Regularly getting a good night’s sleep is fundamental for physical and mental well-being. Inadequate sleep impacts your mood, immune system, and ability to concentrate and make sound decisions during the day. So, how can you improve your sleep quality?
You can meditate, do gentle exercises, or use lavender-scented candles, but the best way to get better sleep is to invest in your bedroom. The design, layout, and contents of your room all affect your sleeping patterns. Here are some simple changes to make your bedroom more relaxing and conducive to quality sleep.
Optimize Your Sleep Environment
The key to sleeping well is reducing disturbances that cause you to wake up during the night. Having a clear, undistracted mind is the first step toward falling asleep, and feeling comfortable helps you stay asleep. Here are three areas to focus on when optimizing your bedroom for sleep:
Temperature Control
Shivering or sweating will interrupt your rest, making you uncomfortable and ruining your sleep. Instead, try maintaining a temperature between 60 and 70 degrees and adding a humidifier during the drier months for airway comfort.
Light Management
Nature has designed our brains to “power up” with increasing light and “power down” with decreasing light. That means most of us need three to four hours to unwind before bed.
Switch off bright lights and minimize blue light from electronics such as TVs, laptops, and mobile phones for at least 30 minutes before bedtime. This type of light interferes with your natural sleep hormones and cycles, keeping your brain active and leaving you feeling tired. If you need to get up at night, use soft lighting such as night lights or flashlights to find your way. To help, consider opaque blinds or curtains to control light in your room and reduce glare from streetlamps.
Noise Reduction
It makes sense that the quieter your bedroom is, the better. While you may not be able to control outside and background sounds, you can minimize noise by shutting down your devices and using thicker drapes. Playing ambient white noise while you sleep can help block out other sounds that might disturb you.
Invest in a Quality Mattress
The National Sleep Foundation reports that nine out of 10 people consider a comfortable mattress crucial to relaxed, quality sleep. But what exactly makes a good mattress? A quality mattress should adequately support your spine, ensuring you sleep with natural spine alignment to avoid causing back pain. As a result, you’ll sleep better for longer and wake up feeling refreshed.
Firm vs. Plush Mattresses
When making mattress choices, the first aspect to consider is your level of support. A firm mattress is more supportive but uncomfortable for some side sleepers. Plush mattresses have a soft top layer from memory foam or a similar cushioning material. The best mattress for quality sleep should have a medium-firm feel that offers comfort and support.
Compare Mattress Materials
Innerspring mattresses are supportive and bouncy, while foam mattresses feel dense and spongy. Most modern mattresses are hybrids of these two types, offering the support of springs with foam comfort. Remember that memory foam isn’t breathable and tends to become too hot as a topper material. Latex is a natural alternative with more bounce. Advanced mattress materials can help keep you cool, adjust to your shape, offer antibacterial protection, and help reduce allergies.
How Often Must You Replace Your Mattress?
Mattress comfort decreases as the years go by, negatively impacting your sleep quality. Most people notice signs of deterioration around the seven- to 10-year mark. Mattresses aren’t designed for over a decade of use, and replacing them regularly will help you maintain healthy sleeping patterns.
You may also need to replace your bed frame every few years. Wooden beds eventually start creaking and may break after decades of wear and tear. Metal bed frames last longer but may need replacement every 15 to 20 years.
Upgrade Your Bedding for Better Sleep
Where your mattress provides support, your bedding provides comfort and warmth to keep you cozy throughout the night. Investing in quality pillows, sheets, comforters, and blankets can make all the difference in getting a good night’s sleep.
Pillows
Quality pillows are paramount to good sleep, and sleeping on an uncomfortable one can cause neck pain that ruins your day. Look for a supportive pillow that helps you maintain a neutral neck position and replace it every two to five years. You can even display a few decorative cushions alongside your sleeping pillows to give your bedroom some design flair.
Sheets and Comforters
To help maintain a suitable temperature for better sleep, choose heavier, warmer bedding in winter and lighter, cooler bedding in summer. Also, select sheet and comforter materials that help wick moisture away from your skin and allow it to breathe. Finally, the National Sleep Foundation observes that clean bedding can result in a 19% increase in restful sleep, so you should change your sheets frequently.
You can also use sheets, comforters, and throws to curate cute room ideas for your kids. Fun colors and patterns can make bedtime more enjoyable and help them build healthy sleep habits from a young age.
Tips for a Relaxing Bedroom Environment
Candles, mood lighting, and comforting accents can help you create a cozy bedroom ambiance that is calming. Simple room decor and bedroom furniture make the space feel more open, inviting, and relaxing to the eye. Chests, space-saving beds, and other storage solutions can help eliminate clutter and reduce visual distractions at bedtime.
Other ways to decorate your room for relaxation include removing electronic devices and adding a bookcase. Electronics emit blue light that can disturb your rest and alert your mind when trying to sleep. Switch out the laptop and TV for a good book instead.
Create a Serene Bedroom With Home Zone Furniture
We stock quality, stylish, cost-effective bedroom furniture and decor perfect for curating a sleep-friendly space. For more tips on how to decorate your room for better sleep, please get in touch. You can also browse our extensive online collection to enjoy home decor shopping from the comfort of your couch.
