What if small changes to our bedrooms and bedtime habits could help us sleep better and wake up feeling truly rested? In this episode we speak with a sleep expert about practical ways to optimize your bedroom — from choosing the right mattress size to setting an effective bedtime and removing distracting items from your nightstand. We also discuss the cultural divide around wearing shoes indoors, explain our household shoe rules, and take a deep dive into Sherry’s fascination with salt lamps during a visit to a salt therapy room.
You can also find this episode on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and Spotify.
What’s New
- We’ve added a few salt lamps around the house and a pair of salt lamp nightlights in the kitchen that Sherry keeps plugged in. They’ve become a small but noticeable part of our evening routine.
- We also visited a local salt therapy room to see what the experience is really like.
- During our research we saw a variety of salt room styles. One chain that stood out was a Florida-based spa with dramatic salt treatments and curated decor.
- Another salt room resembled a sauna, with warm tones and dense salt surfaces. Each venue presents the experience differently, though the therapeutic intent is the same.
- Locally, we visited a facility that felt comfortable and calming. The visual details matter less than the salt therapy itself — the atmosphere helps, but the effect comes from the treatment.
- We paid for our session and enjoyed it enough that we’d return. If you’re curious, a nearby place we tried offers similar sessions and friendly staff.
- We also mentioned our float tank experience in a prior episode (Episode #33), which was equally enjoyable and something we’d happily repeat.
Can We Just Talk About?
- Here’s a photo of our “mini mudroom,” where we store our everyday shoes when we come in. It’s convenient for us, though it doesn’t leave much space for guests’ footwear, which often ends up scattered in front of the cubbies.
- There’s notable variation in shoe-wearing habits across households. Surveys and articles show many Americans either remove shoes at the door or keep them on — personal preference, cultural norms, and cleanliness considerations all play a role.
- We want to hear how you handle shoes at home. We planned separate surveys for Americans and non-Americans, but realized we can gather usable responses from one combined form — everyone is welcome to share their habits and thoughts below.
Sleep Book
- We discussed the book Sleep: The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps, and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind, which influenced many of our recent changes to evening routines and sleep habits.
- Our renewed focus on sleep was first mentioned in the “We’re Digging” segment of Episode #128 if you want to revisit it.
- Sherry tracks sleep with a Fitbit Alta, while I use the AutoSleep app paired with an Apple Watch. These trackers give a general sense of sleep patterns, but as the author notes, consumer devices estimate cycles based on heart rate and movement. The most accurate measurements require clinical brain-wave monitoring, which isn’t practical at home.
We’re Digging
- We installed white faux wood blinds throughout our upstairs and at our beach house. They tend to photograph as bright slats, but they provide a clean look and excellent light control. The cordless update made them a better fit for family spaces.
- Sherry loved the book Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. If you enjoy thoughtful fiction with strong characters, Moriarty’s work — including Big Little Lies, What Alice Forgot, and The Husband’s Secret — comes highly recommended by her.
If you want to find past recommendations from our show, we maintain a master list of everything we’ve been digging. You can also browse all the books we’ve recommended on our Book Club page.
Finally, thanks to You Need A Budget (YNAB) for sponsoring this episode. They offered a promotion for listeners to try the service with a special trial.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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