Gina Johnson
Sleep is a period during which the brain engages in several activities that are essential for life. While a comfortable bed and bedroom are conducive to a good night's sleep, sometimes, it's helpful to get out of bed and leave the bedroom for a while. This is because staying in bed for long periods can reinforce sleeplessness, physiologically and psychologically. Our brains can become conditioned to our bedroom environments, and we may associate our beds with activities other than sleep, such as watching TV or looking at our phones. By leaving the bedroom, we can help our brains associate our bedrooms with sleep.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Stay out of the bedroom | For a minimum of 30 minutes. |
| Get back into bed | When you feel sleepy. |
| Pick a time upfront | 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes. |
| Don't obsess over the time | This can make you more anxious. |
| Exceptions to the get-out-of-bed advice | If you're on medication that makes you groggy or have balance problems, stay in bed for safety. |
| Cognitive and emotional associations | If you've associated your bed and bedroom with being awake, you might need to recondition your relationship with them. |
| Stimulus control | The bed is for sleep, and sleep is for the bed. |
| Remove other behaviors and activities | Don't do anything in bed other than sleep. |
| Get out of bed if you don't fall asleep | Get out if you're not asleep within 10-15 minutes. |
| Don't watch the clock | Estimate how long you've been awake. |
| Keep the bedroom dark | Use blackout window shades, sleep masks, or blinds/drapes that are room-darkening. |
| Minimize noise | Use earplugs or a white noise machine. |
| Electronics ban | Keep technology out of the bedroom, especially blue light-emitting devices. |
| Keep the bedroom relaxing | De-clutter, arrange furniture in a visually pleasing way, and add plants. |
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What You'll Learn
You can recondition your relationship with your bed and bedroom
It is possible to recondition your relationship with your bed and bedroom, but it requires time and patience. It takes between four to six weeks to undo old associations and build new ones.
Stimulus control
"Stimulus control" is a set of techniques that can help undo your conditioned arousal. The bed is for sleep, and sleep is for the bed. To associate your bed with sleep, you must remove all other behaviours and activities from the bed and preferably from the bedroom. Do not do anything in bed other than sleep. That includes planning for the next day, watching TV, looking at your phone, and even reading. Find a comfortable place outside the bedroom to do these activities. The only exception to this is sex.
Getting out of bed
If you can't sleep, it may help to get out of bed. Get in bed when you feel sleepy, but get out if you're not asleep within 10 to 15 minutes. Don't watch the clock; estimate how long you've been awake. You can go back to bed when you start to feel sleepy. You'll be more likely to fall asleep faster if you go to bed when you're drowsy.
Bedroom environment
Your bedroom environment can also play a role in your sleep quality. Darkness is essential for deep and restorative sleep, so minimise light sources in your bedroom by turning off or covering electronic lights. Use blackout window shades if external light is a concern, or try a sleep mask.
Noise can also affect deep sleep cycles, even if you don't remember waking. If you live in a noisy environment, try blocking out the noise with earplugs or a white noise machine.
The temperature of your bedroom also matters. Maintain an optimal sleep temperature, typically ranging from 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use air conditioning, ceiling fans, electric fans, or open windows during cooler nights.
Finally, avoid using electronic devices at night, as the stimulation and light emitted from screens can disrupt sleep.
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Darkness is vital for regulating sleep patterns
Darkness is essential for deep, restorative sleep. Light affects the brain's production of melatonin, a hormone that facilitates sleep. Darkness at night is a cue for the brain to produce melatonin, and the presence of light can disrupt this process.
Even a small amount of light can reduce melatonin levels and negatively impact sleep. Light from electronic devices, such as phones, tablets, and televisions, can be particularly disruptive. The blue light emitted by these devices can interfere with the natural production of melatonin and disrupt circadian rhythms. Therefore, it is recommended to keep technology out of the bedroom or at least turn it off an hour before bedtime.
To achieve darkness in the bedroom, it is advisable to use blackout window shades or drapes that block external light. If complete darkness is not possible, a comfortable sleep mask can be helpful. Additionally, covering or turning off small electronic lights, such as those on alarm clocks or smoke detectors, can contribute to a darker environment.
Creating a dark and relaxing sleep environment is crucial for regulating sleep patterns and promoting a good night's rest. It is important to minimize light exposure and maintain a technology-free or technology-limited space in the bedroom to support optimal sleep quality.
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Air quality directly affects sleep
Air quality has a direct impact on sleep quality and duration. Poor air quality, including air pollution and climate change, can cause sleep disturbances and negatively affect sleep. This is especially true for young adults and children, who are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution due to their developing respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems.
Studies have shown that exposure to air pollution can lead to a reduction in sleep duration and an increase in sleep disturbances. For example, a study of college students in Beijing, China, found that higher levels of air pollution were associated with insufficient sleep duration and a lack of sleep. Similarly, research on the effects of floods and forest fires has shown that individuals exposed to these events experience greater sleep disturbances and insomnia due to the trauma, fear, and depression caused by these extreme weather events.
