The majority of people find themselves burning through heaps of coffee during the day to stay awake. This habit is a result of not sleeping enough or perhaps sleeping for the allocated eight hours but not feeling rested. It’s a familiar feeling, and while various factors influence the quality of sleep, the arrangement of your bedroom furniture and other accessories may be preventing you from achieving the perfect night’s rest.
Sleep is dependent on the individual. There are potential underlying health issues that may be prohibiting you from quality sleep. While these tips may assist some people, it’s not a blanket solution for all scenarios.
Location of the Bedroom
This practical factor affects the quantity and quality of sleep you may be getting. If your bedroom is at the front of the house, closer to the street and sidewalk, the noise will undoubtedly keep you up and ensure you’re tossing and turning before falling into a deep sleep. Having a bedroom beneath a place of activity such as a toilet will disturb you at night when someone on the upper floor of the home goes to the bathroom. Those sounds will filter into your room, disturbing your sleep.
A bedroom that’s near the garage is horrible for sleep as elements such as exhaust fumes, the sound of the car doors, insects from the outside, and warmer temperatures filter through. Contrary to popular belief, having a large, spacious bedroom could have an adverse effect on your sleep. Your human survival instincts may be uncomfortable with an expansive space, giving you the feeling of not being in control, thus creating a thought in your mind that continually prevents you from immersing yourself in sleep.
Location of the Bed
It’s hard to believe that the placement of your bed in your room affects your sleep, but it’s true. Placing your bed against the wall makes perfect sense as opposed to in the center of the room. We recommend that you don’t set the bed against the same wall as the door. Every time the door opens or closes, you will be alerted and will naturally want to investigate.
Try to keep your bed away from the window. Since the window is the gateway to the outside world, several factors affect your sleep. The obvious one is light; you don’t want to be disturbed by any lights from the outside, such as street lights or the movement of cars. Wind, shadows, and the movement of animals and insects may also be a disturbance. Avoid placing your bed under a beam or a low ceiling as it will prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. Your instincts remain switched on, thus keeping you awake and aware.
Bedroom Furniture
Bed frames are as critical as the bed itself. Several modern designs can increase the aesthetic appeal of your bedroom. However, it may be impractical in some instances. Acquiring a wooden bed frame is risky over the long term as it may be susceptible to breaking. The mere thought of this is enough to affect your sleep and cause you to be extra cautious when turning during the night to find a comfortable position. Instead, select a frame that’s strong and dependable to provide you with enough support.
Avoid hanging any light fittings above your bed. It may be a solid fitting but will affect you subconsciously and prevent a night of restful sleep. Including large fixtures such as bookshelves are also a problem. Anything taller than six feet belongs in another room and not your place of rest. Being placed next to a massive structure naturally causes a feeling of nervousness as if it may fall on you. Furthermore, all activities related to work should stay out of the bedroom as going to bed with those objects such as a desk or laptop around will affect your mind causing you to think about work constantly.
Bedroom Accessories
The presence of light in the bedroom is a critical factor in attaining quality sleep. This aspect differs from individuals as some prefer a little light while others shut it out completely. Installing the correct light fittings to assist your rest is possible. Dim lights with soothing colors such as a low red can provide the atmosphere and environment for the perfect night’s sleep.
Blinds and curtains play a considerable role in regulating the amount of light that filters into your room. You can adjust both to the level of light you want to allow in, thus ensuring the conditions are ideal for quality sleep. It’s proven that exposure to the blue light that your smartphone emits affects the time it takes to fall asleep. Hence the recommendation to keep your devices away from your bedroom. Exposure to the screen will affect your sleep. However, smartphone manufacturers have recently introduced night mode, which promotes better sleep, but if you’re struggling, avoid contact with the devices altogether.
Other accessories should be reconsidered, such as plants, mirrors, water features, art, and other images. They may all contribute negatively to the amount and quality of sleep.
Other Elements
There are good habits that you could get into, which will aid in quality sleep. Making your bed and changing the linen often keeps the room fresh and the bed, in particular, inviting at the end of the day. No one wants to see a cluttered, untidy bed to hop into for eight hours. Always ensure that you close your bedroom windows to prevent the smells from outside filtering through. The worst case is the smell of cigarettes, which is harsh and makes it impossible to sleep. Your master bathroom door must remain closed as well as the door to the bedroom.
On the note of windows, make sure you keep them open during the day to let out the carbon dioxide from the previous night. The room must remain fresh to appear nurturing before you sleep. Some people prefer to have the TV on while they try to fall asleep. It has the same effect as your smartphone. Stimulating your brain before resting it isn’t the best idea. Furthermore, studies have shown that TVs create an electromagnetic field, which could have health repercussions for people.
If you are struggling to sleep, try a few of these tips to increase the quality of sleep you receive.
