HOW TO: Makeover your bedroom for a good night’s sleep
We all know how good it feels to get a good night’s sleep, but a lot of us struggle in this department. A huge contributing factor in your efficiency in falling asleep and actually staying asleep is your ENVIRONMENT.
Crazy right? How many of you actually thought your bedroom could be the thing preventing you from getting good quality shut eye? We’ve heard about not using our phones before bed, but did you also know the temperature and colour of your bedroom also influences your melatonin cycle?
Follow this easy guide to transform your space and get the beauty sleep we all deserve ;)
Firstly, let me explain our circadian rhythm (also known as your internal body clock) in a very simple way so we’re all on the same page.
Basically, when it gets dark at night your brain starts to produce a hormone called melatonin. This hormone is what makes you feel sleepy and enables you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Then when your eyes detect light in the morning or during the day, your brain produces another hormone called serotonin. This is what makes you feel alert and awake and gives you the ability to focus during the day.
So, when the production of either of these hormones is interrupted, our sleep patterns and energy level get thrown out. This is why using our phones before bed keeps up awake, because the blue light from your phone is telling your brain it is daytime and it interferes with the melatonin production.
This leads me into my first point… Light…
If you have a digital alarm clock staring you directly in the face all night while you are trying to sleep, I suggest you turn it around or dim the light. The slightest amount of light, even from an alarm clock or a crack in the blind letting in the street light glare can increase the amount of serotonin your brain will produce, therefore prevent you falling into a luscious deep sleep.
Although you may still fall asleep – because I can hear you saying, “Well I‘ve had my alarm clock there my whole life and I can sleep fine!” it could be affecting the quality of the sleep you are having. I used to be someone who told myself that playing sudoku on my phone before bed was actually helping me sleep because it made my eyes tired and then I could fall asleep quicker. While this is potentially true, I was always waking up feeling tired and unrested even though I was getting 8 (sometimes 9) hours of sleep.
QUALITY over QUANTIY or ideally – quality AND quantity ;)
The colours in your bedroom are also going to have an impact on your mood and state of mind before falling asleep. This one may seem a little weird, but it has been proven that your brain associates feelings and moods with colour. Some examples:
Red = Anger
Blue = Calm
Green = Harmony
Yellow = Happiness
White = Purity and cleanliness
This also applies to the intensity of the colour. So, unless your absolute favourite colour is red and you are like that pink lady in the ad on tv where everything in the house is pink (no judgement here - you do you), maybe steer clear of red walls in your bedroom. Keep that for the red room of pain if you’re into that kind of thing…
In saying that, if you feel so strongly or passionately about a certain colour and it is what is going to make you feel your best, then you do you girl. You want to make your bedroom like your sanctuary that you can retreat to after a long, tiring day. A place where you feel totally relaxed and at ease so have décor in there that brings you joy and makes you feel good.
Speaking of décor, reducing clutter is the next part of this bedroom makeover. DID YOU KNOW – cutter and mess actually raise your cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone)? So, while you may think that pile of clothes in the corner is harmlessly doing nothing, it is actually causing your body physical stress which in tern is impacting your sleep in many ways.
If decluttering is an overwhelming task for you, start with one thing at a time. Start with your floor space and clear everything off the floor (except your furniture – your bed can stay!). Then work your way onto the tops of dressers, bedside tables. Then tackle one draw, cupboard or shelf at a time. You’ve got this – I believe in you!
Last but not least is the temperature of your bedroom. Your body needs to be a particular temperature to promote healthy sleep and the best way to control this is by creating a nice cool bedroom temperature. The best temperature for sleeping is between 15-22 degrees Celsius for, however, this ranges for children and the elderly.
How amazing does it feel to snuggle up in your blankies, all tucked in on a cold night and you have the BEST sleep! I know we are not all lucky enough to have access to air conditioning though, so do your best with what you have but some helpful hacks are:
- Using a fan to cool you down during summer
- Using wet, cold face washers
- Having a cool shower before bed
So, let me recap those points and tie them into a neat little bow for you:
Remove all light out of your bedroom, get dark or block out blinds - or use an eye mask and no phone 1 hour before bed
No red walls, make your bedroom your haven free from bright or intense colours and decorated with things that bring you joy
Declutter your bedroom to lower stress levels and promote healthy sleep. Start with the most visual areas before working your way into the draws and cupboards.
Bedroom temperature between 15-22 degrees and no hot showers right before bed.
Sweet dreams ;)