Your bedroom should be your sanctuary where you go to relax after a long and stressful day. If your bedroom is cluttered or your mattress is low-quality, you won’t be able to sleep soundly. Not getting enough sleep can result in a number of ailments including inflammatory diseases and depression.
In today’s frantic and fast-paced world, you deserve a comfortable, restful, and rejuvenating night’s sleep. We’re offering 6 tips to help you turn your bedroom into peaceful heaven and improve the quality of your sleep.
#1 Start with the Bed
Choosing the right bed is essential for a good night’s sleep. Here are some tips that will help you sleep better.
Mattresses and Pillows
When choosing a mattress and pillow, consider your sleeping style (stomach, side, or back), as well as your size and body weight. The ideal mattress and pillow should support your neck and keep your spine aligned.
- People who prefer sleeping on their stomach should go for a hybrid mattress or a mattress made of medium-firm memory foam. The pillow should be thin in order to keep your neck and back flat.
- If you sleep on your side, choose a mattress made of soft or medium-firm memory foam. Your pillow’s height should match the difference between your shoulder and neck in order to keep your spine aligned.
- People who sleep on their back should opt for a latex mattress or a mattress made of medium-firm memory foam. The pillow should be soft in order to keep the spine flat and prevent the neck from arching forward.
Make sure to pick a mattress that suits your size. If you sleep with your partner, kids, pets, or a bunch of stuffed animals, take that into consideration as well.
Mattress Toppers
If you can’t afford to buy a new mattress, consider investing in a good-quality mattress topper. Mattress toppers can make your worn-down mattress seem like brand new and significantly improve your sleeping experience. Besides added comfort, mattress toppers also provide an extra layer of protection for your mattress. The best mattresses toppers on the market have hypoallergenic properties that prevents your mattress from absorbing allergens or dust and extend the durability of your mattress.
#2 Choose the Right Color for Your Bedroom
When choosing a color palette for your bedroom, opt for shades that calm and relax you. Here are some general rules to follow when it comes to choosing the best colors for your bedroom walls, décor, and bedding:
- Skin-based shades, light pastels, and earthy tones are very calming, as is the color blue which has been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure.
- Darker shades are perfect for large bedrooms as they make the space feel smaller and cozier.
- Avoid too bright colors, especially bright orange and red tones, because they’re over-stimulating.
- When choosing decorative pieces, make sure they’re in similar colors. If they’re in contrasting shades, they’ll act as stimulants to the eyes and have an effect that is opposite of calming.
#3 Make Your Bedroom Smell Beautifully
You don’t have to believe in the benefits of aromatherapy to light aromatic candles. Their beautiful scent will fill the room, relax you and make it easier for you to fall asleep. Studies have found that lavender is the ideal scent to use in the bedroom as it decreases heart rate and blood pressure. Avoid peppermint and lemon because they’re too activating and arousing.
#4 Choose the Best Lighting
Humans are made to sleep at night, so it’s only logical to turn off the lights when going to bed. If you’re afraid to sleep in complete darkness, keep the light as low as possible.
Eye masks and blackout curtains can be very helpful. They block any light that might interfere with your sleep like ambient light coming from your hallway or light coming from the streetlamps. They also block the sun rays in the morning allowing you to sleep longer.
Consider using lampshades or installing dimmer switches to soften the light in your bedroom and make it more relaxing.
#5 Keep Electronics Out
Electronic devices like TVs and smartphones have a high concentration of blue light which is very disruptive to melatonin production.
Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. The brain begins producing it after the sun sets, so using electronic devices or leaving the lights on tricks the brain into thinking it’s still daytime. In that case, the brain delays the production of melatonin and makes you stay awake longer.
If you really must keep electronic devices in the bedroom, try to reduce their strength. For instance, if you’re scared to sleep in complete darkness, look for a red night light instead of blue. If you read before falling asleep, avoid e-readers and choose the good old paper books.
#6 Keep Your Bedroom Clean
Creating a peaceful bedroom isn’t enough; you need to make sure it stays that way. Clean surroundings calm your brain and make it easier to breathe. Here are a few tips to help you keep your bedroom in top shape:
- Make sure your bedroom is vacuumed frequently and buy an air purifier that will remove all parasites, pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens. Greenery also helps clean the air but it also brings a sense of calmness.
- Wash the bedding every week and clean the pillows and mattress every few months.
You should also keep the bedroom free of clutter. Studies have shown that clutter can result in anxiety and have negative effects on the psyche. This applies to clutter that isn’t visible, like clutter hidden under the bed or inside the closets.
