We all recognize the importance of quality sleep, especially in the fire service, where fatigue can have serious consequences. While long nights and sleep deprivation are sometimes part of the job, there are things you can do to combat the impact of shift work, starting in your own bedroom.
| DIGITAL EDITION DOWNLOAD: Here’s what paramedics want in 2025.
Dust your room
Last year, my wife and I decided to completely overhaul our sleep environment and the first step was to completely deep clean our room. We removed all the furniture and TV from our room and got to work cleaning. The first step to a healthy room: eliminating the dust.
Dust mites and allergens can seriously disrupt sleep, cause respiratory issues and skin issues. There are lots of places where dust can hide and we dusted everything. The fan, the TV, the blinds and the walls. A fantastic tool for quick dust removal is a ceiling duster kit like this one. The flexible fan blade cleaner is great for dusting fans and the foam part of the window squeegee is perfect for dusting walls. Since it comes with an extension pole, you don’t have to get on top of a ladder.
Once you remove all the dust, you want to keep the air in your room dust-free.
I purchased a HEPA room filter. This small one is strong enough to clean the standard master bedroom. It also has an automatic dust sensor that will automatically increase or lower the speed of the filtration based on the particulates in the air. I like this filter so much that I purchased one for each of the kids’ rooms, my home and work office and a larger model for downstairs.
One of my goals was to improve the quality of the air in our entire house. I decided to upgrade our HVAC system air filters while I was in the cleaning mood. You should aim to replace your HVAC air filters every two to three months depending on the use. Unfortunately, I always forget. FilterTime makes it very easy. Their prices on HVAC filters are cheaper than most of the big box stores and the filters are just as good as the leading brands. They also have a subscription service that will deliver the filters directly to your home whenever you need them. I have mine delivered every three months, so I never forget to change them.
Sleep is the foundation of firefighter efficacy, sharpening judgment and resilience under stress. In this original video, you’ll find five recommendations for getting a better night’s rest.
Make your room even darker
Once your room is nice and clean, the next step to get deep sleep is light control. Light disrupts melatonin production, so replicating nighttime darkness is key to a good night’s rest. If you work the night shift and are sleeping during the day, light control is absolutely mandatory to get good sleep.
Black-out curtains are great. However, there is still a lot of light that finds its way around the top and side of the curtain and through the blinds. My goal was to eliminate all the light in my room, so I opted to purchase Coavas Blackout Window Film, which blocks 100% of the light while drastically cutting down on the heat transfer from the window.
For those who don’t want to go that extreme, you can purchase a sleep mask like this one. Most sleep masks are the same, but you want to pay attention to how it fits on your head. Also, if you use a CPAP/APAP machine, sleep masks may affect the fit of the device.
| RELATED: ‘Why We Sleep’: The must-read book for every medic
Fix the sound in your room
Sirens, flashing lights, irate citizens; the world of a first responder can be loud. During my research, I found that there are two types of firefighters. The first cannot sleep with sound and the second type has to sleep with sound. My wife cannot sleep with any sound, but if it is too quiet, then I struggle to get to sleep.
A simple solution is a white noise machine. Most of the time, the sound of the AC unit running is good enough white noise for me. But every once in a while, I need a little help from a white noise machine.
My wife needs it quiet so she will use ear plugs for sleep. Pay attention to the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) that is suitable for your environment. You may need to try different brands and materials to find which ones work best for your ear.
Set your temperature and humidity
A cool room promotes better sleep. Typically, the cooler the room, the better for deeper sleep. But because of the increased cost of electricity, you do not want your AC running nonstop. Instead, purchase a Bluetooth Thermostat. Choose a thermostat with as many customizable setting options as possible. This will allow you to adjust the temperature throughout the night for that perfect, not-so-cold-not-so-warm feel.
Colder rooms are better for deeper sleep. But something that I rarely see in sleep-related articles is proper humidity levels. Studies have shown that the best humidity levels are between 40 to 60%. I live in the Southwest, where humidity levels can drop to single digits. If you are using your HVAC to heat or cool your house, it is drying the air in your rooms even more. Adjusting the humidity levels in our bedroom to around 40% has really improved our sleep quality. Proper humidity levels can ease asthma symptoms, promote skin healing, and reduce dry eyes and respiratory infections.
My favorite humidifier is the Dreo 6L Humidifier. It is completely programmable and Bluetooth-operated. I program it to switch on two hours before bedtime and off again when I wake. To avoid spending a fortune on distilled water, I purchased a water distiller. Bottled distilled water is around $1.50, but you can make your own for about a tenth of the price.
Conclusion
The first step toward better sleep is creating an ideal environment for you and your partner. That means minimizing dust, controlling light and noise, and regulating temperature and humidity.
Sleep tight.
