According to the Great British Sleep Study, around two thirds of the British public suffer from sleep disorders. This means that most people — at some time or other — are forced to deal with the consequences of sleep deprivation.
Insomnia is often related to underlying health issues, but all too often it is a direct result of a bedroom that isn’t geared towards good sleep.
Whether you’re suffering from chronic sleep deprivation or you’re losing the odd hour here or there, the first thing to do is ensure that your sleeping environment is appropriate.
1. Dim the lights in advance
Around an hour before you plan on going to sleep, dim all the lights in your home. You should be going to bed to sleep, and nothing else. However, if you spend time reading, watching TV or catching up with work in bed, do so using as little light as possible. Reducing light levels regulates your body clock and tells your body to prepare for sleep. Particularly during the summer months, use blackout curtains and darkening shades to keep natural light out of your bedroom until it’s time to get up. Finally, turn off everything in your bedroom that emits light, including alarm clocks, TVs and any other electronic items that could brighten the room throughout the course of the night.
2. Keep your room cool
Anyone without the luxury of air conditioning in their home will know how difficult it can be to sleep during warm, humid nights. Do everything you can to keep your bedroom cool, including closing blinds through the day and opening windows. Position fans at strategic locations in your bedroom, but only if they don’t cause any noise. Ideally, the temperature in your bedroom at night should be between 60F and 67F.
3. Choose subtle colour schemes and decor
Try to make your bedroom as soothing and relaxing as possible — something that will be very difficult to too with bright colours. Pastel shades of green and yellow work well. Also, keep clutter and mess to a minimum, as a busy bedroom often makes it difficult to wind down at bedtime.
4. Choose the ideal bed
If you’re lucky, you could spend up to a third of each year in your bed, so it’s important to ensure it is comfortable. Try out both firm and soft beds until you find something that meets your expectations. Do the same with pillows — foam, feather and various synthetic fillers deliver hugely different sleeping experiences, so try everything to see what works for you. And don’t underestimate the importance of decent bedding. Whether you prefer a quilt or blankets, it’s important to use something that feels relaxing against your skin. You might want to change the materials you use according to the seasons, as some materials are warmer and cooler than others.
5. Remove all noise pollution
Remove everything from your bedroom that emits noise. This means turning TVs, gadgets and clocks off. Also, try to eliminate all of the other sources of noise in your home just before you go to bed. If you use your mobile phone as an alarm clock, set it to ‘night mode’ just before turning in — otherwise you could be awoken by the ‘ping’ of arriving texts and emails.
6. Fill your bedroom with soothing aromas
There is a direct correlation between certain aromas and relaxation. For instance, something like lavender can slow your heart rate and regulate your blood pressure just before turning in. Use natural plants wherever possible, as man-made air-fresheners can cause noise and fill the room with potentially sleep-disrupting airborne chemicals.
Take the time to set your bedroom up in a way that facilitates rest and relaxation. Just a few tweaks here and there could completely transform your quality of sleep.