Your bedroom should be a place of comfort… Somewhere you feel safe and at ease, where you can let go of the stresses of the day and find a moment of peace. Unfortunately, for so many of us the bedroom has stopped being a place of refuge, rather becoming a source of more stress and pressure if we fail to meet our nightly quota of sleep.
Insomnia affects about 1 in 4 US workers, in turn leading to an increasingly tired and exhausted workforce and making sleep deprivation one of the biggest public health problems. While clinical insomnia is of course a medical condition and must be treated as such, there are a few changes you can make to your bedroom that might help your sleeping pattern return to normal if you find yourself tossing and turning at night. And the best way to start out a new year, is with the best YOU possible!
Choose a calming color scheme
Yes, a bright red wall may look dramatic and, yes, bright yellow mixed with zebra print is an unexpected combination, but keep it in other areas of your house. These kinds of colors and patterns are much too stimulating for your brain to lead to a good night’s sleep. Choose a calming color palette and you can transform your bedroom into a tranquil zone. You do not have to just stick to different beige tones, dark browns and greys, like we chose for our Asian inspired bedroom make-over, calming colors work just as well and will make you bedroom a relaxing haven you won’t want to leave.
Get the right mattress
Making your bed a place you want to spend time in is key to making bedtime enjoyable again, and it all comes down to finding the right mattress. All the decorative pillows and furry throws in the world won’t matter if your mattress is making you feel achy when you get up in the morning. The important part to remember is not settling for good. You deserve a perfect mattress that will allow you to fall into a deep slumber night after night and wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and ready for the day. Some mattress manufacturers, like this one named Eve, offer you a trial period to test out at home. Eve will give you a full 100 nights to get acquainted with your mattress and if you don’t like it, their collection service is free and you can get a full refund. It’s worth investing a little time in finding a mattress that is just right for you.
Banish all electronics
Anybody who says they don’t enjoy watching television in bed is lying. But having a television in your bedroom or watching Netflix on your laptop is detrimental to your sleep. The bright light not only stimulates your brain, it also inhibits the production of melatonin, a hormone that that helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Try to eliminate electronic glare from your bedroom as much as possible or consider listening to an audiobook instead. Who knows, if you stop watching Friends until late at night, you might discover you are a morning person after all.
Are you a good sleeper or do you have trouble sleeping at night? What sort of things have you tried or do you to give yourself more and a better night’s sleep.
