Creating an Optimal Sleep Environment

The environment in which sleep occurs can either facilitate or hinder the mental and physiologic processes involved in scheduling sleep, initiating and maintaining sleep, and achieving good-quality sleep. Aspects of the physical environment commonly associated with these functions include ambient light, sudden and/or continuous noise, temperature, tactile attributes of the sleeping surface, aromas, the presence of others, and the presence of arousing stimuli, such as electronic devices. Other aspects of the environment, including bodily, mental, and behavioral factors, also contribute to the sleep environment. In creating an optimum sleep environment, a thorough assessment of all of these factors will identify likely candidates for intervention.