Did you know that the average person spends about 26 years sleeping in their life which equates to 9,490 days or 227,760 hours!
That is a lot of time doing one activity! And I would bet that almost all of those hours are spent in their beds... in their bedrooms! This is why bedroom design is so important! It's one of the rooms in your home you will spend the most time in.
So here are my tips and how to's for creating the perfect bedroom. A bedroom that will serve you well for your health and willl be super stylish at the same time!
1. Invest in a good mattress.
Since you will be spending nearly a quarter of your life in bed... wouldn't you agree that a good quality mattress is worth the investment? I think so!
Here are two things to consider when shopping for a mattress:
1) Firmness level: if you are a stomach or back sleeper, you want something medium-firm to firm to help support you while you sleep. If you are a side sleeper like me, you want something on the medium soft to medium side so while you are sleeping your hip and shoulder joints are not being compressed.
2) Material: be careful for gimmicky sales verbiage. You may be tempted to buy something that is "anti-microbial" or "flame retardant" to help protect your mattress and yourself from harm. But these added "benefits" are actually super harmful chemicals that will absorb into your skin while you are sleeping. And since you will be spending so much time in your bed- do you really want those chemicals leaking into your bloodstream all night long while you sleep? I sure don't!
Instead look for a mattress that is made of environmentally friendly materials like bamboo or rayon that has not been treated in any way. If you are worried about protecting your asset, add a mattress topper that can be thrown into the washer and easily cleaned. And you'd be amazed at what a little soap and water can do for easy cleaning.
You can check out the Sustainable Furnishings Council website for a list of retailers that sell amazing mattresses free from harmful chemicals and pesticides. Just search "mattress" in the Find Furniture search bar.
And while you are there, do the same with your bedding! Choose materials that are soft to the touch, clean easily, hassle free and do not include harsh chemicals that are harmful to your body. And sometimes labels that read "organic" and "natural" are not enough! Take advantage of the Sustainable Furnishings Council site to find some awesome products and get more info.
2. Choose a calming and peaceful color palette!
Color can not only give your space the personality it deserves, but it can also determine how you feel. Color plays a very powerful role in every room of your home, especially your bedroom.
Colors like blue, white, and tan give a sense of peace and calm.
Colors in soft tones of pink and green create a feeling of happiness and life.
Steer clear of red and vibrant purple, orange or yellow. These colors tend to raise the energy in a room leading to feelings of excitement, passion, anxiety and anger which could prevent you from falling asleep. And stay away from dark brown and some shades of gray because these colors can lead to depression and feeling down and drab.
Choose a color that you LOVE and find a shade that makes you feel rested and relaxed.
3. Add live greenery for optimal air quality.
Did you know that air quality can really be affecting the quality of your sleep!? When toxins are in the air they tend to settle into our lungs and while we are sleeping can really run a toll on our bodies, waking us up just to take a deep breath or get some fresh air.
Putting a live plant, or several, in your bedroom can increase the quality of the air. Plants and trees absorb toxins and convert them into clean air for us to breathe. Isn't that incredible!!!
Here is a list of 12 house plants that help to purify the air in your home.
And of course you do not have to limit these to your bedroom... Put them everywhere!!!!
4. Only bedtime activities allowed.
Designating bedtime activites to your bedroom will help you train your brain when it comes time to go to sleep. Instead of waking up thinking it's time to get active, your brain will wind down and get ready for sleep mode.
Things to avoid in your bedroom:
1) A television. The blue light sends signals to the brain to wake up.
2) Laptop or cell phone. These devices have the same blue light that will get your brain all excited and ready to party, finding it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. If you MUST watch a movie or play games on your phone at night... use night shift whenever possible.
3) Using your cell phone as an alarm. The electromagnetic frequencies that transmit to and from our devices are another component that may be keeping you awake at night. These frequencies can cause vibrations in your body that wake you up or keep you up. They have also recently been linked to certain kinds of cancer in the body... so keep your cell phone and routers in another room and turn them off at night if you can.
4) Using your bedroom for activites unrelated to sleep like work. This trains your body and your brain to go into work mode in that space when it is not time for those things. Instead find a place in your home or outside that is strictly used for those activities and leave the sleeping and "married" activities for the bedroom. wink* wink*
If you are looking for help pulling your bedroom together to create a more environmentally friendly and stylish space... give us a call!
Stay tuned for our next Best Bedroom Ideas Post: Part 2! I will talk about lighting, furniture, decor, art and more!
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