I love spending time in our bedroom. Its my getaway place to read, meditate, sit in our massage chair, and just get recharged. I feel this room is a calming oasis.
Below are 5 top tips to help you make your bedroom a stress free sanctuary.
- Color – Make it soothing. My favorite color (or as my son will tell me “non-color”) is white. To me white or cream makes for a soothing base to build upon. Your soothing color may be pale gray, sky blue, or sea green, or yellow. Painting is one of the least expensive ways to redecorate and can make a huge impact on how you feel when you are in a room.
- Light – Most people need a dark room to get the best night’s sleep. Invest in blackout shades to keep any outdoor lights from shining through. For relaxing before bedtime, use a light with a dimmer. This will enable you to have bright light when you need it, but allow your brain to slow down as the light is dimmed. If possible, have a chair and a good reading lamp in your bedroom if you like to read. This will keep you out of bed until you are ready to go to sleep.
- Temperature – Are you cold or hot natured? Most research shows that the best home temperature for a good night’s rest is between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit. If your room is cool, rather than warm, it will be much easier to shut your eyes for the night. Thermostat settings far lower or higher than what’s recommended could lead to restlessness and affect the quality of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. If you find this temperature is too cool, wear socks to bed, or make the DIY Natural Heating Pad from our RecipeCorner.
- Comfort – Your highest priority is your biggest piece of furniture, your bed….or rather your mattress to be exact. Find one that is the right firmness for your optimal sleep. A good mattress should last 9-10 years. Secondly, your pillow. Pillows vary in lifespan. “If you have a plain-old, inexpensive polyester pillow, you should be replacing it every six months,” says Michael Breus, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of the book Good Night. But if you have a memory foam pillow or any one with structural integrity, it’ll last you anywhere from 18 to 36 months.” Thirdly, sheets. Whether you prefer Egyptian cotton, linen, flannel, or cotton….make sure they are soft and conform to your body temperature.
- Set the Tone – Removing a TV may not always be possible, but turning it off before bedtime will definitely reduce the amounts of blue light emitted into the room. Same with your electronic devices (phone, tablet, kindle, laptop). Tuck your technology out of sight. Remove all other clutter so your mind can rest too. And remember….small touches can make a big impact. Fresh flowers, your favorite essential oil, linen spray on your pillow. All to help set the tone.
It has been said we spend approximately 1/3 of our lives sleeping. Hopefully that includes most of us. But if not, we hope the ideas above will help you sleep better.
Inspired by
prevention.com
sleep.org
TH magazine
