The Only Two Things You Should Be Doing In Bed
It’s the cardinal rule of the bedroom – the bedroom is for things that are comfortable and calming. The more cluttered and distracted you can become, the harder it is to sleep. Some people use it as an office, gym, or a second TV room, and then expect to just be able to switch off the lights and go to sleep – but the brain doesn’t work that way.
What is the bedroom for? Sleep and closeness. That’s it
One should consider how closeness affects their personal energy levels. Some people after making love are left feeling energized rather than relaxed. If you notice this happens to you or your partner, maybe consider changing the time for love-making is initiated to earlier evening or even morning, which will give you time to unwind afterwards and benefit from the additional energy boost.
If you have a TV in your bedroom, remove it. It’s difficult to remove once you have it, but it’s the most popular sleep disturbance in American bedrooms. Along these lines, you should also eliminate paperwork, exercise equipment, and computers — pretty much anything that reminds you of other things you could or should be doing rather than sleeping. Yes, this includes books. Sure, lots of people will turn to a book to help them fall asleep, but the reality is that it will keep your brain stimulated and that’s not what you need before you fall asleep – you need to wind down.
If you need an alarm, put it somewhere out of sight or put a cover over it. Not only can the light emitting from it be distracting, but it can also be a source of anxiety. You’re lying in bed and the clock says midnight, then you start calculating what time you need to be awake in the morning and how much sleep you can get between now and then and will it be enough? Relax. Everything will be okay. Sleep isn’t necessarily about the amount of time you spend doing it, but the quality of it.
Speaking of distractions, it may be necessary to close the bedroom door to guard against noise or other distractions from fellow housemates and pets. Even if you’re not allergic to cats, it can aggravate your other allergies. The Mayo Clinic reported that 53% of pet owners have disturbed sleep on a nightly basis from sharing a bed with an animal or getting up to let it out.
We are not saying you should get rid of Fluffy or Fido, just walk them before bed and make sure they have another comfortable place to sleep that is not your bed.
Deepak Chopra says that the best way to improve one’s sleep quality is to be very active in the daylight hours – both physically and mentally. Also, keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and cool. Allow yourself time to wind down before bed, and time to relax into sleep, before trying to augment your sleeping schedule with pills or anything else – a simple change in routine may be all you need.
