According to studies, sleep is something we should be doing for at least seven hours a day, making the bedroom one of the most significant rooms in a house. Thanks to the stresses of everyday life, however, it is estimated that 40 per cent of Americans get less than their recommended amount of sleep per day. If you’re one of those people, then the following tips may help you tip the scales in sleep’s favour.
colour for calm. Your bedroom should be a calm and peaceful place where you can unwind and relax after a long day. One of the easiest ways to achieve a calm environment is through the use of colour. Studies have shown that colour has a profound effect on a person’s mood, so choosing the right shades for your bedroom is key. When you’re in the paint shop, look out for muted blues and greens or peaceful shades of pastel.
cut out the light. A dark environment is critical for good sleep as the absence of light is what signals to the human body that it is time to rest. Your internal sleep clock is reliant on darkness to function so keeping your bedroom as dark as possible is important to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Aside from obvious sources of light such as lamps, light creeps into rooms in other ways, through electronic displays like digital alarm clock faces and TV and cellphone screens. If you’re determined to cut out these sources then, perhaps, a vintage, open-faced alarm clock would be a good buy. Investing in a TV cabinet with closable doors is a great way to ensure this ambient light doesn’t impact your REM sleep.
climate control is key. Aside from light, temperature is one of the most important factors that can affect sleep. This is because our body temperature fluctuates throughout the day and night and this pattern is tied to our sleep cycle. As you begin to get tired, your temperature starts to drop, only starting to rise again just before you are ready to wake up after a night’s sleep. If the air in your bedroom is too hot it may interfere with this natural cycle, causing restlessness. An easy fix for this would be to monitor the temperature in your room and adjust your air conditioning or fan usage in order to stabilize the temperature between 15 and 20 C, the most commonly recommended bedroom temperature.
invest in a good bed. People spend an average of a third of their lives in bed, making the bed and mattress central to getting a decent night’s sleep. While redesigning your room, make sure that the bed and mattress you choose are not only the right size for your space, to appeal to you esthetically, but that they suit your sleep style and what your body needs. The wrong mattress can result in fewer hours of shut-eye, which will not only leave you feeling tired but also increase your stress levels and even leave you with lingering aches and pains, so getting a new bed can be a real game-changer in terms of sleep quality. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, be sure to check out the Memorial Day mattress sale so you can start investing in a good night’s sleep now.
The design of your bedroom can have a profound effect on your life, with a good night’s sleep being key to ensuring good mental and physical health. If you’re suffering from a touch of insomnia then the above tips could help you rediscover the joy of quality sleep.
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