New to The Sleep Environment? Start Here

The temperature, light, noise and bedding conditions of the room you sleep in.

Key takeaways

• Commonly advised bedroom temperature: around 16-19C
• Light: as dark as practical; blackout blinds for day sleepers
• Most useful single change: Make the room properly dark rather than merely dim.
• Commonest mistake: Expecting environment changes alone to treat chronic insomnia.
• See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.

Why bother

It is the part of sleep advice people fix first and the part that matters least on its own — necessary, rarely sufficient.

Start here

Two to start. There is no prize for doing all of it in week one.

• Make the room properly dark rather than merely dim
• Keep it cool; a warm room delays sleep onset

Then add these

Once the basics are in place, add these.

• Use consistent background noise if you cannot remove intermittent noise
• Move the phone charger out of the bedroom

The numbers, in one place

Common early mistakes

• Expecting environment changes alone to treat chronic insomnia
• Working or watching television in bed
• Clock-watching, which raises arousal

Where to go next

• Popular Beliefs About The Sleep Environment, and What Is Actually Published
• A Q and A on The Sleep Environment
• The Sleep Environment — the reference entry
• Sleep and Physical Health: What the Evidence Actually Says
• The Evidence on Sleep in Children, Without the Hype

When to speak to a doctor

See a GP if insomnia persists for three months or more despite these measures, or if you snore loudly and wake unrefreshed. Sleep hygiene alone performs poorly in trials for established insomnia, so it should not be the only thing you are offered.

Where this comes from

• NHS — Insomnia
• The Sleep Charity — sleep environment

How this page was put together

Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.

Medical disclaimer

This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.