Your environment has an incredible impact on how well you sleep. As we all grow more conscious of our well-being and how important sleep is to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it's about time we think about the impact of our surroundings.
When creating a modern bedroom design, optimizing your bedroom for the best sleep possible is probably not one of your top priorities. However, sleep experts have revealed that there are a few simple changes you can make to transform your sleep experience, and their ideas might surprise you.
With just a few conscious decisions, you can create a calming environment that aids good sleep. Here are four ideas you ought to know about - and you'll be pleased to hear that these changes won't take away from your beautiful bedroom style, either.
1. Use Natural Materials
Natural materials are a wonderful addition to any room, in any form, especially in the bedroom. Your bedding materials aren't just a design choice, says sleep expert and MD of Woolroom, Chris Tattersall, they also impact your sleep. 'Making small adjustments to your bedding material, such as transitioning from feather/down or synthetic options to wool bedding, can have a significant impact on the quality of your sleep,' he notes.
When selecting the materials for your pillows, mattresses, and comforter, there are a few things to consider. 'Wool possesses unique properties that contribute to a more comfortable and restful night,' Chris says. 'Unlike synthetic materials, wool is naturally breathable, allowing for better air circulation and temperature regulation. This helps to create a more conducive sleep environment, preventing overheating during warmer nights and maintaining warmth in cooler temperatures.'
Silk is another great choice for bedding which can work wonders for your skin, giving a whole new meaning to the term beauty sleep. By making these simple changes, you'll find yourself enjoying a more comfortable, cleaner, and restful night’s sleep.
2. Opt for black out curtains or blinds
Darkness is essential for a good night's sleep, but it's surprising how many people fail to factor this in when designing their room. Sheer curtains might be the modern window treatment of the moment, but they certainly don't create the ideal environment for sleep. 'Exposure to light at bedtime can interfere with your circadian rhythm, causing restless sleep,' says Thom Hemelryk, CEO of luxury sleep brad Drowsy.
Ideally, the bedroom should have thick black-out curtains or blinds to ensure your sleep is undisturbed by light. However, if you're reluctant to give up the sheer curtains, an eye mask may be the solution to a restful slumber. 'Eye masks block out 100% of sleep-interrupting light, helping to have a deeper, more peaceful sleep until you are ready to wake up naturally,' says Thom.
3. Add a weighted blanket
In winter, a blanket is a non-negotiable, but there's a special type of throw out there that has health benefits other than keeping you warm. 'Weighted blankets can provide multiple benefits including stress reduction, anxiety relief, and deeper sleep,' says sleep expert, Lacey Russell.'They offer deep touch pressure similar to a massage, encouraging the release of “feel good” hormones (oxytocin) and lowering stress hormones (cortisol).'
The science behind it can all be a bit overwhelming, but all you need to know is that sleeping under a weighted blanket ensures that you sleep like a baby. It's also a surefire way to make your bed look more expensive.
4. Clean air
As a society, we're all more conscious of air quality now than we were five years ago, yet many of us won't have made a correlation between clean air and quality sleep. 'We spend around 90% of our time indoors, yet indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outdoors,' says Lars Dunberger, Technology Development Manager, Blueair.
This polluted air could be having a disastrous effect on your sleep and health says Lars. 'Purified air has been shown to offer health benefits such as better-quality sleep, increased productivity, and combats allergy and asthma symptoms,' he explains. Fresher air energizes you and can also help you sleep better at night allowing you to wake up refreshed, which is why it's so important to invest in one of the best air purifiers that targets allergens, pollutants, and other respiratory triggers.
There you have it - follow these four simple tips and you're bound to notice an improvement in your sleep quality (and your waking day)!
