37. 10 Physician-Approved Guidelines for Optimizing Your Sleep Environment

If you're struggling to fall asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, or feeling groggy in the morning, the problem might not be you—it might be your sleep environment. Most people don't realize just how much their bedroom setup impacts sleep quality. In this episode of Xtend, I'm breaking down exactly how you can optimize your space to promote deep, restorative sleep. Your bedroom should mimic the ideal sleep conditions humans evolved with—a cool, dark, and quiet environment. That's why in today's episode of Extend, I'll be sharing 10 key changes you can make to transform your sleep environment. Your bedroom should be your sanctuary for sleep, and small changes can lead to huge benefits in energy, focus, and long-term health. Tune in as I share practical, science-backed strategies to optimize your sleep setup so you can wake up truly restored. What's Discussed: Eliminating light exposure (hint: blackout curtains and sleep masks are game-changers) Removing clocks and charging your phone outside the bedroom Cooling your room to the ideal sleep temperature Decluttering for a stress-free sleep space Using white noise or earplugs to block out disruptions Investing in a supportive mattress and pillow Choosing the right sleepwear and sleep position for optimal rest Addressing snoring and potential sleep apnea risks Creating separate sleep spaces for pets—and maybe even your partner Using sleep tracking tools to measure improvements Learn more about Dr. Shah: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/ Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Products Mentioned: Eight Sleep Cooling Matress Pad: https://www.eightsleep.com/ The Snore Lab App: https://www.snorelab.com/ The Smart Nova Pillow: https://www.smartnora.com/

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:03Dr. Darshan Shah?

  Welcome to Extend with me, Dr. Darshan Shah, a podcast dedicated to cutting-edge science, research, tools, and protocols designed to help you extend your health span. Having become one of the youngest doctors in the country at the age of 21, and trained and board-certified at the Mayo Clinic, I've accumulated three decades of practice as a board-certified surgeon and longevity expert. Over that time, I've discovered that a mere 20% of health knowledge yields 80% of the results when it comes to your health span. We're living in a new era where we are creating a new healthcare system, no longer focused on disease management, but achieving optimal health and vitality. Join me as I interview world-renowned experts, offering you a step-by-step guide to proactively avoid disease, and most importantly, extend your health span.

• 0:48Dr. Darshan Shah?

  If you're struggling to fall asleep, you're waking up in the middle of the night, or you're feeling groggy in the morning, the problem might not be you. It might actually be your environment or your sleep environment. Most people don't realize how much their bedroom impacts their sleep quality. Today, I'm going to talk about exactly how you can transform your sleep space into a haven for deep restorative sleep. Let's get into it. So, your bedroom should mimic the conditions that human bodies have evolved to sleep in. A cool, dark, and quiet cave, just like our caveman ancestors slept in. When you optimize along these three elements, the temperature, the light, and the sounds, your brain produces more melatonin, your sleep cycles improve, and you wake up feeling more refreshed.

• 1:33Dr. Darshan Shah?

  So, let's review 10 key factors that everyone can do to optimize their sleep environment. Number one, eliminating light. Total darkness is the key. Even small amounts of light can suppress melatonin secretion. This is a hormone that's responsible for sleep that's secreted by one of the glands in your brain, called the pineal gland. The hormone melatonin, believe it or not, is actually made from serotonin, which in turn is made from tryptophan, which comes from protein-rich foods. The secretion of melatonin is actually blocked when light hits your retina and signals your brain that it's not time to go to sleep yet. Specifically, blue Blue lights and blue lights are found in TV screens, but most frequently nowadays is

• 2:15Dr. Darshan Shah?

  coming from our cell phones. And so even putting your cellphone on what's called dark mode can still block the release of melatonin. So here's some action steps to get absolute blackout in your sleep environment. Number one, get some blackout curtains to block the outside light. If this is a problem, blackout curtains can work really well when you don't have control of the light immediately outside your bedroom. Number two, cover any small lights and electronics with black electrical tape. Say your TV has a small red light on it. It's worth covering it with black electrical tape because even that small amount of light can suppress melatonin release. And lastly, a sure proof method is to find a very comfortable,

• 2:55Dr. Darshan Shah?

  high quality sleep mask to wear all night long so that no light can sneak in. Number two, you want to remove digital clocks from your sleep environment area and also charge your phone elsewhere. Many people don't realize it, but you actually don't need a clock to wake up in the morning. Once your body starts adapting to natural sleep rhythms, not only can staring at the light of a clock at nighttime suppress melatonin release, it adds increased stress, making it harder to fall back asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night. Many people charge their phone next to their bed at nighttime. If there's one thing that's changed my sleep for the better is actually charging my phone in another room. I first started charging it in the bathroom and then I've moved it now to charge it by the coffee machine downstairs in

• 3:38Dr. Darshan Shah?

  the kitchen, which is far away from where I sleep. And the reason I do that is because it allows me to put some time in between the last time I look at my phone and the next time I look at my phone in the morning. At nighttime, this reduces stress, reduces anxiety from all the different notifications. And in the morning, it's the same thing. I start off not looking at my phone and instead go take a shower and then go to my phone last after I wake up in the morning. This break from your phone at nighttime and also in the morning is very helpful, not just for your sleep, but also for your overall stress levels. Many people ask me, isn't it okay to read at night on an iPad or a phone if I want to read to get to bed? And they often talk about Night shift mode, which reduces blue light.

