Reset Your Sleep

2020 was a disorienting year. Just about all our routines got disrupted, and sleep was one of them. A lot of us had trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. Here’s a great idea for 2021: let’s all resolve to improve our sleeping patterns.

There’s a lot of wise advice on how to fall asleep. We’ve heard most of it: keep regular hours, develop a routine, avoid stimulation close to bedtime. But did you know you can improve your chances of a good night’s sleep by making a few changes to your bedroom? We can’t get rid of all the day’s anxieties, but we can rearrange our sleep area to help keep those anxieties from cheating us out of important rest. Here are some ways to make your bedroom an ideal place to sleep:

Rearrange and Declutter

A pleasant furniture arrangement makes us more relaxed. Start with bed placement. Most people position the bed on the long wall opposite the door. That’s a good choice, but there are many other locations that are restful and soothing. Wherever it is, make sure there’s a clear path to a bathroom.

A cluttered bedroom feels tight and constraining, and we take that discomfort with us to dreamland. Storage beds with their convenient drawers are excellent clutter-busters, without compromising the integrity of your design. Under-bed storage bins also do the job. If you have a small bedroom, consider high, narrow shelving units and chests rather than dressers to make use of vertical space.

Turn Off the Workplace

In today’s world, work at home may be unavoidable. However, the bedroom should be a haven reserved for more agreeable things. If at all possible, locate your home office elsewhere.

Not everyone can do that. If you must have a workspace in your bedroom, shut it down at the end of the working day. For example, tuck your computer and papers into drawers and cover the desk with a table runner. Set out a few pieces of tabletop decor. Resist the temptation to check for emails and text messages, particularly in the hour before bedtime.

In fact, avoid electronics entirely in that peaceful time when you wind down. Think about putting your phone in a different room before you douse the lights.

Change Colors and Lighting

“How can the color of my bedroom matter?” you might think. “I turn the lights off when I sleep.”

A room’s appearance stays with us in the dark. We know what it looks like even when we don’t see it. Also, color and light help set our mood as we’re getting ready to hit the sack.

Many experts think that blue is the ideal color for a sleep-friendly bedroom. But a muted green or any pastel is calm and peaceful. If you just can’t stand a room without bright colors, use them as accents on wall art, pillows or throws.

Multiple light sources are gentler than a single overhead light. Use dimmers, recessed light and floor lamps to create layers of light that can be made softer as you transition toward sleep mode. A set of heavy curtains will complete the move to a dozy, dark bedroom.

Make a More Comfortable Bed

You sit on your chairs and sofas a few hours a day, but you spend a third of your life on a mattress. Make sure it’s in good condition. Either a firm or a plush one might be the best mattress for you, depending on the support you need and the feel you want. Consider advanced design features such as cooling cover technology, body conforming features and an edge-to-edge sleep surface. Don’t forget to preserve the life of your mattress with a mattress cover.

Add a pillow of the right firmness and height for your sleep position, and don’t forget about sheets. High-quality sheets give you that “aah” feeling that eases your journey into the land of ZZZs.

If anxiety is an issue for you, and it’s keeping you awake past bedtime, consider the soothing security of a weighted blanket. A typical one is loaded with about 15 pounds of glass beads to keep you snug and hugged all night long. They’re good for athletic recovery as well.

Relax All the Senses

The right light and colors will relax your eyes, and a restful mattress, pillow and sheets are soothing to the touch, but what about the other senses?

Studies have shown that the right smells can put you in the mood to nod off. Lavender, in particular, might lower heart rate and blood pressure. You could wash your sheets in lavender-scented detergent or burn candles with any relaxing aroma. Just be sure to snuff them before you hit the pillow!

The right sounds can promote a serene state and be a backdrop for your passage to dream city. Soft music or even the sound of a babbling brook might provide an agreeable escort to slumber.

Finally, think about temperature and humidity. For most people, the ideal temp is between 60 and 67, with enough blanketing to ensure warmth. In the dry months, a humidifier can maintain a comfortable 30 to 40 percent.

Make your sleeping room an oasis of rest and contentment. With the right nighttime environment, you can leave the worries of the world at the bedroom door. Now that’s how to sleep better!

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