Leaving a window slightly open while you sleep this spring may actually be the key to getting the deep, restful hours of sleep you've probably been missing.
More than 40% of us aren't getting enough sleep on average, and on top of that, getting really good quality sleep is another struggle altogether. While some bedtime advice -- such as ensuring your bedroom is dark and quiet -- is becoming common knowledge, the science of sleep remains complex. Simply put, there are a lot of different reasons why you may not be sleeping well. Now that spring is open, you can fight back by doing something as simple as opening your bedroom window a few inches while you sleep.
Here are three reasons why sleeping with the windows open is a good idea.
- The ambient temperature in your bedroom matters -- and letting the cool spring air into the room can allow you to sleep better. The ambient air temperature plays a big role in setting and stabilizing your actual body temperature when you sleep. While sleeping, your body temperature drops slightly, reaching your personal "sleeping zero-point" temperature: the optimum body temp at which you will get the very best sleep possible. Too hot or too cold, and you are much more likely to wake up during the night. A temperature between 65-70 degrees and a nice comforter to cover up with is ideal. Straying far from that zone can disturb your night and even diminish the quality of your REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The arrival of mild spring weather means you can crack the bedroom window, letting in a nice breeze to help keep your bedroom cool.
- Breathing fresh air while you sleep is surprisingly good for your health. It isn't too difficult to imagine that fresh air might be nicer than the "canned air" you'd find slowly getting stale in your bedroom when the windows are closed. The spring air can carry in scents from roses, lavender, and jasmine which are natural anxiety-busters and relaxation aids -- and a deep-seated love for the smell of a fresh spring rainstorm is actually a cultural imprint all humans share. Letting in these beautiful spring smells is an aromatherapy technique that can help you feel better while you sleep, and get more out of your sleeping time. An open window lets all that goodness in for free.
- Even in a noisy place, an open bedroom window doesn't have to be disturbing. It is absolutely true that having a quiet space for sleeping is important for getting good quality sleep. However, many of us live in the middle of a city, next to a highway, or near some other source of irritating noise. There is a solution that will let you keep your window open, while still keeping your bedroom sound scape ideal for sleeping: white noise. A white noise machine on the bedside table can enable virtually anyone to sleep with the window open, without being disturbed by unwanted outside noises. White noise is featureless, flat, and even across the audible frequencies. This featureless sound is actually so bland that causes your brain to "decide" the noise is unimportant not worth paying attention to: you will automatically stop "hearing" white noise after just a few minutes as the sound fades out of your consciousness. Playing white noise to drown out any sounds that filter into your bedroom will let you sleep with the window open even in the noisiest situations.
Until next time, be safe and love your ears!
Sarah Bergman, Web Developer
Ear Plug Superstore
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