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The Perfect Bedroom

By Shelley Drozd

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Mattress
Look for a mattress with just enough support to keep your hips and spine in the same alignment as if you were standing up. The mattress doesn't have to be hard or firm in order to be good. A quality king-size mattress should have 450 coils, a queen 375. For foam mattresses, look for a density of at least two pounds per cubic foot.

Thermostat
For optimal sleep, keep the dial set at between 65 and 67 degrees. If the room is too hot or too cold, your sleep will suffer.

Pillows
Think yours is dead? Here's how to find out: For a down or feather pillow, fluff it then fold it in half and squeeze out the air. The pillow should quickly return to its original shape. To test a polyester pillow, fluff it, fold it in half, and place a tennis shoe on top. If the pillow is good, it will throw the shoe off and unfold by itself. When you buy new pillows, remember to opt for firm ones if you sleep on your side; medium-firm if you sleep on your back; and soft if you sleep on your stomach.

Windows
"Buy thick, dark-colored curtains," says Maas. You want your bedroom pitch black, since even a single spot of light--say, from your cell-phone charger--can disrupt the quality of your sleep.

Radio
Tune an FM radio into the static between two stations. Keep the volume low. "The resulting white noise will mask unwanted sleep distractions," says Maas.

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