• 4:22Dr. Darshan Shah?

  And I tell them that in reality, there is still light that comes from your phone or your digital device that can affect the way your melatonin is being secreted in your sleep. Number three, cool your room down. Your body sleeps best when it's cooler or cold. A lower body temperature helps trigger sleep, which is why taking a warm shower before bedtime can also help. You cool down afterwards, signaling your body is time to sleep. It's a temperature change from warm to cool that activates that sleep trigger. So lower your thermostat to the coolest setting that you can tolerate. For most people, somewhere between 62 to 64 degrees. And also consider buying one of these advanced sleep pads, like the eight sleep mattress pad. This sleep pad, I have a link in my show notes,

• 5:05Dr. Darshan Shah?

  can help you to achieve cooler temperatures later on as you drift off into sleep. And this timing technology also helps you wake up by warming the bed, helps you wake up more naturally rather than losing an alarm clock. Number four, declutter your bedroom. Minimalism actually helps you get better sleep. A cluttered bedroom increases stress levels, increases distractions, making it harder for your brain to relax. Your bedroom should be reserved for two things, sleep and intimacy. No work, no screens, no distractions. Reading is the only thing that I think is helpful to help calm your brain at night for sleep. You can also use meditation, of course, and breath work. Just remove unnecessary items from your bedroom

• 5:50Dr. Darshan Shah?

  and keep surfaces clear and your space tidy. If you have a TV in the room, consider getting rid of it. I know it helps some people calm their brain at night, and that's totally fine if it works for you. But most people do end up sleeping better without a TV in their bedroom. Number five, use silence or soothing sounds to control noise for uninterrupted sleep. Believe it or not, your ears actually stay on while you sleep. This is a warning mechanism that we have evolved with. So any background noise, even if you're not conscious of it, can disturb your sleep quality. Using a white noise machine or a fan can help you block disruptive sounds. If noise from the outside is unavoidable, try foam or silicon. Earplugs. Number six, invest in a good mattress or pillow.

• 6:35Dr. Darshan Shah?

  You spend a third of your life on them. A worn out or uncomfortable mattress can lead to body pains, poor sleep quality. Replace your mattress every three to five years. Test different pillow types and replace them yearly as well. Some people do really good with a body pillow for added comfort and better spinal alignment. So experiment with this, but definitely look into replacing your mattress and pillows on a regular cadence. Number seven, designate specific clothing for sleep time. What you wear to bed actually signals your body that it's time to wind down. Choosing breathable and loose clothing and comfortable fabrics really helps promote better sleep. Number eight, optimize your sleep position. So we know that everyone has different sleep positions. Some people sleep on their back or their sides.

• 7:18Dr. Darshan Shah?

  There's actually some research showing that if you sleep on your left side, that can be the best for clearing brain toxins and reducing snoring and decreasing neck pain. But try what works best for you and then use pillows to encourage that sleep position. Number nine, fix your snoring. It's actually a sleep killer, not just for you, but also for your significant other. Snoring impacts your sleep quality, not just by the noise, but also by signaling your brain that it's not getting enough oxygen and waking you up. Mouth tape can be helpful, but be very careful that you don't have sleep apnea before you start using mouth tape. Snore Lab app is a great app that I like to use and recommend to patients. If your significant other is telling you that you're snoring or you suspect that you're snoring,

• 8:02Dr. Darshan Shah?

  this app actually records your sleep all night long and tells you how much you've been snoring with a snore score. Snoring can be addressed with things like nasal strips. There's even a special pillow called the Smart Nova Pillow. If you're suspecting that you have nasal congestion that's affecting your sleep, definitely talk to your doctor or get evaluated for sleep apnea using a home sleep test. And number 10, no pets in bed. Sorry, but they do disrupt your sleep. Even small movements from pets can disrupt your sleep cycles. So if sleep is a priority, consider getting your pet their own bed. And this even goes for your Significant other. People are now talking about sleeping in separate beds so they get even better sleep.

• 8:45Dr. Darshan Shah?

  Remember, with anything that you do with your sleep, you want to test and see what works. So, wearing a sleep tracker like an Oura ring or a Whoop band while you sleep and seeing how certain actions like we talked about today, changes in your sleep environment can actually help your sleep by looking at the amount of deep sleep you're getting a night and the amount of REM sleep you're getting and looking at your sleep score. You might find that certain things help, certain items can actually disrupt your sleep more, and certain items can really help your sleep. And these are ones that you want to keep doing over and over again. So, as you're making changes, please do some form of sleep tracking so you know it works. The final takeaway is the way you set up your sleep environment determines how well you rest.

• 9:25Dr. Darshan Shah?

  By making these small but impactful changes, you're setting yourself up for deep sleep, more energy, and better overall health. Your bedroom should be your sanctuary. Optimize it, and your body and your brain will thank you. If you found these tips helpful, share this episode with someone who needs better sleep. And remember, better sleep equals better health. See you next time on my next episode of Extend.

• 9:48Dr. Darshan Shah?

  Thank you so much for listening to the podcast today. Please remember to subscribe if you liked this episode and give us a good review and share a link with your friends. It really helps to support all of our efforts. I also want to remind you that the information shared on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare provider or physician before making any decisions or taking any action based on what you hear today, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or on any medications. Your doctor knows your personal health situation the best, and it's always important to seek their guidance.