Setting the mood.
When you go out on the town, you dress up. When you celebrate a holiday at home, you decorate. When the theater puts on a play, they create a set. There are many ways to set the mood, and your sleep deserves the same consideration.
Have you really looked at your bedroom recently? Is it sleep-conducive? Is it dark enough? Is it too hot? Are there project piles on your bed? Do you get out of bed for water in the middle of the night?
What can I do?
Make your sleeping quarters a haven for restfulness.
- Make it inviting - maybe that's soft sheets, a good pillow, or a pretty comforter. Make your bed something you want to be in.
- Make it exclusive - there are only a few bed-appropriate activities. Sleep is the main one. Working on your laptop doesn't make the cut. Don't do those extraneous things in your bed. Turn off the phone and text notifications at bedtime. Make sure that your body goes to bed knowing that rest comes soon.
- Make it sleep-inducing - make it dark (you might need light-blocking curtains), make it cool (65 - 72 degrees Fahrenheit, adjusted to your preferences), make it quiet (do you need a soothing noise generator?)
- Make it easy - whatever gets you up at night, create ways to minimize these when possible. Bring water to the bedside table so you don't have to get up, keep a notebook handy to jot down those urgent thoughts that you're worried you'll forget.
The Sleep Foundation offers an array of sensory-focused options as well. Create the mood and you'll see a sleep improvement soon.