Home design for a good night’s sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is important and your home set up can have a lot to do with this. Try to account for each of your senses when creating your sleep space to help make those Monday mornings that much less dreadful. Surprisingly, it’s not just about laying down and closing your eyes. Appeal to the sights, sounds, feelings and smells that help you relax after a long day. Here are a few tips to turning your home into that sleep oasis that most people only dream of.

Sight

• Blackout curtains are expensive but totally worth it. The darker your room is, the better you’re going to sleep. Darkness helps your body generate more melatonin, meaning a longer, more restful sleep.
• Get rid of electronics in the bedroom. The blue light that your phone, laptop or tablet projects into your eyes tricks your brain into thinking it’s day time and that you should be awake. Removing the nest of cables will also make it look cleaner, allowing you to decorate however you like. A good book doesn’t have these downsides and reading before bed can be extremely relaxing!
• Swap out your lightbulbs for something with less blue light. Similar to electronics, your light bulbs can produce blue light that will stunt the production of melatonin. Try swapping your bedroom light bulbs to a lower colour temperature – anything lower than 2000K is ideal– to keep your body producing melatonin.

Hearing

• The quieter the room, the better your hearing gets. If you buy a small fan, you can kill two birds with one stone. Create some white noise that will help lull you to sleep and keep the room at an ideal temperature at the same time.

Touch

• You spend a quarter of your life in your bed, so make it luxurious. Replace your mattress every eight years and your pillows every two years to make sure you’re getting the support you need. If you find yourself having issues sleeping, it might be time to make a change. Even swapping the sheets could make all the difference.

Smell

• Add to the luxury and make your bedroom feel like a spa. Spritz natural smells like lavender, ylang-ylang or sweet orange into your room to help your mind and body relax.

Most people don’t think much about sleep, but if you consider each of your senses and tries to make your bedroom appealing to all of them, you’ll have a more restful night. Since we spend so much time sleeping, and a good night’s sleep can make or break your entire day, think of it as important as eating properly or exercising. Follow these quick, easy tips and you’ll be getting the good night’s sleep you deserve in no time.