The mechanisms by which air pollution affects sleep are not fully understood, but initial evidence suggests that it may involve the biochemical effects of pollutants on the central nervous system's regulation of sleep and changes in the physiology of the respiratory system. Fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, which are common traffic-related pollutants, can directly enter the central nervous system and cause neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation, affecting the regions that control sleep and respiration. Long-term exposure to these pollutants has been linked to cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.
Additionally, indoor air quality can also impact sleep. For example, noise pollution from televisions, neighbours, or snoring can disrupt sleep. Creating a quiet and comfortable environment, such as using earplugs or a white noise machine, can help improve sleep quality. Maintaining a cool temperature in the bedroom, typically between 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, can also enhance sleep.
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Your bedroom is your sanctuary
One of the simplest ways to optimise your bedroom for better sleep is to control the temperature. The ideal sleep temperature typically ranges from 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use air conditioning, ceiling fans, electric fans, or simply open windows to achieve this. Using cooling mattress pads and lightweight bedding can also help you stay comfortable throughout the night.
Darkness is another crucial factor for a good night's sleep. It helps regulate your circadian rhythm and sleep patterns, and even a small amount of light can disrupt your sleep. Invest in blackout window shades to keep your bedroom dark, or use a comfortable sleep mask if you prefer. Cover or turn off any electronic lights, and use tape over small lights, such as those on smoke detectors.
Noise can also impact your sleep, especially if it is inconsistent. If you are a light sleeper, consider using earplugs or a white noise machine to block out unwanted sounds and create a constant, soothing background noise.
It is also important to limit your exposure to electronic devices before bed. The blue light emitted by screens can disrupt the production of melatonin, a key hormone for sleep. Create a technology-free sleep environment by removing devices from your bedroom and establishing a dedicated space for them outside the bedroom. This may take time and patience, but it will help reinforce healthy sleep habits.
Finally, your bedroom should be a clutter-free space that brings you joy and relaxation. Arrange your furniture in a way that feels natural and visually pleasing to you. Add some plants, such as lavender or jasmine, to purify the air and create a calming atmosphere.
By following these tips and optimising your bedroom, you can create a sanctuary that promotes better sleep and enhances your overall well-being.
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Cognitive and emotional associations with the bed and bedroom can lead to conditioned arousal
Our brains are constantly building cognitive and emotional associations. For instance, you may associate the smell of freshly baked cookies with your grandmother’s kitchen and feel happy when you encounter that smell. Or, you may automatically feel fearful when you see a Chihuahua because you once got bitten by one. In both cases, you’ve been “conditioned” by past experiences to think and feel a certain way.
Since we spend so much of our lives sleeping (or trying to), we easily become conditioned to our bedroom environments. Healthy sleepers tend to associate their bedrooms with relaxation and sleep. Night after night, they get into bed and quickly doze off into restful slumber. In the morning, they wake up in bed feeling refreshed. When they enter their bedrooms, their brains automatically start shifting to sleep mode.
However, if you are an insomniac, you may have spent months, years, or even decades tossing and turning in bed. You worry about getting enough sleep and whether you will be able to function the next day. You feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. You spend more hours awake in bed than you do asleep and the bedroom becomes associated with wakefulness more than sleep. The clinical term for this is “conditioned arousal”. When asked how they feel when they picture their bedroom, insomniacs are more likely to answer “upset”, “mad”, or “helpless”.
Conditioned arousal is a type of anxiety response that gets triggered when you encounter specific cues, situations, or stimuli that remind you of a traumatic event from your past. This response can manifest in various ways, such as increased heart rate, sweating, racing thoughts, hypervigilance, and other emotional and physical symptoms that make you feel uncomfortable or frightened. It is important to note that conditioned arousal is a learned response, meaning that it is not an innate or natural reaction to the stimuli. Instead, it is a result of the brain associating the trigger with the traumatic event and creating a conditioned response.
To recondition your relationship with your bed and bedroom, you can use a set of techniques called "stimulus control". In general, it takes between 4 to 6 weeks to undo old associations and build new ones. To associate your bed with sleep, you must remove all other behaviors and activities from the bed, and preferably from the bedroom. Don’t do anything in bed other than sleep. That includes planning for the next day, watching TV, looking at your phone, and even reading. Find a comfortable place outside the bedroom to do these activities. The only exception to this is sex. Get in bed when you feel sleepy, but get back out of bed if you’re not asleep within 10 to 15 minutes.
Other tips to help you sleep better include maintaining an optimal sleep temperature in your bedroom, typically ranging from 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, creating darkness, reducing noise, and implementing an electronics ban in the hour before bedtime.
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Frequently asked questions
Cognitive and emotional associations with the bed and bedroom can lead to conditioned arousal, which explains why some people can sleep on a couch but not in a bed.
Darkness is essential for deep and restorative sleep. Minimize light sources in your bedroom by turning off or covering electronic lights.
Maintain an optimal sleep temperature in your bedroom, typically ranging from 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use air conditioning, ceiling fans, electric fans, or open windows during cooler nights.
If you can't sleep, it may help to get out of bed. You can go back to bed when you start to feel sleepy. You’ll be more likely to fall asleep faster if you go to bed when you’re drowsy.
Using electronic devices at night can interfere with both the quantity and quality of sleep. Sleep experts recommend keeping technology out of the bedroom.
