The bedroom can be the most serene, tastefully decorated and personal space in the home, but if you’re not getting good sleep in it, you’re not getting the best of it.

Dr. Raj Dasgupta, the chief medical officer at Aegis Living, which will open an assisted living and memory care community in San Rafael this summer, shares helpful tips on getting a good night’s sleep. The San Rafael location’s grand opening at 1 p.m. Sept. 9 will feature a ribbon cutting, free food, entertainment and tours of the facility.

Looking ahead

Sleep issues tend to become more common as we get older.

“Many people notice they wake up more during the night, fall asleep earlier than they’d like or just don’t feel as rested in the morning,” said Dasgupta, a quadruple board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine. “These changes are often related to shifts in our internal clock (circadian rhythm), medical conditions, medications or even less exposure to natural daylight. While it’s normal for sleep to change with age, it’s not normal to feel constantly tired or struggle every night.”

Busting sleeping myths: “A big one is the idea that older adults just need less sleep,” he said. “In reality, most still need seven to eight hours to feel their best. Another common myth is that poor sleep is just part of getting older and there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s not true. Sleep issues might become more common, but they’re often linked to things that can be treated or improved with the right approach.”

Getting better sleep

“One of the simplest and most effective things is to stick to a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends,” said Dasgupta, Sleepopolis’ chief medical advisor and the host of The Dr. Raj Podcast. “Your body’s internal clock thrives on consistency.”

“Another tip is to power down electronics an hour before bed,” he said. “Blue light from phones or TVs can be stimulating and delay melatonin release, making it harder to fall asleep. Swap the screens for a calming routine like reading or light stretching instead.”Sleep on this

MattressNextDay, an online mattress retailer based in the United Kingdom, recently conducted a survey on the bedroom hygiene habits of 2,000 people across the U.S.

Called “America’s Dirty Sleeping Habits,” the findings are rather provocative.

• Sixty-five percent of people said they let their pets sleep on the bed with them.

According to the press release, this is frowned upon because of “certain intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks.”

However, as someone who’s always let their pets sleep on the bed, I have to stand with my fellow 65-percenters and ask, if you’re already living with these pets, wouldn’t you be exposed to all that already?

I would have guessed the primary factor in getting a good night’s sleep with pets on the bed is avoiding the contorted positions in which they put you. It’s never the pet that wakes up clinging to the edge of the bed.

• Nearly half of the participants said they eat food in bed, 21% said they smoke or vape, and 11% said they exercise.

• Forty percent of the participants said they wash their bedsheets every two to four weeks.

Yikes! That one surprised me. It’s generally considered a good practice to wash sheets at least once a week because of all the sweat, dirt, dust and bacteria that accumulate.

However, except for the 13% of us who wash our sheets more than once a week, 9% said they easily go a month before washing theirs.

And considering that more than half of the respondents said they don’t bathe before getting into bed each night, washing sheets often is even more important.

Mark Scheuer, the former owner of Scheuer Linens in San Francisco, told me once for this column that every bed should have three sets of sheets: one on the bed, one in the washing machine and one in the linen closet ready to go on the bed.

• One-third of respondents said they don’t always brush their teeth before bed.

“Maintaining oral hygiene before bedtime is crucial for removing plaque and preventing tooth decay, yet, despite this, the survey revealed that only 65% of Americans consistently brush their teeth before sleeping, with 17% admitting to occasionally, rarely or never doing so,” writes the press release.

If you’re interested in reading more about our bedroom habits, you can find the full study online at mattressnextday.co.uk/snooze-news/post/americas-dirtiest-sleeping-habits-revealed.

Show off

If you have a beautiful or interesting Marin garden or a newly designed Marin home, I’d love to know about it.

Please send an email describing either one (or both), what you love most about it and a photograph or two. I will post the best ones in upcoming columns. Your name will be published and you must be over 18 years old and a Marin resident.

PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.