While keeping chocolate in the fridge or cookie jars in your kitchen are obvious temptations that can pile on the kilos, your bedroom could be subtly influencing unnecessary weight gain.

Experts suggest that there is a big connection between sleep and your weight. If you’re not getting enough of it, the more you crave high fat, high sugar comfort foods. And the biggest factor in determining how well you get some shut eye is your bedroom.

Psychologist and sleep specialist Dr Michael Breus says how your bedroom makes you feel, the lighting and noise in your room and the quality of your bedding has a lot to do with how well you sleep. He suggests that you should rethink your room if it makes you feel “stressed”, go for soft lighting and invest in a quality pillow.

Having an unwinding ritual before bed can also help you get a better sleep. According to Clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD., you need to give your body time to transition from your active day to bedtime drowsiness. “Set a timer for an hour before bed and divvy up the time as follows: in the first 20 minutes, prep for tomorrow, in the next 20, take care of your personal hygiene, and in the last 20, relax, in bed, reading or practicing deep breathing,” he advises.

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