Listening to Fox News articles can now be a thing of the past. Your neighborhood significantly impacts your sleep, according to experts and recent studies on urban environments.
Erin Palinski-Wade, a nutritionist from New Jersey and author of “The Sleepdemic Solution,” confirmed that household surroundings and neighborhood conditions directly affect restfulness. She noted that living with family, pets, or in noisy areas often disrupts sleep patterns.
If you reside in a noisy environment, adjustments are crucial. Palinski-Wade suggests using a white noise machine to cancel out environmental noise.
Simple solutions like white noise machines, blackout curtains, and closing bedroom doors can lessen sleep disturbances effectively.
Neighborhood and Sleep Patterns
Research indicates that neighborhood visuals subconsciously influence sleep patterns. A study by Professor Daisuke Matsushita from Osaka Metropolitan University analyzed over 200,000 Google Street View images. Using AI, the study assessed streetscape features like safety, beauty, and liveliness.
Neighborhoods with a strong sense of perceived safety were linked to longer sleep durations.
The study involved 1,089 working adults living on lower floors in Tokyo. Those in safer neighborhoods experienced more sleep. Visual elements like greenery and tall buildings were associated with longer sleep and fewer insomnia symptoms.
Impact of Urban Design
Conversely, highly walkable areas with sidewalks and traffic signs were linked to less sleep due to increased traffic and crowdedness. AI analysis showed that safer neighborhoods correlated with longer sleep durations.
Matsushita hopes this perspective leads to designing healthier neighborhoods.
Improving Sleep Quality
Palinski-Wade recommends blackout curtains to block light pollution for better sleep.
Environmental factors, such as room temperature and closed bedroom doors, also influence how much outside noise enters.
The findings don’t suggest relocation is necessary. Household interruptions and ambient noise significantly impact sleep quality.
The study relies on self-reported sleep data from Tokyo adults, which might be affected by memory errors. It focuses on lower apartment floors, not applicable to higher floors or rural areas.
Consistent Sleep Schedule
The simple adjustment of maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, including weekends, greatly influences sleep quality and quantity, according to Palinski-Wade.
Khloe Quill, a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital, covers various topics, including health. Her proactive insights provide guidance for bettering sleep through environmental adjustments.