Is it just us, or is sleep harder and harder to come by?
In today’s fast-paced atmosphere, it’s more important than ever to get high-quality sleep. But it can be hard to go from stressed out to calm in the little spare time we have before bed.
That’s where a great bedroom design can help.
Here are three bedroom-remodeling rules for better sleep! These simple tips help create a calm, soothing atmosphere that encourages sleep instead of chasing it away.
Bedroom Remodeling Rule #1 – Lighting Is Everything
According to the National Sleep Foundation, when our eyes come into contact with light, they send messages to the brain that help regulate our internal clocks. In other words, lighting is important for making sure we’re alert in the daytime and sleepy at night.
That’s why it’s vital you make your bedroom very dark at night and very bright when you’re ready to get going in the morning. This might mean using blackout curtains after the sun goes down, but also storing your electronics in such a way that there are no LED lights showing. Consider installing furniture that allows you to slide your electronics out of sight, such as cabinetry for your television and other devices (if you decide to keep these in your bedroom at all).
Furthermore, your bedroom lighting should incorporate some degree of adjustability: Use bright overhead lighting or let the sunlight in during the morning and afternoon, but switch to low-wattage incandescent lighting when you’re winding down at night. All of these elements come together to create a sleep-friendly bedroom environment.
Bedroom Remodeling Rule #2 – Think Calm When It Comes to Design Choices
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know our environment affects our mood. When designing your bedroom remodel, you probably want to stick with calming, soothing choices if you struggle to sleep.
This can translate into obvious choices such as installing a large, comfortable bed, as well as less obvious choices like flooring that’s warm and inviting. (High-quality carpet or warm wood flooring are both good ideas.) Furthermore, make sure you allow enough storage in the bedroom so that it stays free of clutter, which can have a subtle stressing effect.
In general, keep the room clean and minimal for optimal sleep – sleek, modern designs are great for this.
Bedroom Remodeling Rule #3 – Paint Your Bedroom a Relaxing Color
Now, you might be tempted to think you can only paint your bedroom sky blue, but this isn’t the case. Color associations are different for everyone, so choose a color that you find especially soothing, even if that’s some bright shade of red. Typically, dark gray-blue, soft gray, soft neutral green, and lavender are excellent colors for calming environments.
While you won’t see your walls while you sleep, your bedroom is the place where you’ll be getting ready for bed, so color is still important.
