Getting good sleep is vital for your mental and physical health.
If you’re not getting the sleep you need, it can feel all-consuming, and if you are, there’s no harm is giving your routine a little boost.
Whether you’re among the former party or the latter, Xander Shreenan, interior design expert from Dowsing & Reynolds, has teamed up with MemoryFoamPillows.co.uk to give some tips on how your bedroom could be styled to boost your sleep.
Paint your walls and ceiling the same colour
You might enjoy a contrast wall, or want to have fun painting various geometric shapes on your wall, but you should keep that out of the bedroom.
Xander said having the same colour all over your walls and ceiling ‘has a cocoon effect which is great for relaxation” as well as helping the room look bigger.
Choose a light blue colour scheme to de-stress
Blue is known as a very calming colour, with dark blue up there among the top predicted paint trends for 2021.
However, you might want to stick with a lighter blue in the bedroom, since light colours have been shown to help improve your mood.
Improve your room’s air quality with plants
Xander said: ‘Plants improve air quality and can change the humidity in a room, making the atmosphere more pleasant.’
Our favourite air-purifying plants include English Ivy, Snake Plants, and Aloe Vera.
Move your bed to avoid distractions
Even moving your bed can help minimise distractions that can keep you from restful sleep.
Try moving the head of your bed is against a wall rather than having it underneath any windows, so that you’ll be farther away from outside noises and shadows.
You might also want to try adding sleep aids to the mix too, with things like masks and noise-cancelling headphones among the products that can help too.
Choose natural bedding to regulate body temperature
To help you sleep better, Xander recommend ‘soft, breathable fabric for bedding to regulate body temperature,’ such as cotton or linen.
To get the maximum benefit, you might try sleeping naked, because nudity can help lower your body temperature, thus signalling to your body that it’s time to sleep.
Evidence has also shown that sleeping naked could help boost the amount of REM sleep you get.
Keep your bedroom phone-free
Xander says, ‘Avoid using your phone or laptop in the bedroom an hour or two before bed. The blue light emitted from these devices negatively affects sleep.’
If you simply must look at a screen in bed, then try switching your device to night mode, which will lower the levels of blue light.
You might also consider trying to set it up so that ‘do not disturb’ settings turn on automatically at a certain time each evening.
Tidy away your clutter before sleeping
Clutter is no small issue, with interiors therapist Suzanne Roynon previously telling us: ‘With an increase in clutter comes an increase in tension, sleepless nights and anxiety, which put huge strain on health, work, relationships and happiness.’
Xander said: ‘This can make you feel unsettled and will make it harder for you to relax before bed, it’s like having a visual reminder of something you were supposed to sort that day.’
Things to try to boost your sleep
- Sleep with socks on
- Take a bath an hour and a half before bed
- Try letting your dog sleep in your bed
- Do some exercise during the day
- Try to make sure your room is 16-18 degrees Celsius – the optimum temperature according to Dr Amir Khan
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
- Make your bedroom as relaxing as possible
- Set yourself a consistent bedtime
- If all else fails… masturbate
Accessorise with an essential oil diffuser
It’s well-known that lavender is great for sleep, with countless pillow sprays and lotions out there to choose from if you want to add the smell to your sleep routine.
You can also try an oil diffuser, which you can use with any oil you feel like at any time of day.
Try dimmer lighting
Regular room lighting can suppress melatonin, the body’s sleep hormone, but using a dimmer lamp can give you more control over the brightness in your room as you wind down for bed.
Xander suggested: ‘Installing dimmer switches on your bedroom lighting, so you can control the ambience.
‘Turn down the ceiling lighting in the evening or use a bedside table lamp so that your eyes aren’t strained before bed.’
Invest in blackout curtains
Not a fan of sleep masks but crave a lie in?
Xander suggested using blackout curtains to help keep the room darker for longer during those bright summer months, and added: ‘Thick curtains will also help insulate the room in winter if you have single-glazed windows.’
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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk
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source https://metro.co.uk/2021/03/11/10-tips-on-how-to-style-your-bedroom-to-boost-your-sleep-14225192/
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