Here’s what the best cities for sleep have in common — and what you can learn from them

Research has repeatedly linked good sleep with better health, but the recipe for getting enough shut-eye can be complicated. After all, many factors can impact your ability to sleep well, including any underlying health conditions you have, your bedroom environment, your stress levels and even the area you live in.

There are a handful of lists that break down the best cities for sleep, and each uses slightly different criteria to draw its conclusions. Elements like light pollution, air pollution and noise levels regularly factor in. Sleep medicine doctors, however, say other factors also make a city good for sleep.

With that in mind, these are the top cities that regularly get high marks for sleep. Because moving just to improve your sleep isn’t in the cards for most people, we also tapped three doctors who treat sleep issues for advice on how to make the most of your environment, no matter where you live.

Which cities are best for sleep?

It’s important to point out that it’s possible to have great (and terrible) sleep no matter where you live. But some cities consistently stand out on lists ranking the best cities for sleep. Those include:

• San Jose: This California city gets high marks for its minimal light and air pollution. Residents are also likely to be physically active. San Jose has low rates of obesity, a condition that is linked to sleep apnea.

• Minneapolis: This Minnesota city has a low unemployment rate, which creates a good social atmosphere, and encourages residents to exercise. It also has some of the cleanest air in the world.

• Denver: The Colorado city is also known for its clean air. Its population is very active, which raises the odds of sleeping well at night.

• Austin, Texas: The capital of Texas has low levels of light and air pollution. The city also promotes an active lifestyle, and most residents have enough leisure time to exercise regularly.

• Milwaukee: The Wisconsin city is known for its good air quality. It also has a high number of gyms available to residents, as noted by Forbes Health.

There is also some data on how well a state’s population sleeps as a whole. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a breakdown of the percentage of adults who report not getting enough sleep, which ranges from 30% in Vermont to 46% in Hawaii.

What makes a city good for sleep?

The metrics people use to label a city as good for sleep vary. But doctors we consulted listed the following as important elements to consider:

• Light pollution

• Access to green spaces and parks for recreation

• Walkability and opportunity for exercise

• Availability of healthy food options

The temperature may also matter, especially in the summertime, Dr. Beth Malow, director of the Vanderbilt Sleep Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life. “It’s harder to ask people to run air conditioning than put on extra blankets, if they are of lower socioeconomic status,” she says, noting that hot nights can impact sleep. High altitudes are also linked to worse sleep quality, although cities with high activity levels and good air quality may be able to offset that.

How to make your environment better for sleep

Moving across the country with the goal of getting a better night’s sleep isn’t going to happen for most people. The good news is that doctors say that you can do a lot to control your personal sleep environment — even if your city or specific neighborhood isn’t considered great for sleep.

Creating a bedroom that’s “quiet, dark and cool is a good place to start,” Dr. W. Christopher Winter, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Virginia, and the host of the podcast, tells Yahoo Life. “Keep your bedroom neat and tidy,” he says. “Try to reserve that environment for sleeping only. That way, the mere presence in that room is a cue for sleep.”

If it’s noisy outside your home, using ear plugs and a white noise machine can help quiet down your bedroom, Jade Wu, a behavioral sleep medicine specialist and author of Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications, tells Yahoo Life. And, if light pollution is an issue, Malow suggests using blackout curtains. “Remember to decrease the light inside the room, too, such as from alarm clocks and other electronics,” Wu adds. (Even simple hacks can help, such as putting painter’s tape over things like the standby light on your TV, or turning brightly lit electronics away from you.)

If air pollution is high in your area, running an air purifier with a HEPA filter in your bedroom may help improve your sleep, Winter says.

But Wu stresses that good sleep is more than what happens in your bedroom. “Being physically active is one of the most important things for sleep health, which is why cities like Denver, where people are more active outdoors, tend to sleep better,” she says. Wu also suggests getting outside and having “lots of light exposure” during the day. This can help with your circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle.

“The main rule of thumb is to create as much contrast as possible between your daytime environment and activities and your nighttime environment and activities,” Wu says.

Of course, if you’re consistently struggling with sleep, it’s important to talk to a medical professional for an evaluation — regardless of the city you live in.

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