How to Design Your Bedroom for the Best Night’s Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is better for your health and state of mind. However, nearly everyone suffers from tossing and turning at some point. Those who regularly get a solid eight to nine hours of sleep have a few tricks up their sleeves to ensure their bedroom is up to the task.

 The COVID-19 pandemic interrupts many people’s sleep as they worry and fret instead of getting a few Zzz’s. In a recent American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey of more than 2,000 American adults, 56% reported pandemic-related sleep disturbances. Many also reported using over-the-counter aids to help them sleep.

 Rather than turning to medicine, there may be some natural changes you can make to set up your bedroom for the best night’s sleep possible.

1. Choose Calming Paint Colors

This is a tried and true design tip, and impossible to skip. The colors you surround yourself with can affect your mood. Therefore, it’s important that your bedroom’s color palette embraces soft, soothing colors.

 You might adore the color red, but if it makes you feel excited, it could interrupt your sleep patterns. Instead, opt for a cool blue or neutral shades in the bedroom. Stick with calming colors that set the tone for a peaceful rest period.

2. Upgrade Your Mattress and Bedding

It doesn’t matter how aesthetically pleasing your bedroom design is if your mattress isn’t comfortable. First, spend as much as you can afford on a high-quality bed. Take time to figure out whether you prefer soft, firm, or something in between — heading to a mattress store in-person is the best option for knowing what feels right for your body.

 A top-quality mattress set doesn’t come cheap, but the payoff is in years of restful bliss. Options include air mattresses, memory foam mattresses, and hybrids. Each has pros and cons you’ll want to learn about in full before you go shopping.

Finally, the bedding is crucial for both comfort and style. Splurge on the sheets, where comfort really matters the most. Your comforter and/or duvet cover can be more for show, since the main function here is warmth.

 3. Use Blackout Shades

You might think it’s impossible to black out 100% of the light from your bedroom. Indeed, those who work at night and rest during the day often struggle to get good restful sleep. However, investing in the right window coverings may be the key to simulating nighttime restfulness.

 People have circadian rhythms that help them rest during the night. However, night owls or people working second and third shift often get off track. Adding shades to block out the light is just one way to help with disruptions in the sleep cycle.

 Blackout shades are effective, but you might not be into the dark color palette. Some alternate options are light blocking or light filtering shades. These may not eliminate light, but they can help reduce its presence to get a good night’s sleep without changing up the style you prefer.

4. Clear the Clutter and Embrace Routine

A bunch of stuff surrounding you is distracting and can keep your brain from resting. As with any room in your house, your decoration choices will be best served by keeping clutter reduced and items organized.

 Then, add decorations to your bedroom that accentuate self-care and comfort. Some people like to spray a bit of lavender-scented oil on their pillow or keep stylish diffusers on hand. Art pieces that evoke serenity can also set a scene for good sleep. Fluffy throw blankets and pillows can help you settle in to read or reflect for bedtime.

 Finally, embrace simplicity. Your bedroom should only have the items you need to sleep and get dressed for the day. Other than the decorative pieces mentioned above, anything else is a distraction and probably belongs in another part of the house if you have the space.

5. Remove the Screens

Watching television before bed impacts sleep, yet 60% of adults watch TV right up to bedtime. The blue light emitted from screens impacts human production of melatonin. People may have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep after exposure to electronics.

 The best bedroom design removes the television completely. If you must have one in your bedroom, make a concerted effort to turn it off in the hour leading up to bedtime. Be cautious of small screen usage, too — your phone can similarly throw off your sleep patterns.

6. Resist Work

This is more relevant than ever as a growing number of adults begin remote work. It’s easy to get into the habit of taking your work into your bedroom with you. You might flip on the television you shouldn’t be watching, pile up your pillows, and type a few email responses on your laptop.

 However, taking your work to bed can intensify work stress and blur the line between your work/life balance. Instead, relegate work to a specific area of your home. When you walk away from the job at the end of the workday, it’s time to relax and do something personal.

 Reflect this in your bedroom design by keeping your home office space in a different part of your home. Your work laptop shouldn’t have a space in your sleeping sanctuary.

Designing Your Bedroom For a Good Night’s Sleep

Since a lack of sleep can harm your health in the long run and make focusing on everyday tasks next to impossible, do what you must to guard your sleep hygiene. Temporarily taking an over-the-counter sleep aid may help revamp some of your bad habits. Set your bedroom up for sleep success, and you’ll be getting more high-quality rest than you thought possible.

Get inspired by visiting Beasley & Henley Interior Design’s Website!

Author

 Evelyn Long is a Baltimore-based writer and the editor-in-chief of Renovated. She publishes home decor advice and product roundups for readers in spaces both big and small.