5 Tips for Styling Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

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For many of us, the bedroom serves numerous purposes – it’s an office, a reading nook, a dressing room, and a place to unwind after a long day. However, aside from all these extra functions that the bedroom performs, its most basic and vital function is to act as your sleep sanctuary. It is the one room designed specifically to sleep in, which means that it is a room essential to our happiness and wellbeing. Without a healthy night’s sleep, we can suffer from a cloudy mind, memory loss, mood swings, and weight gain; and, continued sleep deprivation results in chronic health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and depression.

With the important role that sleep plays in our physical and mental wellness, it is vital that we do everything in our power to get the best sleep possible – including optimizing our bedroom for quality sleep. Here are five tips to style your bedroom to promote a good night’s sleep.

Clutter in the bedroom causes anxiety and a lack of sleep.

Too much clutter in your room can cause subconscious stressors and feelings of uneasiness that keep you up at night. Take a minimalist approach in your bedroom and use a decluttering technique to turn your bedroom into a calm and serene place of sanctuary. If you use your bedroom as an office space, make a clear division between your place of sleep and your workspace. Your mind should be in a state of complete relaxation when you go to bed, so any reminders of work should be out of sight.

Your air temperature and quality affect your sleep, so maintain optimal levels of both.

If you find yourself waking up throughout the night, it is very likely that your room’s temperature is either too hot or too cold. While it is estimated that the optimal temperature for a healthy night’s sleep is between 62 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, experts believe that one person’s optimal temperature will vary from the next. Aside from air temperature, the quality of your air may also be causing you to lose sleep. Indoor air pollution, caused by chemical off-gassing from household products as well as cigarette smoke, air-borne allergens and viruses can cause you to experience deteriorating help along with a lack of sleep. To clean up your air quality, incorporate these plants into your bedroom along with an air purifier.

A good mattress is essential to quality sleep and your health.

While it may sound obvious that you need a good mattress to get a good night’s sleep, many people don’t connect their health issues to the state of their mattress. A mattress that is too hard, too soft, lumpy, or unstable will cause damage to your back and joints, and keep you up all night, tossing and turning, and trying to get comfortable. In addition, without the proper support of a good mattress, sinking causes an obstruction to your airflow and results in snoring.

Darkness is required for a good night’s sleep.

Our body’s circadian rhythm follows a dark-light cycle, so when it is time to sleep, it is vital that your bedroom is as dark as possible. Unfortunately, the light from devices like TVs, computers, alarm clocks, and cellphones, interrupt REM sleep and cause sleep loss. We recommend turning off all electrical devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime, hiding any device that emits light in a drawer or armoire, and wearing a quality sleep mask to bed.

The colors and noises in your bedroom matter.

To fall asleep, your brain needs a calm environment. Although you may love vibrant colors, when your bedroom walls are painted in these colors, it will be difficult to fall asleep. For a relaxing aesthetic, use paint colors that are calming and toned down. In addition, even the smallest noises can affect your sleep. To get a good night’s rest, eliminate noisy fans, turn off the TV, and play soothing nature sounds while you drift off to sleep.

While some don’t realize it, sleep is far more than just a time of rest – instead, it is a process of restoration that’s critical for the proper functioning of the mind and body. Without a healthy night’s sleep, we can suffer from a cloudy mind, mood swings, and weight gain; and, a continued lack of sleep results in chronic health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and depression.

Contribution by Elise Morgan