If we get enough sleep in the first place, the bedroom is where we spend a third of our lives. For those of us who do projects, homework, and other activities beyond "sleep mode," our bedrooms can easily become a major-use room. It just makes sense that it should be a safe haven to ensure a good night’s sleep without worry of something going wrong.

First, don’t smoke in bed. It takes less than three minutes for a fire to become life-ending. Smoking in bed can be much more dangerous than simply affecting your health.

Housekeeping comes up often but the fact that more than 70% of all injuries are a direct result of poor housekeeping causes me to remind you regularly. Clutter in the bedroom (have you seen the kids’ rooms?) with clothes, shoes, books, and other extraneous floor-level items can create a trip and fall hazard – particularly if one needs to get out of the room quickly! If you have baseboard electric heat, built-up dust, clothes, papers, or other combustibles create a real-world fire hazard. Install and regularly check batteries in smoke detectors right outside the room in the hall.

Furniture, such as bookcases and shelving units, dressers, and other free-standing items should be sturdy and not easy to tip over. Do not store heavy items on top shelves – keep them low to the ground to prevent tipping as well as ensuring the heavy stuff isn’t so high that you can’t get it down without a back and neck injury.

Always have a well-lit closet and room. You want to see where there might be stacked boxes that could fall or where trip hazards may be in the room. Also, check closet rods to ensure they are secure and not too high to reach. Consider padding sharp edges of furniture whether in the kids’ rooms or in yours if there is a risk of losing balance or falling into them.

Night lights are always a good idea, regardless of the age of the person in the room. You never know when there will be a "midnight run" (no, I don’t mean food in the kitchen) that requires getting to the bedroom door safely.

You decide whether you want locks on the bedroom doors – particularly for kids’ rooms. If you do have locks, have a spare "master" key that will get you in the room if something happens, whether for fire, medical emergency, or other situations.

I need to at least mention that if you have young children, be sure to cover electrical outlets and always locate any supplemental heaters carefully so children do not get burned by contacting them. Of course, additional items such as clock radios, audio equipment, charging cords for electronics, and other plug-ins should be kept clear of the head of the bed to avoid getting wrapped in them and certainly avoid overloading the outlet with too many items plugged into it.

Enjoy your sanctuary and stay safe!