Why You Should Not Bring Work Into The Bedroom

Research suggests that reserving the bedroom for nothing but sleep and sex can improve your chances of enjoying a sound night’s rest.

Here’s why: Maintaining a separate, dedicated sleep space makes it easier for you to fall asleep when it’s time for bed. That’s because your brain will learn to associate your bed with sleep so that the simple act of getting in bed helps cue your body that it’s time to wind down. This mental link can also hamper your productivity if you do try to bring work into the bedroom. If you are usually in “relax mode” when you get into bed, trying to do work there might be more difficult than usual because your brain will think it’s time to sleep (not time to work).

Keeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep. It also makes sense to avoid stressful and stimulating activities in your bedroom — and that includes working. Physically and psychologically stressful activities can cause the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with increasing alertness.

Something else to bear in mind: If you regularly work in your bed, you may end up looking at your computer screen or phone right before you go to sleep at night. This exposes you to the blue light emitted by electronics, which can inhibit the production of melatonin — an important sleep hormone that helps tell your body it’s time to rest.

Experts recommend avoiding screens before bedtime for this exact reason. Ultimately, you want your bedroom to be a relaxing space that promotes good sleep. This means it’s a good idea to keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet — and not to make your bedroom a second workspace, tempting as that may be.

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