Sleep is one of the best things in the world, not to mention one of the most important. Getting proper, consistent sleep can help with stress levels, exercise routines, and even weight loss. Plus, if you go too long without sleep, it can be really bad for your health.
In a new apartment, it can be challenging to get a great night’s sleep in such a foreign environment. It takes time to get used to your new home. However, there are steps you can take to immediately improve your sleep.
Stay Active
If you like to exercise, you probably already know that getting great sleep leads to better workouts, reduced soreness, and improved results. Experts recommend between 7-9 hours of sleep, especially for those with even moderate exercise routines.
Luckily, staying active in any sort of way also leads to better sleep, creating a self-fulfilling cycle. If you’re getting routine exercise, even by simply taking a 2-4 mile walk in the morning or evening, your body will be much more inclined to naturally fall asleep, and you’ll find yourself ready to go to bed when it’s time.
Reduce Light
Everyone is different; some people enjoy waking up to the natural light of the sun entering their bedroom, while others prefer a cavernous dark room, allowing them to wake up at their own pace. No matter which way you like to rise, darkness is excellent for sleep throughout the night and when sleeping in after a late night.
Human beings naturally need darkness to sleep well, which makes a lot of sense. The first step to take if you’re having trouble with light is to keep your blinds closed as well as put up dark curtains – even of the blackout variety if you want to take it to the next level. This prevents outside light from entering the room, but what about interior light? With technology on the rise, it’s also crucial to make sure there aren’t a bunch of small but powerful LEDs keeping you up in your bedroom, so cover them with sticky notes or binder reinforcement stickers.
(pro-tip: if you don’t want to go to the trouble of installing curtains, an eye mask can often do the trick.)
Reduce Noise
If the first pillar of human sleep is darkness, the second is silence or something like it. For many, total silence is actually a deterrent to slumber, so the real goal should be to reduce random sounds throughout the room and area.
In an apartment, if you’re trying to go to bed early or sleep in, noise can be an issue, even in the most well-built places, simply because other people are always moving around, and they’re unpredictable. One of the best ways to alleviate this problem is the purchase a white noise machine, which can drown out extraneous sounds and create a consistent base of noise throughout your bedroom. If you don’t feel like buying some sort of machine, most smartphones offer cheap and even free apps that do similar things.
Know Your Surroundings
This one starts by meeting your neighbors, which can make it easier to politely ask people around you to keep it down or find out what is making certain sounds (for example, someone blasting music at 2 o’clock in the morning). Making friends with those in your building, particularly those next door, can pay off hugely.
Also, before moving into your new place, you should check to see if there’s anything nearby that could cause sleep problems, such as railroad tracks or a hospital. These aren’t dealbreakers, but it’s good to know beforehand so you can remain prepared.
Make Your Bedroom Great
Along with your surroundings outside the apartment, you should also focus on the actual bedroom. You don’t need to break the bank or anything, but creating a calm, relaxing environment goes a long way toward great sleep in the bedroom.
From better pillows, mattresses, and bedspread, to other elements in the room such as candles or dimmed lighting, one way to improve your sleep is by making your bedroom a place that makes you want to use it for bed. Also, research has shown that those who spend a significant chunk of time in bed for activities other than sleeping like working or watching TV may have a harder time going to sleep.
Try Other Remedies
We don’t recommend taking sleeping pills without consulting your doctor, but there are plenty of other home remedies that are said to provide a healthy sleep. One place to start is by drinking a glass of tea an hour before bed, or less.
You could also try essential oils in a diffuser such as lavender and peppermint which can relax and soothe before bed, as well as natural supplements like melatonin.
Build a Routine
One of the most important ways to achieve consistent, healthy slumber is by creating a routine that you follow almost all the time. Whether it’s as simple as getting in bed at the same time or as complex as a soothing bath and a glass of tea, simply doing the same thing every night tells your body that the specific time is when you go to sleep.
If you’d like to learn more about our fantastic apartments like our Tulsa Woodland Hills location, please contact us at 405-360-0445! Or if you’d like more storage and cleaning tips, read the rest of our blog.
Recent Comments