Keys to a Good Night's Sleep

Making a few understated changes in the way you use your bedroom can make getting a good night's sleep easier. Believe it or not, how you use your bedroom can have a huge effect on your ability to get restful sleep. A bedroom should be treated as a personal retreat where you can relax and chill out.

If you are a college student or single with roommates, you probably use your bedroom in other ways such as entertaining guests, studying, working and eating, in addition to sleeping. If you use your bedroom as your hangout or living space, it may be hard to mentally make the switch at bedtime that your bed is for sleep. If so, your body needs to be trained to associate the two. Do not get into bed until you are super tired and almost ready to fall asleep. If you want to read a book or watch TV, use a comfy chair or your sofa to relax in rather than sitting in bed.

There are a number of ways you can alter your surroundings to help you get a peaceful night's sleep.

Aromatherapy is calming and sleep-inducing. Place a small herb-filled sachet in your pillowcase. The fragrances from the herbs will help ease you into slumber.

Keep your bedroom quiet by blocking out background noises. Wear earplugs or listen to some soft, jazz music at a low volume. A fan, or other type of white noise, may also help you drift off to dream.

Your bedroom should be cool because this helps get your body ready for sleep. Open a window or use a fan to help drop the temperature of your room.

Fresh air is a must for a sound night's sleep. If your room is stuffy or has remnants of dinner smells, you may need some air fragrance to allow your mind to clear and settle into sleep.

If your room is close to a heavily traveled road, you should block out the traffic noise. Use heavy blinds or curtains.

Be sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable. If not, you may be suffering from back pain and non-restful sleep. Be sure to have both mattress and pillow replaced after you notice they no longer support you.

Keep your bedroom dark. If your space has distracting light, put up some heavy curtains or use an eye mask.

You may also want to buy or make a dream catcher. Legend has it that the Woodland Indians used dream catchers in their lodges near the bedroom or window. Bad dreams were caught up in the webbing and held there till first morning light and then burned off. Good dreams are caught and find their way to the center hole where they are filtered down into the feathers and held there, only to come back another night and dreamed of again.