Do you struggle to get a good night’s sleep? Surprisingly, one of the biggest disruptors of our rest is the space we try to get our zzz’s in. After all, your bedroom should be your sanctuary from the stresses of the day! To help you get the rest you deserve, we’ve collated our 5 top tips for creating the ideal sleep space.
1. Add a pop of colour
While most of us paint our bedrooms our favourite shades or classic cream colour, this isn’t the best choice for our rest. A Travel Lodge survey has found that the colour of our walls can have a direct influence on our sleep, with grey, purple or brown hues being the least slumber-inducing colours. If this makes you tempted to grab a paintbrush, try a soothing blue shade, which 58% of participants finding this shade to be the most relaxing. And if blue is not your colour, try yellow or green, as these were close runners up.
2. Make it a designated space
One of the biggest mistakes that people make with their bedroom design is making it multi-functional. While we’re big advocates of making the most of your space, if you use your bedroom as a work area or other purpose as well as sleep space, it’s going to make it so much harder to fall asleep at night. By using your bedroom solely for rest, you condition your body and mind to start relaxing as soon as you enter it.
3. Fill it with soothing scents
Creating a relaxing space isn’t just about the aesthetics, it’s about appealing to all of our senses. Fill your room with fragranced candles or diffusers that you find soothing to make it a haven of relaxation. Lavender, vanilla and chamomile are all proven to be calming, but it’s important to find a scent you personally like! Try using a different scent from the rest of your home, to let your body know it’s time to wind-down when you smell that fragrance.
4. Use natural materials
What you may not realise is that your choice of bedding actually has a huge impact on your sleep. Using synthetic materials traps sweat, feels scratchy on your skin and can irritate skin or breathing disorders. That’s why it’s always a good idea to choose natural materials when you can. Not only do these feel more luxurious, but they also make your bedroom a much healthier place!
5. Choose your lighting carefully
Since our sleep cycles are so sensitive to light, you should choose your bedroom lighting wisely. Bright lights let your body know it’s time to be awake and active, so try install bulbs which can be dimmed at night. This signals your body that it’s time to rest, helping you fall asleep quicker. However, some of the other disruptive light sources present in your bedroom may shock you! Even the LED light of your alarm clock or mobile phone, can disrupt your sleep. That’s why it’s advised to use an old-fashioned alarm, and lock your phone away in your bedside drawer for the night.
If you’d like more tips and tricks to make your bedroom sleep-friendly, follow us on Facebook! We share daily sleep hacks to help you get the rest you deserve.
