Location, location, location. Where you sleep matters as much as when and how you sleep – especially when you’re trying fall asleep and stay asleep. From temperature to smell and more, your sleeping environment serves as an important foundation for the quality of rest that you get. Here are some tips on how you can design your bedroom for better sleep.
Keep It Cool
Cooler temperatures have been proven to be more conducive for sleep. This is because our bodies are programmed to experience a slight dip in temperature in evening. Having a cool bedroom when you sleep can help with regulating your body temperature as well as serving as a signal to your body that it is time for bed.
For those living in tropical climates, keeping your room cool will need some extra effort. Ensure that your bedroom is well-ventilated by opening a window for cool, fresh air to flow in or switching on a fan or the air conditioner. Switching on an air purifier can also help make sure that the air in your room is clean.
Keep It Dark
By nature, our bodies are designed to be awake during the day, when there’s light, and to be asleep, when it’s dark. Keeping your bedroom dark is more conducive for restorative sleep as it will be more in tune with our body’s natural circadian rhythm.
Invest in blackout shades and curtains that will help block out any natural or electric light (e.g., from street lamps or car headlights) from your windows. You can also go a step further and paint the walls of your bedroom in cool and neutral hues like blue, lavender and grey, to further evoke a sense of calm in your sleeping environment.
Avoid Electric Light
Using your phone in bed or falling asleep while we watch TV are some habits that we’ve all indulged in. They, however, are detrimental to your quality of sleep. The blue light that our electronic devices emit disrupt our body’s circadian rhythm at night, as it makes us feel more awake. This then makes it harder for us to fall asleep at night.
Put Sleep First
The pandemic has forced most of us to work from home for majority of the week, if not permanently. For those who don’t have a dedicated office space at home to work out of, it is very tempting to work from the comfort of our beds. Working from home has also blurred the lines of working and resting hours. A combination of these two factors means that your bedroom, meant to be a sanctuary for rest and relaxation, has turned into a place where your mind gets activated for work.
This can affect your sleep quality as your mind is now conditioned to associate your room and bed with work and the stress that comes with it. By removing all elements of work from your bedroom, you can help your mind associate your bedroom with sleep and rest, allowing you to have a good night’s sleep.
Keep it Clean
Having a clean and neat room is not just good for hygiene purposes, it also has an indirect impact on your quality of sleep. Clutter in your room is distracting and can cause you to feel subconscious stress and anxiety. This may cause sleep disturbances, resulting in you having poor sleep and not feeling well-rested.
Clean your bedroom regularly and keep it neat – that means no more “laundry chair”. Fold your clean laundry and store them out of sight in your wardrobe. Keep your vanity and side tables free of clutter and dust. You can also use aroma and essential oils that are conducive for relaxation to keep your room smelling nice and fresh.
Invest in Good Quality Bedding
Your bed is the most important element in your bedroom. The mattress you lay on, the pillows you use and the blankets you drape all can have a direct effect on the quality of sleep that you get.
Invest in good quality bedding that complement your climate, sleeping posture and sleeping habits. This will help you feel comfortable while you sleep and wake up feeling well-rested and refreshed without any stiffness.
Take your time when designing your room for better sleep. Making gradual adjustments over time will make it easier for you to measure the impact on your quality of sleep and help you identify elements that you might want to tweak further.
Happy sleeping!