If you ask parents what they want more of, a huge majority of them would say sleep. Sleep is the thing that most parents feel that they don’t get enough of. Especially when their children are very young, or they are trying to juggle working with looking after their family. While we, unfortunately, can’t find more hours in the day, we can make sure our bedrooms are the perfect place to relax at the end of the day.
Often, our bedrooms get ignored. We spend a lot of time and money creating the perfect family rooms. Our kitchens are welcoming and practical, and our lounges are relaxing and safe for our children. The kid’s bedrooms are inviting and colourful, the perfect, safe setting for play and creativity. But, our own bedrooms don’t seem so important. We only use them for sleep, and guests rarely see inside those private four walls. But, this can be a mistake.
Believe it or not, décor can play a massive part in getting a great night’s sleep. A poorly designed or decorated room that’s uncomfortable and messy can keep you awake at night. It can be hard to relax and unwind, and you can wake up unsettled, tired and achy. Instead, you want to create a room where you can relax, unwind and settle into a peaceful slumber. While you can’t always get the amount of sleep that you’d like as a busy parent, you can put measures in place that mean that you can get quality and refreshing sleep when you do get the chance.
The Bed
The bed is the most important part of your bedroom, so it’s where you should focus your energy when it comes to starting to create a relaxing room. Divan bases can be ideal if you need comfort and storage space. Then, add a firm mattress that is comfortable while supporting your back and neck. Finish your bed with some high-quality bedding, in relaxing colours light pale blue and purple. Whatever colour you chose, avoid bold prints and patterns, as these could keep you awake.
While the comfort of your bed is critical, you should also consider its position. Unless you’ve got an incredible view out of a large bedroom window, your bed should be the main focus of the room. Place it so that it’s facing your bedroom door, so that it’s the first thing that you see when you enter, welcoming you into the room and getting you in the right mindset to sleep and rest.
Clear the Mess
A cluttered and untidy room is never going to help you drift off to sleep. A cluttered room can, after all, lead to a cluttered mind. Having lots of clutter around can also make your room feel smaller and even lead to tripping hazards when you are walking around in the dark at night.
So, before making changes to your décor, spend some time decluttering your room. Ideally, all that should be in your bedroom is your bed, storage for clothes, a dressing table and perhaps a comfortable chair for reading and relaxing. You don’t need anything else. So, go around and remove everything else, then make sure everything that is left has a neat home to live in.
Relaxing Walls
Your bedroom walls should be relaxing and calming colours, ideally neutral shades with accents of soft purples and blues. If you want to add a little more excitement to your décor, add a feature wall behind your bed, so that it’s the first thing that you see when you enter the room, but out of your eye line when you are trying to get to sleep.
Comfortable Flooring
Don’t forget your floors; they are more important than you might think. Your flooring should look and feel soft and comfortable. This can help you to relax and prepare for bed. Walking on to a cold, hard floor when you are ready for bed can wake you up and make it hard to switch off.
If you prefer a wooden floor, which can look modern and stylish, add some soft rugs near your bed and consider underfloor heating for extra comfort and luxury.
Lighting Options
Lighting can have the same effect. If you need to walk into a bright room when you are ready for bed, you can feel alert and bright. This is great first thing in the morning, but it won’t help you sleep. For a relaxing bedroom, you need options. You want to be able to spend time reading or relaxing in your room without having to turn on the bright overhead lights. Lighting can have a huge effect on mood and atmosphere, from bright and alert to peaceful and romantic. A dimmer switch on your main light can give you endless options, allowing you to wake up or doze off gradually. Lanterns, lamps, string lights and even candles are also excellent options.
Make it a Tech-Free Zone
One of the leading causes of sleepless nights nowadays is technology. We sit up late at night scrolling through our social media feeds, playing on the internet, working or watching TV. We go to bed feeling alert and awake, only to check our emails one last time before we close our eyes. Then, if we do wake up in the night, we have another quick look at our phones. We rarely switch off our devices, so we can’t switch off our minds.
For a better night’s sleep, make your bedroom a completely tech-free zone. Ideally, you should also try to switch off for an hour or two before getting in bed, to give your mind a chance to calm down. Not charging your phone next to your bed means you can’t be tempted to check it in the night, and it won’t be the first thing that you look at in the morning. This means it’s got much less control over your sleep, and your mood.
Getting a better night’s sleep can help you to feel alert and focused the next day, keep you healthier and give your mood a boost. So, it’s certainly worth making a few small changes.
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*This is a collaborative post*