Having trouble sleeping? Constantly tossing and turning? Do you wake up as soon as you fall asleep and find that you cannot go back to sleep? You may not know this, but your sleep surroundings can have a fundamental effect on the quality of your sleep. Here are a few suggestions to help produce the ideal sleep environment.

Room temperature
Ambient temperature that is too hot or too humid will make it harder to fall asleep. Ideally, the room should feel somewhat cool because this temperature more closely matches that of the body while it is in the midst of sleep.

Finding the proper room temperature Is not hard when you are alone in the room. However, if the room is shared, what's cool enough or warm enough becomes a matter of subjective opinion. That's when it is time to compromise. Adjusting the thermostat, using blankets, putting on warmer nighttime clothes (and socks whenever essential) and using a fan and/or humidifier are some ways that room temperature can be adjusted to accommodate everyone's needs.

Noise level   
A quite environment is more conducive to sleep than one where there's background noise. Whether it's outdoors traffic or indoors television or a dog that's barking or a partner that's snoring, it can all lead to constant sleep disruptions.

How can you quite the noise levels inside your bedroom? Add a rug on top of bare wood floor. Cover windows with heavier curtains or drapes. Replace windows with those containing double or triple panes of glass. Play soothing music or use a fan or generator to help drown out noise. And if all else fails, consider wearing earplugs.

Bedside clock
If you can see the time on your clock when it's dark inside your room, you may be losing sleep. Sometimes, the more aware you are of how much time there is left for sleeping, the more trouble you have sleeping. Set your alarm and turn your clock so that you cannot see the time. Let your alarm and your body tell you when it is time to awake.

Sleep in an appropriate bed
The size of your bed and the type of mattress on which you sleep can both impact the quality of your sleep. If your bed is too small and you feel cramped, you may not sleep as well as you could if you had room to stretch out. Likewise with the mattress. If it feels too hard or too soft or too lumpy, you'll have trouble getting comfortable which can delay sleep or cause you to awaken frequently during the night.

Getting a new bed and/or mattress is a worthwhile investment if doing so helps you sleep better. Perhaps indulge in softer sheets and fluffier pillows too. Go ahead and splurge. You'll definitely feel better in the morning.

Sleep in bed
Doing other tasks in your bed confuses your body. It learns to equate the bed with performing tasks that require alertness rather than rest. Find some other place to watch television or pay your bills and use your bed for its intended purpose!

Lighting
When it comes to sleeping, the darker the better, especially if you work the night shift and end up sleeping during the day.