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Along with eating a healthy diet and staying active, getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for our overall health and wellbeing. Sadly, a lot of us struggle to get enough hours of good quality shut-eye.
There’s a lot of great advice about forming better habits to improve sleep quality, like creating a bedtime routine, reducing screen time and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon. In addition to these, it’s important to create a sleep-friendly environment in your bedroom.
The choices you make about lighting, bed linen and furniture can all make a difference. If you’re looking for ways to improve your sleep environment at home, check out these simple tips that you can get started with tonight!
Maximise comfort
Making your bed as comfortable as possible can help you relax more easily at night time.
Start with a good quality mattress. Not only will you feel better when you lie down, it’ll help protect your back over time. Finding the right mattress can be an investment, so be sure to do your research, read reviews and trial out some options first.
While you’re at it, upgrade your pillows too. Many of us still sleep on years-old pillows which can have a negative impact on our health, as well as our nightly sleep quality. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to pillows, so be prepared to try out a few before you find your ideal type.
Choose the right bed linen
The right bed linen will make your bed feel more comfortable, it’ll help prevent you from overheating during the night and it should make you feel excited to get to bed!
Go with a natural fabric like 100% cotton or linen as these breathe better than synthetic fibres. They also feel better on your skin.
It’s worth investing in bed linen that looks great and makes you feel good. Whether you’re into a minimalist design or a more whimsical pattern like the offerings from Lazybones, treating yourself to bed linen that you love can make a big difference.
Make sure you wash your bed linen regularly – every week is a good rule of thumb. Not only will it feel like luxury to slip into clean sheets, but you’ll be maintaining a healthier sleep environment.
Control the lighting
Most of us sleep best when there’s minimal light, but you don’t want your bedroom to feel dark and dreary when you’re not in bed.
To find the right balance, you’ve got to take control of the lighting situation. Designing your lighting in layers is a smart move. Overhead room lights can be bright – use these for activities like getting dressed in the morning, cleaning etc.
Have table lamps or pendant lights next to the bed which cast a soft warm light. Use these when reading in bed before you go to sleep. Lowering the lights like this can help signal to your body that it’s time to relax.
You can also invest in black out curtains if you struggle to keep your room dark at night. If you struggle waking up in the morning, try maximising light with automatic lights or natural light from the window.
Introduce calming scents
The idea when trying to create a calming environment is to hit every sense. In addition to the soft touch of your bed linen and the warm glow of your lamps, try introducing a calming aroma as well.
Go for candles that have soothing, sleep-friendly scents and are made from natural products such as the range by The Commonfolk. Scents like vanilla, caramel, lavender and sage are all great choices for better sleep.
Embrace soothing colours
Colours can impact our mood, so when designing your bedroom, go for soothing, calming colours. Keep in mind that the ideal colour palette can look different for everyone and it can take a bit of self-observation to figure out what’s right for you.
Blues, greens and pastel hues are great choices, but grey-scale palettes can also work well. If you struggle getting up in the morning, consider brighter yellows, oranges to give you a boost of energy.
Reduce clutter
Living in a mess can make us feel stressed out, but your bedroom should be a haven where you can unwind. So clear out the clutter and keep things tidy.
Practice getting in good habits like making your bed every morning and putting your clothes away when you undress. If you struggle keeping things tidy, invest in some good storage and organisation furniture so that you can close a door or drawer on clutter.
Keep your bedside table free of mess and use it to display meaningful objects, such as a picture of your family, your dream journal or a vase of flowers. Reducing clutter doesn’t mean your bedroom should be sterile – make sure it still feels like your space.
Regulate the temperature
Experts say we sleep best when the room temperature is slightly on the cold side. If you find that you’re overheating a lot at night or struggling to fall asleep, try using a fan or opening a window to keep things cooler.
Your choice of bed linen will also make a difference – go with natural fabrics like cotton or linen for more breathability.
Make your bedroom an oasis from work
When you enter your bedroom, you should be able to switch off and leave your worries at the door. It’s hard to have a good sleep if you’re thinking about deadlines or stressing over to do lists.
Keep your bedroom for bedroom activities only, and leave the work tasks for other parts of the house. This can help train your body and mind to unwind when you step into the bedroom.
It’s worth spending time to make your bedroom look and feel inviting, like your own personal oasis. Put up artwork that inspires you, use throw rugs and cushions that make you feel warm and cosy and maybe even think about updating your bed if it’s feeling dreary.
Even small changes like these can help create a better environment for a good night’s sleep.
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