Hey, You! Stop Reading In Bed!

Think quitting electronics a half hour or more before bedtime will improve your sleep? Chances are, it will.

But before you crawl into bed with a book, consider repositioning your reading. Yes, a book can be a great way to unwind and end your pre-sleep smartphone dependency, but it’s best to enjoy that tale away from the bedroom — and definitely away from the bed.

By ONLY using the bed for sleep (and, er, some partner-based extracurriculars), we condition our bodies and minds to associate it with sleep. Anything else — watching Netflix, talking on the phone, even something as harmless sounding as reading — reduces the power of this restful association.

I highly recommend winding down before bed with a good book, in-person conversation with a loved one or roommate, or even some tidying around the house. But get those non-sleep activities (at least most of them; see above) away from the bed in order to get to sleep faster and sleep more restfully through the night.

Caitlyn

Having written hundreds of articles on SupplementYourSleep.com, Caitlyn knows what she's talking about when it comes to getting the best night's sleep. When not sleeping, reading about sleep, or writing about sleep, you can usually find her at the gym. Want to get in touch? The best way is to leave a comment on one of her articles.