Create a More Calming Bedroom
While it’s important to use the best quality materials for your bedding set up, the space around it must be optimized for the finest sleep. The bedroom should be reserved as a sleep sanctuary first and foremost. It’s best not to mix in other uses like entertainment, studying, work, or eating in the bedroom. That way any time you enter the bedroom, your brain will be conditioned to prepare for rest.
It’s best to position your bed as far from the doorway as possible. You’ll also want to face away from any windows that might open onto a busy street to reduce the effect of lights or noise. Extra side tables, chairs, or mirrors should be removed from room to prevent the space from feeling cluttered. You want your bed to have a mix of safety and coziness without the feeling of being trapped. This is why many bedrooms are set up with end tables on both sides.
Blackout drapes are good not only to block out light, but for sound blocking and additional heat insulation as well. If noise is an issue, a white noise machine is worth placing beside the bed.
The color scheme of your bedroom is known to influence how you sleep. Warm tones are known to have an energizing effect. Cooler and more neutral hues like blue, cream, and beige are more relaxing, and are recommended over a plain white.
This link between color and sleep is through the ganglion cells in the eye’s retina. These are specialized receptors that relay information to the part of the brain responsible for your body’s circadian rhythm. These cells are most sensitive to blue, the color most associated with tranquility. When the color blue is picked up by the eye, the body’s blood pressure and heart rate are reduced to help ease into sleep.
Smells are another important factor of setting up the bedroom properly. A bedroom should not smell like food, but rather something more relaxing and anxiety-easing. Oil diffusers are available to purchase in lavender, vanilla, and jasmine aromas among others. Scented candles are another option but are not practical to keep lit overnight.
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