Optimize your bedroom for sleep

Make your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Block outside light with blackout curtains or a sleep mask, reduce noise with earplugs or a white noise machine, and set the thermostat to 60-67F (15-19C).

Why It Works

Your body needs a drop in core temperature to initiate and maintain sleep. A cool room (60-67F) supports this process. Darkness triggers melatonin production from the pineal gland, while noise disrupts sleep even when it does not fully wake you, reducing time spent in restorative deep sleep stages. The National Sleep Foundation identifies these three environmental factors as the most impactful controllable variables for sleep quality.

Tips

• Even small amounts of light from LEDs or chargers can suppress melatonin; cover or remove them
• White noise or fan noise is more effective than silence for many people because it masks sudden sounds
• Reserve the bed for sleep only, not work or screen time, to strengthen the mental association
• Breathable bedding materials (cotton, linen) help with temperature regulation