Bedroom Décor Choices That Stand to Negatively Impact Your Sleep Quality
To call a good night’s sleep essential to functionality would be an understatement. Sleep is essential to recharging our batteries and leaving us primed to tackle the day ahead. If the quality of your slumber leaves much to be desired, you may be experiencing issues with focus, concentration, job performance and social interaction. Although there are many reasons for which people have trouble sleeping, there’s a chance your bedroom décor is having a direct impact on your ability to sleep comfortably. In the interest of improving your sleep quality and providing yourself with maximum comfort, take care to avoid the following décor choices.
Uncomfortable Mattresses
Your mattress is arguably the most important piece of furniture in your bedroom. Whereas a comfortable mattress is highly conducive to a peaceful night’s slumber, a mattress that’s well past its prime is conducive to hours of tossing and turning. As such, if your current mattress has seen better days, it’s in your best interest to upgrade. Even if this mattress was comfy and accommodating when you purchased it, no mattress remains in prime condition indefinitely.
When shopping around for a new mattress, the temptation to be frugal can be overwhelming. After all, good mattresses don’t come cheap, and most of us are naturally averse to spending large sums of money. However, in light of how crucial a good mattress is to proper sleep quality, this is not a purchase that should be taken lightly. Cheaping out on your next mattress is liable to result in years of uncomfortable sleep and all the problems that arise from it. With this in mind, consider treating yourself to a dependable luxury mattress. While this may prove a little costlier than a standard-grade mattress, it will provide first-rate comfort and help ensure that you’re able to peacefully sleep through the night. And remember, people who weigh over 200 pounds should have a mattress at least 12 inches thick.
Loud Colors
When painting and furnishing a bedroom, it’s strongly recommended that you opt for calming colors. Although some people can fall asleep in virtually any setting, many of us have trouble sleeping in areas that are beset by loud colors, like orange, red and green. This is why you should incorporate calming colors – i.e., soft shades of blue, white, grey and pink – into your bedroom’s décor scheme at every opportunity. At the very least, your bedroom walls should be painted in a color that’s conducive to peace, tranquility and relaxation. No matter how found you are of loud colors, the bedroom is generally not the place for them.
Thin Window Dressings
If your bedroom is in an area that receives a substantial amount of sunlight, comfortably sleeping through the early morning hours is liable to prove difficult. Depending on how much sunlight your bedroom receives, traditional curtains and blinds may not be enough to sufficiently block it. If this is indeed the case, consider investing in blackout curtains. As the name suggests, these curtains are designed to filter out any and all outside light. Anyone who requires total darkness to sleep comfortably is sure to be well-served by high-quality blackout curtains. As an added bonus, many blackout curtains are adept at blocking outside noise. So, if loud noises from outdoors have a tendency to keep you awake, dependable blackout curtains can be a boon to your sleep quality.
If you’re not keen on purchasing new curtains, consider using blackout screens as a substitute. Blackout screens are fairly inexpensive and should be affordable on even the tightest budget. On the flipside, they’re not as resilient or long-lasting as the aforementioned curtains. Additionally, as these screens begin to wear down, they become progressively less effective. Furthermore, if you go with the stick-on variety, be advised that they typically can’t be reused. Once they’re removed from windows, reattaching them is likely to prove impossible.
The importance of a peaceful night’s slumber cannot be overstated. In the absence of proper sleep, performing efficiently at work and carrying out various other daily tasks can be an uphill battle. Additionally, lack of sleep is synonymous with depression, negative thinking and a host of other psychological afflictions. That being the case, it behooves everyone to take sleep seriously. When looking to improve the quality of your nightly respite, the best place to start is the bedroom.
Photography by Damir Spanic and Maddi Bazzocco
- by Matt Watts
