Where's The Best Place To Read At Night? Sleep Specialists Say It's Not The Bedroom

Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in an engaging book that hours passed by in what seemed like minutes? Maybe you even felt like your life went on pause as you stepped into the world of the page. This captivation is one of the many joys of reading.

Circadian rhythm specialist David Kennaway, Ph.D., of The University of Adelaide in Australia agrees that most engaging activities should be kept out of the bed itself—including reading.

Now, that's not to say reading can't be a great way to unwind and get ready for sleep. Books—especially physical books that aren't too mentally stimulating or distressing—can help separate us from the stressors of the day that can keep us up at night. But ideally, Rifkin says, you'll be able to read them outside of your bedroom.

"Try to find another comfy place to do the reading. When you feel tired and your eyes get heavy, that's when you want to go to your bedroom so that your brain subconsciously associates that place with sleep," he says. This way, "you kind of let that drowsiness occur outside the bedroom so that when you go to bed, you put your head to the pillow and you fall asleep quickly."

To make your reading time even more relaxing, turn on some soft, warm lighting. While bright lights that have a blue tint tend to send an energizing signal to the body, dimmer, warmer lights are better for winding down. (For this reason, some experts recommend designating one light in each room for daytime use and one for nighttime.)