While a person’s home is meant to calm and comfort them, it always seems as if every room in the house is bustling with activity, especially if you have a large family. Someone may be in the living room catching up with guests, another in the kitchen cooking up the place, and the bathroom is always occupied. As a result, the only place you find cozy enough to rest in is your room.
The bedroom is the best part of the home and allows the owner to escape the vicissitudes of daily life, recharge, refresh and relax fully. As such, the room, no matter the size, should be made into a soothing sanctuary that enables one to sleep comfortably or relax. The bedroom should also serve as a haven and restorative place where someone can recover from injuries, illnesses, or intense workout sessions. Here are Five different ways to make sleeping at home more comfortable.
1. Get the right bed
The bed is the most important thing in a bedroom, so you should be careful when looking for the right one. The bed will determine whether you have a great and comfortable night’s sleep that will improve your overall health and well-being or get terrible sleep and exacerbate any pain and injury. Additionally, the wrong bed can squeak, creak, and disturb your peace throughout the night. Moreover, if you do not sleep in a proper bed, you will wake up sore every morning. As such, investing in the proper mattress and bed is important.
For example, those needing home care or staying in assisted living environments can acquire adjustable beds that work the same as hospital beds. They allow maximum comfort, functionality, and restful sleep in your home. One example is the split king adjustable bed that will enable you to sleep at any angle you deem comfortable, and you can raise and lower the head and foot of the bed to your preference throughout the night.
2. Get Proper Lighting
Bedroom lighting is a matter of taste and varies from person to person. For example, someone in-home care would prefer as much natural light as possible because they stay in their bed most of the time. Natural light will help trigger serotonin which helps in promoting good sleep and regulating body temperature. You want as much serotonin as possible during a recovery period, as a lack of it will lead to anxiety, depression, and other health conditions that will slow the recovery process.
In contrast, if you have an active lifestyle and come to the bedroom to sleep or work the graveyard shift and tend to sleep past sunrise, then consider darkening the room. Light signals sent to the brain by the optic nerves in your eyes affect your hypothalamus, which controls your internal clock. When the brain detects light, melatonin release is delayed, producing cortisol that maintains the high body temperature initiating wakefulness.
Exposing yourself to electrical light before and during sleep will suppress melatonin which is responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Even dim lights might affect your sleep. Therefore, consider turning off or covering any electronic lights inside your room when it’s time to sleep. Consider investing in under-bed light or motion-activated night light to help when you want to go to the bathroom.
If you usually sleep past sunrise, invest in blackout window shades. If darkening the room is not feasible, consider getting a sleep mask to cover your eyes. When getting a sleeping mask, remember to get a comfortable but fitting band with smooth, breathable fabric like rayon, silk, satin, or cotton.
3. Block Bothersome Sounds
A noisy environment may be a hindrance to your sleep. If you want to turn your bedroom into the perfect recovery spot, then you should deal with the noise. Noise affects deep sleep cycles even if you don’t notice waking up.
If the noise is beyond your control and still affects your sleep, block it with a white noise machine or earplugs. White noise, such as calming nature sounds, blurs background noise, making sleeping easier. These two noise blockers are also helpful if you sleep with a snoring partner. You could also gently reposition them. A poorly positioned pillow and back sleeping increase the chances of snoring. Additionally, if the snoring is too loud or the person stops breathing, this may be a sign of sleep apnea so bring it to their attention.
4. Banish the TV and other electronics
Watching television in bed might be relaxing for most people, but you should know that TVs and other gadgets such as phones actually steal sleep. The sound and motion keep the mind stimulated, and the light messes up with the body’s internal clock keeping it from adequately regulating sleep. For children, watching TV before bedtime may lead to several problems, such as anxiety. It may also cause children to resist going to bed.
It’s recommended to keep the TV in the living room and turn it off at least half an hour to an hour before sleep. Instead of going on your phone before bedtime, consider doing less stimulating activities like taking a bath, reading, or light stretching, all of which facilitate sound sleep. Light stretching also helps those recovering from surgery, physical injury, or an intense workout session.
5. Keep the Bedroom Clutter-free
Bedroom aesthetics also matter when trying to sleep; as such, keeping your bedroom clutter-free and cleaning it regularly is essential. A dusty and messy space may not be appealing and may keep your mind occupied, preventing you from getting proper rest. Additionally, a clean and neat room creates better indoor air quality.
Final thoughts
The bedroom is a crucial part of a person’s life as it determines the quality of sleep a person will get. It’s also the best place to relax and unwind after a long work day. Therefore, invest in good bedroom habits to improve sleep quality in your home.
