As a sleep editor, I write often about how curating a relaxing nighttime routine can set you up for deep, restorative rest. In reality, I often sweep the folded laundry from my bed straight onto my already cluttered floor, crawl into bed and fall asleep quickly. Yay, exhaustion.
I’ve written before about how I often then wake up at 3am, with my heart pounding in my chest. In my quest for answers from leading sleep doctors about why this is happening, I’m learning how raised cortisol levels, caused by stress and anxiety, is the likely culprit.
Do you know what else causes cortisol to spike? Clutter. Here, board certified psychiatrist Dr Nona Kocher, MDH, MD, and Dr. William Lu, MD, a sleep medicine physician, discuss the link between bedroom clutter, cortisol and the ability to stay asleep all night.
Plus, professional organizer Olivia Parks, owner and lead organizer at Professional Organizers Baton Rouge, shares her bedroom decluttering tips for those, like me, who hate tidying up.
