How to make your bedroom a calming space
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By Michelle Gilfoyle
The benefits of regular, restful, sufficient sleep are boundless. We know that consistent poor sleep can increase the risk of disease, undermine mental health, and make a healthy weight hard to manage. It’s all very well to set a sleep schedule and attempt to stick to it. However, if your environment isn’t sleep-friendly, your efforts may be thwarted. Especially during the current time, many of us are struggling to achieve regular sleep.
Here’s how to make your bedroom or sleep space a more calming, sleep-inducing environment.
Get a weighted blanket
Struggling with restlessness or anxiety at night? A weighted blanket might be the answer, thanks to deep pressure touch therapy. The added weight makes you feel held, grounded, and swaddled (yes, like a baby), helping to induce restful sleep.
Assess your mattress…and get a new one
A new mattress is an essential purchase, especially if your old one is causing aches, pains, and disrupted sleep. Do yourself a favour and get a new memory foam mattress that supports your main joints, aligns your spine, and remains still when your partner moves. Canadian brands (such as those by GoodMorning.com) have many affordable bed-in-a-box mattresses designed for temperature control, pressure point relief, and safe spine alignment. Plus, they have a sleep trial and money-back guarantee so you can afford to be picky!
Here’s a quick rundown of mattress firmness versus sleep position:
- Soft: side sleepers, those who are light
- Medium-soft: side sleepers and lightweight people who sleep on their side and back
- Medium-firm: back sleepers, those with a heavier weight, those with back issues who require support a little give
- Firm: stomach sleepers, heavier back sleepers, those who need sturdy back support
Refresh your space
Allergens such as pollen and dust can cause coughing and sniffles at night, disrupting your slumber. Get a true-HEPA air purifier to cleanse the air and remove odours. This can improve your comfort at night as well as improve the health factor of your home overall. Try aromatherapy and place a lavender oil diffuser next to your bed or drop some lavender essential oils onto your pillow.
Create a soundscape
Can’t sleep in complete silence? Join the many! Some people need a calm, consistent soundscape to fall asleep. A sound machine, or simply a calming playlist on your speaker can make a huge difference. Try a few options such as rain sounds (so relaxing) or ocean waves. Focus on the sound and on steady breathing instead of the worries and responsibilities of the day to come.
