Sleep Well, Wake Up Happy: 8 Bedroom Design Ideas You Should Try
Admit it. If there’s one thing you’re sorely neglecting about your health, it’s getting adequate sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults aged 18 to 64 should sleep for seven to nine hours each night, while older adults aged 65 and above should be getting seven to eight hours of rest daily. However, modern lifestyle is preventing many of us from consistently meeting these sleep requirements. There’s so much to do with so little time.
It’s time to rethink your lifestyle. How many hours of sleep do you get each night? Do you frequently experience interrupted sleep? You may unknowingly be suffering from sleep disorders. There’s a number of ways on how you can improve your sleep habits. Let’s explore one tip: exploring bedroom interior designs that can affect your health and mood.
The power of hues
Since ancient time, people have been using colors to treat physical and mental problems, as well as influence moods. In chromotherapy or color therapy, each color in the spectrum is associated with specific healing properties. Red, which exudes energy, affects the heart and muscles. Green, which is associated with balance and harmony, regulates the pituitary gland and calms the nervous system.
If you need tips on the best bedroom color to boost your mood, it will depend on what type of emotions you want to trigger. Orange boosts enthusiasm, yellow promotes cheerfulness, and blue calms strong emotions like anger or hysteria. You can also mix and match colors according to your bedroom makeover design.
Reduce artificial light
Researchers at Ohio State University suggest that exposure to artificial light has adverse impact on human health. Dr. Randy Nelson, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, said that “the increasing rate of depressive disorders in humans corresponds with the increasing use of light at night in modern society.” Reduce your risk for depression by keeping the number of lamps and bulbs in your bedroom to a minimum. Wall-mounted light with adjustable arms can be installed for your bedside reading while ambient lighting with 2,000 to 4,000 lumens is perfect for a floor lamp.
Sleep in the dark
Shift workers including nurses and firefighters may need extra help in getting sufficient sleep. Our bodies are designed to sleep at night and a graveyard schedule can compromise our health. Keep your bedroom dark during sleeping time. You can mount light-blocking curtains or blinds. Some people even paint their walls with dark hues. You can also soundproof your room to ensure uninterrupted sleep. Install acoustic tiles, get a white noise sound machine, and insulate your floor.
Manage the clutter
Learn about Marie Kondo’s Konmari method of de-cluttering
A messy space results to a messy mind. Your bedroom should be a place of refuge—away from the noise and distractions of your daily activities. How can you rest when your room is in chaos? Plan a bedroom design with adequate storage space. If your wall cabinets are not enough for your stuff, you can opt for furniture pieces that have hidden storage spaces. You can also install floating shelves for your books, framed photographs, and ornaments.
Design your bedroom according to your interests
Uniqwa Collections at 2016 Decor + Design Show
Can’t figure out the best bedroom design to help with your mood? Start with the source—yourself. What are the things that lift your mood? What triggers your positive emotions? For a bookworm, there is nothing more satisfying than the sight of paperbacks. If you live in a small space, you can turn your bedroom into a makeshift library. Install floating shelves, hang books from the ceiling or buy a bed that include a storage space. You can get yourself a comfortable chair beside the window or large pillows for your reading area.
Disconnect if you can
Do you know that the backlight of your smartphone is messing up your body clock? According to studies, this artificial light, which is also present in tablets and laptops, tricks the brain into thinking that it’s daytime. Thus, people who use their gadgets at night have a hard time falling asleep. Wake up with good vibes by getting satisfying zzz’s the night before. Reduce the number of electronics in your bedroom. If you can do away with the TV, that’ll be better. Make your sleeping area a no-Wi-Fi zone.
Surround yourself with lots of greens
Photo courtesy of Joli Place via Pinterest
Mood booster designs have a lot to do with colors, texture, and representation. The color, being visual, has an immediate impact on your emotions. A study by the University of Amsterdam noted that dynamic textures, such as those that occur in nature, boost positivism. Items that represent an idea, interest or ideology can also help set one’s mood. Shelves filled with books stir happiness to those who love reading.
Green fights irritability, insomnia, and burnout. You can paint your wall with shades of green or design your bedroom with green furniture. You can also add houseplants for cleaner indoor air. Try these palettes: mint + pale lime green + cornflower + chalky white + sugar pink; citrus green + pone + lily white + fuchsia; or pale jade + deep turquoise + teal + bright olive + cobalt blue.
Bring your garden indoors
Photo courtesy of Barbara – LRS via Pinterest
Vertical gardens are hot trends today. This is primarily because of limited space in urban areas and the increasing awareness towards health and wellness. Green spaces such as gardens and parks have been linked to physical and mental health. You don’t need additional square footage to bring nature inside your bedroom. Explore vertical garden concepts. You can have your own hanging herb or flower garden.
No one should be too busy for sufficient rest. Your health is your only true wealth. If you’re not sleeping enough, there might be something wrong with your lifestyle or you may have a medical condition. Sleep problems may be caused by an underlying disease. See a doctor if necessary. You can also help yourself by making your bedroom conducive to sleeping. Remember that the best way of setting your mood with your bedroom designs is by ensuring that you get good zzz’s.
Guest Post By
Jeanette Anzon, Blogger