Did you know that something as simple as the colors around you can affect how relaxed you feel before bed?
In fact, there have been several studies on how your sleep environment can affect your quality of sleep.
For example, sleep experts caution against doing any work in bed (or anywhere in the bedroom for that matter), because that leads to your brain associating the bed with work.
This makes it close to impossible for your body to relax properly enough for you to have a good night’s rest at the end of a long day.
Sleep experts also advise against using an abundance of overly bright colors on the walls of your bedroom, as this keeps you alert and makes it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Now that we’ve talked a little about what not to do in your bedroom, let’s talk about how to design a bedroom that supports quality sleep.
How do you create a relaxing bedroom for quality sleep?
In order to avoid spending all your nights tossing and turning, you need to keep the following factors in mind:
1 . Light
Our bodies operate on sleep-wake cycles that are controlled by the amount of light around us. During the day, when we’re out in the sun, our bodies produce cortisol, a hormone that helps us to stay awake and alert.
At night, when the sun has gone down, our bodies respond by producing melatonin, a hormone that helps our bodies to wind down. When our bodies are in this relaxed state, it’s easier for us to fall asleep.
Unfortunately, this is much easier said than done. In this modern age, our homes are filled with devices that counteract our natural sleep-wake cycle. Bright lights, TVs, phones, and other mobile devices all disrupt this cycle.
After you’ve spent the evening binge-watching your favorite TV show or scrolling mindlessly on Instagram, it’s harder to fall asleep because your body is on high alert.
You can blame this on the blue light from your TV or phone that has triggered the production of cortisol.
We’re not suggesting that you turn all your lights off as soon as the sun goes down – this would be highly impractical, and no one wants to go back to the stone age.
What experts suggest, instead, is that you start dimming the lights around you 2 hours before it’s time to sleep.
This also means that you shouldn’t be glued to your phone right before bedtime. Rather, take advantage of this time to unwind and unplug from the outside world.
Read a book instead (remember to dim the lights!), have a nice bubble bath or take time to connect with the people you live with.
2. Temperature
A lower body temperature contributes to better sleep because a lower body temperature makes you feel sleepy. In contrast, a high body temperature makes you feel more alert.
For this reason, it’s important to avoid sleeping in a hot room. According to experts 16.5 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius) is the optimum temperature for a good night’s sleep.
While the temperature drops naturally at night, many people use thermostats to adjust the temperature to their liking.
During hot seasons, you might also find it useful to get rid of heavy bedding which will only make you feel sweaty and restless.
You don’t want to be too cold either. After all, if you go to bed shivering, you won’t be getting any sleep.
Your body needs to be relaxed so that you can drift into dreamland – the tension that you feel when you’re cold will do the exact opposite.
3. Noise levels
It goes without saying that noise will only keep you awake. Do yourself a favor and make sure you’re not sleeping in an environment where you will be kept awake by jarring noises.
Even the smallest amount of noise can disrupt your sleep.
This is also true for those self-proclaimed heavy sleepers. If you slept all the way through the night but woke up feeling tired, your sleep might’ve been disrupted by noise.
Although research has shown that noise can disrupt your sleep, there are specific noises that are soothing and contribute to better sleep.
People who struggle to fall asleep have found that white noise, ASMR, and music at a low volume help them fall asleep faster.
4. Colors
The colors that feature in your bedroom go beyond contributing to the décor. These colors will affect how you feel and the quality of your zzzzs.
Experts in color psychology have discovered that bright colors like red, bright pinks, and purples increase your heart rate and blood flow.
We don’t have to tell you how this could negatively affect your sleep.
On the other hand, subdued blues, greens, oranges, and yellows help your mind relax and, therefore, contribute to better sleep. Among these, the most recommended colors are muted tones of blue and green.
5. Mattresses and bedding
It goes without saying that the quality of your bedding determines how well you sleep.
Have a scratchy bedsheet or a mattress that is a little too hard? These could both be contributing to you tossing and turning for hours each night.
Having said that, the optimum bedding depends on your preferences as an individual, so there are no cut-and-dry rules for this.
Some people prefer firmer mattresses while others want a springier mattress.
Some people can’t sleep without the comforting feeling of memory foam hugging the contours of their bodies.
Whatever bedding you settle on, it’s important to make sure that it’s quality bedding. The sleep experts at Skylark+Owl understand the difference that well-crafted bedding can have on your sleep.
They’ve leveraged decades of experience in the comfort game to develop a wide range of quality bedding to help you sleep easily.
With their selection of bedding, you can turn your bedroom into a cozy nest where you can unwind at the end of the day.
At Skylark+Owl, you can shop from a wide selection of products designed to take sleeping on a cloud to a new level.
Their website features duvet covers, sheet sets, pillowcases, pillows, and blankets – all made of only the best natural fibers.
Are you ready to upgrade your sleep?
The importance of quality sleep cannot be overstated. You need quality sleep to be productive the next day and to have positive interactions with the people around you.
On the other hand, getting less than the optimal amount of sleep that you need leaves you feeling lethargic, struggling to remember things, and fighting to get through every minute of your day.
If you want to upgrade your sleep, check out the products that Skylark+Owl has to offer to turn your bed into a cozy nest.
You can also connect with Skylark+Owl on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
