Have trouble sleeping? We have an A to Zzz guide to designing your bedroom that will help you have the best night’s sleep. These five interior design tips will help you refresh your bedroom to help you get high-quality sleep.
Surprising as it may be, your bedroom may be keeping you awake during the night. From the color of your bedroom to the room’s temperature and the mattress on your bed, these are all factors that can influence how rested you feel in the morning.
So, if you are lying in your bed awake every night and you keep counting sheep with no success in falling asleep, it may be time to refresh your bedroom’s design.
Here are five interior design tips for decorating your bedroom to get the best night’s sleep.
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1. Bedding is key
Your bed is the king of your bedroom. So, it goes without saying that here’s where you should focus most of your efforts to refresh your bedroom for a better night’s sleep.
Whether it’s the pillows, mattress, or duvet, your bedding choices will have a massive influence on the quality of your sleep.
So, from choosing a high-performance memory gel mattress and pillow to make sure that you are comfortable enough to relax to choosing quality bedding that feels comfortable to the touch and helps maintain a comfortable temperature during the night, this is how you optimize your bed to improve your night’s sleep.
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2. Use calming colors
Research shows that some colors can have a profound influence on our moods. According to the psychology of colors, certain colors and shades can trigger specific emotions and feelings in people. For example, red is known to trigger urgency, which is why we often see red used in sales signs.
But, some colors are known for triggering feelings of calmness and relaxation in people, such as green and blue. Both colors can be associated with natural elements that are linked to peace. While blue can be associated with the sky, green is associated with nature. If neither blue nor green is your color, you can go for other cool or neutral colors such as greys.
Research suggests that these colors can reduce your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and slow down your breathing rate, leading to relaxation and a good night’s sleep.
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3. Limit outside light and sound
If you don’t have blinds or thick curtains in your room, you need to invest in some if you want to get a quality night’s sleep.
Whether it is an early rising sun in the morning or an outside street lamp that lights your entire room, you should know that this is what might keep you up in the night.
Light is an external factor that can keep you awake at night as it can influence your internal clock and your preferred time to sleep. Light acts on certain sensitive sensors that exist in our eyes, which regulate our internal clock. In other words, our bodies know that when it is dark, it’s time for rest. Yet, when the sensors detect light, our bodies believe it is day time. Therefore they remain alert, making it difficult for you to fall asleep. So, you need to keep outdoor light out of your bedroom with blinds or thick curtains to make sure that you don’t get exposed to light before and during your sleep.
Another external factor that can influence the quality of your sleep is noise. The most Googled sound complaints that keep people up at night include rain, city sounds, noisy neighbors, and even birds tweeting.
Luckily, soundproof blind technology can help you prevent outside noises from coming inside your bedroom when you are sleeping. This new technology uses acoustic materials that absorb and dampen both high and low-frequency noises.
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4. Bring in some greenery
Research suggests that just a few houseplants in your home, especially in the bedroom, can also help you sleep better. According to a recent study, interacting with plants before going to bed can help improve sleep quality for people who live in isolated environments. Yes, including deep space.
From the plants’ calming colors to the soothing smells they bring into your bedroom, plants can help reduce stress, help with mood regulation and relaxation, and produce a soothing effect.
Experts recommend plants like Snake Plant, Peace Lily, Devil’s Ivy, Parlour Palm, and Aloe Vera for the bedroom. These plants release oxygen at night, improving the air quality as you sleep.
Moreover, experts believe that you shouldn’t just bring the plants in your room but also actually interact and connect with them, especially before bed. You can connect with them by watering them, touching them, or smelling them.
Plants can also be a great addition to your meditation practice before bed. If you often meditate before going to sleep, you can also use your plants as part of the meditation session before bedtime. You can, for example, close your eyes and reflect on the plants in your bedroom. You can notice their smell and observe what thoughts and associations come to your mind.
5. Set the right temperature
Remember those summer nights when you can’t fall asleep because you are just too hot? Or the nights in the cold season where you are freezing even under the blanket? Your bedroom temperature can be a distraction from sleep too, as you may feel too hot or too cold.
According to the SleepFoundation, sleep experts believe that a cool room, best for promoting good night’s sleep is somewhere around 65 degrees. Experts explain that the body temperature is tied to our sleep cycles. As our bodies are getting ready to fall asleep, the temperature goes down, while as your body is getting ready to wake up, the temperature climbs slightly in the morning. This is why the temperature in the bedroom can have such a significant impact on the quality of your sleep.