For the past few weeks, we've explored topics on sleep. Why? Simply because we are strong believers in the fact that pillows play a large role in getting successful nights of rest. We've highlighted the best pillows for good rest, the benefits of sleep for overall well-being and pillows for hot vs. cold sleepers. Something we've yet to delve into, though, are the things that set healthy sleepers apart from unhealthy sleepers. Let's shed some light on the top five things healthy people don't keep in their bedrooms.

1) TVS & Tablets:
Yup, we said it. Electronics are a no go for sleeping well. This means your TV and tablets should find nightly homes in a separate room. We get it, chilling in bed with Netflix is a great way to wind down after a busy day at work… but it’s really not the best way to ensure a deep, restful night of sleep. Sorry to say though, the bottom line is that the artificial lighting that comes from screens screens isn’t advantageous for good rest. The false lighting sends signals to your brain that inhibits your body’s natural melatonin production and can negatively impact your ability to settle down for the evening.

2) Cell Phones
As with other electronic screens, keeping your phone on hand during your sleep time is just not a good plan. We can almost hear it now: “But I need it!” And we get it. The arguments for keeping phones in the bedroom are generally valid with statements like, “My phone is my alarm” or “What if there’s an emergency?” being the most common. We’ve discovered that while these are valid reasons to keep the room in the bedroom, it is best to keep it across the room, a bit out of the way from constant earshot. Not only does this prevent you from awakening as it lights up with constant notifications, maintaining some distance also gives your brain time to calm down before shut-eye. There’s usually a temptation to scroll before bed and while that can seem relaxing and like a mindless task, it’s actually stimulating your brain and causing it to engage at an active level it shouldn’t be engaging in before bed. So, our tip is to keep the phone within ear shot for alarms and emergencies, but not close enough to mindlessly scroll.

3) Nightstand Clutter
Nightstands become the catch all in most bedrooms. From water cups and chapstick to books and magazines, the clutter can happen quickly and without much warning. While you might not realize it, clutter truly affects the brain’s ability to rest well. According to PsychologyToday, “Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important… [it] makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally, [it] constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done, [and it] inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brain storm, and problem solve.” Clutter and excess mess is, plain and simple, not good for our overall well-being and not good rest

4) Work or School Related Reading
Sometimes studying or working on a deadline from the comfort of your own bed sounds appealing, but it’s also something that should be avoided for the sake of good rest. Your bedroom should be your ultimate refuge and place of rest, and bringing work related tasks into that space is a sure-tell way to cause your brain to engage in far from restful ways

5) Food & Midnight Snack-a-Roos 
Sure, breakfast in bed is a fun treat once in a while, but eating in bed at night is a definite no-no. Like screen time or work-reading, eating in the room that is supposed to signal rest and rejuvenation is not a good plan. According to Food & Wine and clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Brustein put it, “In terms of conditioning, you want to have your bed trigger sleep and not multiple stimuli… so from a sleep-hygiene perspective, it’s best to keep your sleeping quarters just for sleeping.”


Even if you don't remove all of these from your bedroom right off the bat, we encourage you to start slow and remove one category at a time. While there are a handful of additional items and things that are best to keep out of the bedroom to encourage deep rest, if you eliminate these top five items you're sure to create a positive shift in your overall rest, health, and well-being.