We spend so much of our time in our bedroom sleeping, so we need to make sure the space is perfectly set up for sleeping without any distractions. We’ve brought in Jane Wilson, an expert in all things cleaning who represents the local branch of Fantastic Cleaners, to help us learn to maintain our bedrooms to improve our sleep.
Our surrounding environment is really important for the things we want to do. A cosy, well-organised kitchen will surely inspire some great cooking achievements. A quiet and optimised office space can help a lot with studying and working. Same goes for the bedroom. If you want to have blissful nights with rejuvenating sleep, there are many things you can do to achieve that.
So here are our top tips and tricks to maintain your bedroom in order to get the best of your sleep!
Keep It Dark, Cool and Ventilated
By doing so, you will create the best possible atmosphere for your bedroom. Make sure to open up windows at least once per day in order to refresh the air and make sure it doesn’t become stagnant and heavy as this can greatly affect your sleep and health too.
It’s been proven many times that the best temperature for sleeping is between 16-18°C. If the temperature gets above 24°C, most of the time it causes restlessness and many have problems falling asleep.
A person’s internal alarm clock is controlled by a thing called Suprachiasmatic Nucleus that receives light signals via your eye optics. In simple words, light makes the brain think the sleepy time is over. So, a very important step in making sure you’re getting a healthy amount of natural sleep is to eliminate all light sources. One of the best investments one can make is buying blackout curtains. Let your eyes rest by giving them complete darkness. Make sure to turn off all the string lights, big lights, computer lights, everything.
Sound-Proof as Much as You Can
Sounds can be extremely distracting when trying to sleep, unless you’re living in a very quiet area or you’re a special kind of person who doesn’t really care. You probably know someone or you are one of those people who actually need sound to fall asleep, like a TV buzzing in the background or music. This is because the sound really isn’t the problem here, it’s the inconsistency of it. The one that comes from the street can be distracting, whereas rain sounds are not.
It’s a great idea to make sure your room is as isolated as possible from all those irritating noises that could prevent you from falling asleep. You can use earplugs, put towels on the gaps of your doors, whatever you need. Identify the things that are preventing you from falling asleep and get rid of them.
Clean and Maintain Fresh Bedding
Something that can be easily neglected but still very important is changing your sheets pillowcases at least once every two weeks. Use a hypoallergenic detergent to make sure the material will not irritate your skin and cause problems. We recommend that you tidy your bed every morning and cover it with a bedspread so that it stays truly fresh, protected from dust and dirt.
As for your mattress, we recommend choosing the most comfortable and hypoallergenic mattress available on the market in your price range. Every double sided mattress needs to be flipped at least twice a year, and deep cleaned every three months. You can easily do that by vacuuming it thoroughly, then spreading some baking soda all over the surface of your mattress. It will absorb any moisture and smells from the fabric. Then vacuum it again and enjoy a fresh and sanitised mattress!
Keep It Clutter-Free
Having a lot of distractions in the bedroom is a no-no. We know that many people are tempted to turn their bedroom into a home within their home, putting their whole life inside the room – bookshelves, office desk with computer, gym equipment, and who knows what else. However, it’s important to remember that your bedroom is meant for sleeping and intimate times with your partner. That’s it.
In order to enjoy those two activities as best as you can, the less clutter there is around, the better. If you simply don’t have enough space in the other rooms, at least make sure that your belongings are kept in storage and not just lying around.
Minimise the Number of Electronics Present
This includes TV’s, laptops, drawing tablets, normal tablets, PC’s and phones, focusing on those with bright LED lights. It’s been proven that those LED lights are the ones that interrupt the flow of melatonin into our brains, making the whole falling asleep process a lot harder.
It’s not only the light that can be in the way of your blissful sleep. Social media, checking work emails, messaging right before falling asleep prevents your mind from relaxing, keeping it active long after it should be. Try to turn off your internet at night and use the Do Not Disturb function that only permits calls from certain contacts.
Use Calming Fragrances
Unless you have allergies or a sensitive nose, some smells can have a really good effect on your sleep. Lavender is the most popular one with a wide range of products being sold on the market like scented candles, diffusers with essential oils, laundry detergents, spray bottles filled with a diluted solution from essential oil and water, and much more.
Choose the one you prefer and let your senses dive into a relaxing bouquet of lavender and calm your mind and body. Other popular scents include roses, vanilla and chamomile, cinnamon and apple, cookies, and more. These are fragrances that smell nostalgic to a person and bring them back to a simpler time.
About the Author:
Jane Wilson is a mum, a blogger and a marketing executive from Melbourne. She represents the local branch of Fantastic Cleaners, a licensed cleaning company, which provides a wide range of services. She also runs a small blog called Modern Housewives, where she shares all kinds of home improvement and parenting tips.