I like to go in a very uncomfortable place any time I’m doing something like reading or using my phone (on night shift mode) if it’s late out. You will go from a tight uncomfortable to a larg very comfortable bed. I find this makes me sleepy but that might just be me

  • Add smell to things that interrupt your sleep. We have a nearby farm and the liquid manures is enough to wake me out of a sound sleep in the warmer months. Skunks can do it too.

  • I have used a homeopathic remedy called Coffea. It stops you thinking and worrying in the night. Those people who decry homeopathy should just try it. I have heard doctors saying it should be banned a) because it’s nothing but water and b) because it’s harmful. Not a scrap of logic to that. Only harmful if used instead of prescribed allopathic medication. Lots of others work too but the whole point is that different things work for different people. We aren’t all the same. There are those who say it’s no good because clinical trials can’t be made. They can’t be made for insulin either. Go figure.

  • I read another article about only sleeping in your bed so your body knows to sleep when you’re in your bed.

  • This is great information. Went to the doctor last week because I have been irritated lately and haven’t been getting very good sleep. She’s going to have me tested for sleep apnea.

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