Designing Your Bedroom to Improve Sleep
Photo by Mary Whitney from Pexels
In Singapore, 44% of people are sleep-deprived. Sleep is crucial for our emotional and physical wellbeing, including memory, muscle growth and mental health. With this in mind, it is important to pay special attention to the design of our bedrooms, which can have an impact on our ability to sleep. Whether you're giving your children’s bedrooms a makeover or revamping your own space, try to incorporate some key sleep-inducing features in order to improve overall sleep quality.
Make your room a sanctuary
There is a reason why the term ‘beauty sleep’ exists: studies show that good sleep positively impacts your appearance. Sleep deprivation impacts your skin, because your body is not being given sufficient time to repair old or damaged skin cells, which occurs during deep sleep. As a result, your skin will look more pale and you'll have bags under your eyes, which can slightly change your features. Not only does this make you look older, but research suggests that even just a couple of bad nights’ sleep make people less attractive to others. With all this in mind, it goes without saying that your bedroom should be somewhere you associate with relaxation and sleep.
Make space a priority
Clutter is sleep’s biggest enemy. Studies show that clutter has a negative impact on the brain, increasing the release of stress hormones and making it hard to switch off mentally. This means that a cluttered bedroom will get in the way of your sleep, so be sure to prioritize keeping your room as clutter-free as possible. In addition to keeping the floor and shelves as clear as possible, make sure your bed is big enough for you to truly relax, but not too big so as to dominate the room. The same goes for closets; maintaining a sense of space is key.
Opt for relaxing colors
Believe it or not, color has a huge impact on your ability to nod off. Research shows that shades of blue have a calming effect on the mind, while yellows and oranges impact us in the opposite way. As a result, boost your chances of sleeping well by painting the bedroom walls a soothing, pale shade of blue. Meanwhile, complete the relaxing effect by following the same palette for your bed linen and decor - white, cream or different hues of blue - and choose breathable materials that are gentle and comforting to the touch.
Design your bedroom with sleep in mind
When it comes to interior design, the bedroom is one of the most important rooms to get right. Not only do you want to create a space that is comfortable and relaxing, but it needs to be somewhere that enables you to sleep well. By keeping things light, spacious and minimalistic, you are well on your way to designing a sleep-inducing bedroom.
