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Create the perfect bedroom for a good night's sleep
There is nothing better than a good night's sleep. As well as the obvious benefits to mental and physical health, it helps improve learning, memory, decision-making and even your creativity.
Why we sleep
However, research shows that 36% of UK adults struggle to get to sleep at least on a weekly basis. Interrupted or bad sleep can leave you feeling tired, down and struggling to get through the day.
Many factors contribute to poor sleep with experts believing that bedrooms can be part of the problem and that re-evaluating our sleeping space will help. So if you're having trouble sleeping, don't put all the blame on a busy, stressful life; instead take a good look around your bedroom.
Elegant Family Home near Wandsworth Common
Create the ideal bedroom for you and your guests
Creating the ideal bedroom doesn't need to break the bank. There are several cost-effective ways to make your sleep space more soothing and conducive to rest
Not only will it benefit you as a Homeowner but guests too - a happy and rested guest is far more likely to return and leave a good review!
Start by de-cluttering. Clutter causes stress and anxiety so remove books, clothes, unfolded laundry, paperwork - even exercise equipment. If there are too many photos, pictures and objets around move them somewhere else. Make sure bedside lamps aren't too obtrusive.
Stuffing items under the bed isn't the answer! The only things that should be there are linens and pillows stored in specially- designed containers.
Modern Apartment near River Dee and Aberdeen City
Colour up!
According to experts, the colour of the bedroom is also a factor in a good night's sleep. Pastel and muted shades are soothing while bold colours have an energising effect. Pale blue is top of the list for restful slumbering - light pinks, white and beige are recommended - with purple and brown at the bottom.
Not surprisingly the bed itself plays a big part in high quality sleep. One with good support and space ensures your body is relaxed and therefore less likely to wake up in an uncomfortable position. Often we hang onto mattresses longer than we should - traditionally a mattress's lifespan is seven to ten years. If your mattress is over ten years old, or you feel achy every morning, or wake up in the night to adjust position, it needs replacing.
It's also worth investing in a mattress topper which makes a bed feel luxurious, revitalises an ageing mattress and lengthens the life of a new one. A mattress protector - a must for short lets - also helps prolong its life.
Quality bedding, comfortable to the touch, is also key - which is why UnderTheDoormat uses hotel-quality linens with a high thread count.
Just as an uncomfortable mattress will keep you awake so will the wrong pillow. Flat and firm is often preferable to big and bouncy which puts pressure on the neck.
Contemporary Clapham home near Wandsworth Common
Your quiet place
Other important factors in the quest for quality shuteye are light and noise levels - especially for jet-lagged guests. Darkness turns the sleep switch on and releases the natural hormone melatonin. Light exposure causes sleeplessness and is unpopular with late risers so black out curtains or blinds are a must to make a room dark at any time. An alternative is a sleep eye-mask.
Other tips include turning bright lights down at night, using soft-glow bulbs in bedside lamps and reducing computer screen time at bedtime.
Keeping noise to a minimum is another factor for a sleep-positive bedroom. To reduce irritation from a home's natural noise, whether from traffic or other outside sound, invest in a white noise machine.
The King's Road Suite next to Sloane Square
The comfort of a guest
A bedroom shouldn't be too hot or cold so find an agreeable temperature- it's a personal choice but around 65 degrees is pleasant. Blankets are far preferable to heating a room all night and a combination of a fan and open window should suffice in the summer.
For the comfort of guests supply an extra blanket for winter and a tower fan for summer.
Lastly, spray the room with a light scent from an essential oil like lavender or chamomile.
Stylish Apartment with Magnificent Views of Cumbrian Countryside
Hopefully these tips beat counting sheep!
Still true today is the old Irish proverb: "A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book".
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