There’s nothing quite like coming home after a long day, kicking off your shoes and climbing into a perfectly made bed.
Our bedrooms are designed for rest and rejuvenation. However, we regularly lose sight of the purpose of this room. We bring TVs, computers, sports equipment, and before you know it, this room is related to activity, not rest. Without proper boundaries, our bedroom will be a place to stimulate rather than relax. Before we can optimize our bedrooms for better sleep, we need to set our intentions straight. The bedroom is for sleeping, sex, and snuggling. No longer.
With our heads in the right place, here are five tips for organizing your bedroom for a better night’s sleep.
- The perfect palette nail
When choosing colours for your bedroom, keep away from intense colours like red, purple and orange. Colors in this hue tend to energise and stimulate our brains, the opposite of what we are attempting to accomplish here—sleep.
The best colours for sleeping are cool colours that help you feel relaxed. Try light blues and neutrals when creating your sleep haven. Colors in this color family have been shown to lower blood pressure and help you relax. Especially, psychologically blue stands for serenity, serenity, serenity and peace.
- Splurge on your sleeping structure
The color on your bedroom walls is not the only thing that promotes a good night’s sleep. In fact, your mattress has the biggest impact on the quality of sleep you receive each night.
We spend an average of 27 years in bed during our lifetime, making our mattress arguably the most vital piece of furniture we can splurge on. If you tend to wake up with aches or pains, otherwise you notice sagging in the middle of your bed, maybe it is time to bite the bullet and go shopping.
However, your mattress is not the only thing to consider. Take a look at your bedding accessories too. We’re talking sheets, pillows, and everything in between. Your overall sleep structure affects the quality of sleep you get. Make sure your bed is a cocoon of sleep you long to curve up in at night.
- Keep cool
Did you know your core body temperature drops one to two degrees every night? This decrease in body temperature is what helps us fall and stay asleep.
According to sleep specialists, the optimal room temperature for sleeping is 65 to 68 degrees. But don’t be concerned! You can still bury yourself in the covers. As long as your head is exposed to cool air, you’ll benefit from the lower temperature which aids sleep.
- Get the light right
Our bodies are designed to respond to light. After all, before alarm clocks existed, the sun was responsible for telling our bodies when it was time to wake up. Even now, our bodies are still hard-wired to respond to the sun’s wake-up call. It is because light sensitive cells in our eyes which triggers our internal body clock which monitors our sleep-wake cycle.
To eliminate light pollution throughout the night or block out morning light, consider hanging block curtains.
You can even create a peaceful atmosphere with the lighting choices you make in the bedroom. Harsh fluorescent lighting is not ideal for a sleeping oasis. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFBs) also emit blue light which disturbs the quality of your sleep. Use soft ambient lighting with incandescent light bulbs to create the perfect bed to help you relax for the night.
- Add some leaves
Indoor plants aren’t only a hot trend in interior design, they can even help you sleep.
Plants improve indoor air quality by removing toxins from the atmosphere. A studied by NASA found that indoor plants absorb harmful toxins left in the air through their leaves and roots and act as a sort of air filter removing carbon and increasing oxygen levels.
Improved air quality will improve sleep quality. That’s because air pollution causes irritation, swelling, and congestion of the airways that can interfere with breathing.
Some of the best plants for sleeping are golden pothos, English ivy, and aloe vera.
Interior design goes far beyond looks. It’s about functionality. Now you can sleep peacefully at night knowing that your room is helping you get the best sleep!
