I sent photos of my bed to a sleep expert — here’s how she said she could make it more comfortable

I’m not a morning or evening person. I’m…a sleeping person. As part of this identity, I take my eight hours a night seriously. I have some great sleep habits: magnesium before bed, no TV in the bedroom, and I’m very good at sticking to a set bedtime even on weekends.

But even as a sleep enthusiast, I’m definitely falling short in some ways. The elephant in the room is my dog ​​and my husband’s dog in the bed, something sleep experts don’t usually recommend. But, to me, this is non-negotiable: Our beautiful Boston Terrier is 16 years old and blind, and would spend the night searching all over the house for us if he wasn’t sandwiched between us. We are committed to giving our sweet boy the best extra years of warmth, and we even have a little bumper at the bottom of the bed so he doesn’t accidentally wander off.

Something I want to work on is reducing screen time before bed because I know that the blue light my screen emits when I play Wordle, scroll through TikTok, and check my email can disrupt my circadian rhythm.

I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions (they feel too punishing), but I find the end of winter to be the perfect time to make a resolution to get more comfortable and sleep better. With that in mind, I sent a photo of my bedroom to sleep expert, Dr. Leah Caylor, a licensed clinical and medical psychologist who specializes in sleep. She has a book coming out later this year about sleep for first responders with an entire chapter dedicated to how to create a sleep haven.

Looking at photos of my current bed setup, Kaylor shared an overall positive thought: “First and foremost, your bedroom looks very calm and tidy — great job! A neat and organized space can help create a feeling of calm and order, which reduces mental stress,” she says. Caylor: We keep our bedroom very tidy, which is great for sleep because it helps maintain a calm environment.

However, she does have some suggestions on how to make our bedroom more comfortable and sleep-friendly — and as a certified sleep nerd, I’m listening.

When offering general tips on how to create a sleeping space, Caylor highly recommends keeping anything work-related out of your bedroom if possible. “This is important for sleep quality, because it helps set clear boundaries between work and rest, allowing the bedroom to be a true haven of relaxation,” she says.

This is where I’ll tell myself: The photo I took of our bedroom was taken in the middle of the day when there were no signs of anything work related in my room. But sometimes, I just lie in bed with my laptop and make my to-do lists for the next day or catch up on some emails. I’m lucky to have a home office, which is where I do all my deep, focused work, but I’ve definitely noticed that on nights when I leave my work in my bedroom, I don’t feel as relaxed.

According to Kaylor, research suggests that the ideal temperature for sleeping is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but of course personal preferences vary, so she recommends choosing what feels comfortable.

I get hot at night, and my husband shiveres if he’s not under a pile of blankets. Opposites attract, right? I checked this out on Kaylor and loved some of her suggestions on how to fix our bed. The first thing she recommends is a gadget called the Eight Sleep Pod, which is a layer that wraps around your mattress like a fitted sheet and can heat and cool the bed.

“What’s great about it is that each side has its own temperature control, so you and your partner can enjoy the perfect sleeping conditions,” she says. Technology is an investment. The two-zone Pod 4 costs about $2,600. It’s something that definitely interests me, and we’ll have to consider whether it’s worth the investment.

But, in the meantime, Kaylor has a budget-friendly recommendation for resolving our temperature differences: Try the Scandinavian Sleep Method. “This method involves using two separate comforters or duvets on the same bed, rather than sharing one blanket,” she explains. “Each partner can choose a duvet that matches their preferred temperature – one person can choose a lighter blanket, while the other chooses a heavier or warmer blanket.”

Bonus: By using separate duvets, there’s less chance of one partner annoying the other by pulling or pinching the blankets.

Nowadays, we use our phones as alarm clocks. But I told Kaylor that I prefer waking up with natural light while my husband likes the bedroom to be as dark as possible. I suggested adding a diplomatic solution to my nightstand: a sunrise alarm clock.

“Unlike loud, annoying alarm clocks, a sunrise hour gradually eases you out of sleep, helping you feel refreshed and less tired,” she says. “It’s especially useful during the dark months or for early risers.” Although you can find more expensive versions, sunrise clocks can be very affordable (starting at around $25), and some clocks or lamps include sunset features to help you wind down in the evening.

Before Mocha Mousse was named Pantone’s “Color of the Year,” we used a duvet in the same shade, with blue-gray accent pillows and blankets and taupe sheets. I tend to gravitate towards neutral colors in the bedroom and love more color in the other rooms of the house.

We moved into our new house over the summer and haven’t painted any walls yet, but if we go that route, Caylor recommends painting the bedroom walls in calming colors to help you create the right space for sleep. She is among the experts who prefer soothing shades for bedrooms such as soft blue, green or gray that promote relaxation.