A good night’s sleep is sometimes all you need to recover from day to day stresses and strains. From aesthetics and colour to storage solutions and window dressing, getting a bedroom snooze-ready is a must for making sure you get those all-important forty winks.

 

Choose carefree colours

Studies suggest that neutral colours are best for a bedroom because they provide a calming and relaxing atmosphere, whereas loud and harsh colours can actually distract and even irritate your eyes while you try to settle in for the night. However, painting a room white may not be the best option either. Bright whites can make a room appear cold, whilst cool blues, greens and lavenders are more restful, calming tones. If you are aiming for a warmer, cosier effect, a palette with shades of brown pigment in the base will work well. Whichever soothing tone you choose, commit to your colour to keep the palette of the room working harmoniously.

 

Clear that clutter

A busy room is never relaxing, certainly not when you’re trying to doze off. Keeping surfaces as clear as possible and choosing storage units carefully will help keep clutter ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Keep distractions to a minimum, especially the area upon which your eye line falls, opting for items with a tonal familiarity rather than lots of contrasting colours. The same theory applies to your bedroom walls; stick to simple artwork or a large photograph rather than a gallery wall, which will encourage the eye to dart around it and add stimulation.

 

Boost your beddingGoose Down Duvet

A comfy bed is absolutely critical to getting a good night’s sleep. Choose a good quality mattress like Memory Foam or Latex, which are best known for providing quality comfort and support. Use all-cotton sheets to keep your bed breathable and soft against your skin, this will also help to keep you cool during the night and help you get a deep and restful sleep. Investing in high quality bedding can really improve your sleep as natural down and microfibre duvets will not only feel great, but also keep your bed well ventilated throughout the night.

 

Doze in darkness

We’re pre-programmed to sleep when it’s dark and an early sunrise can rouse us sooner than we’d like, so pay particular attention to window treatments. Opt for blinds or curtains that have a blackout fabric lining, and ensure they generously cover the window to minimise streams of light getting through. Shutters are also a brilliant choice for a bedroom as you can adjust the amount of light they let in to suit your purposes, while having them fully shut will ensure almost all external light is kept outside. Tackle internal light by switching off any device that illuminates, such as computers, televisions, mobile phones and iPods as these can be distracting when you are trying to get to sleep.

 

Sooth your senses

As well as managing the visual aspects of your room (light, colour, patterns etc), don’t forget your other senses. Silence is golden when we are trying to doze off, but if you have a noisy neighbour or nearby road traffic, play some soothing sounds like rain or waves. Our bodies are programmed to sleep when the air becomes cooler so setting the thermostat a little lower, or opening a window will help get your room to a sleep-friendly temperature. Infusing your room with a calming scent can promote relaxation and aid sleep; Lavender, Chamomile, Jasmine and Vanilla have all been found to have soothing qualities and are widely available in the form of candles, reed diffusers and fragrance plug-ins.