Waking up exhausted after a night of tossing and turning is far from ideal. Restorative sleep is essential for our health and overall wellbeing.
But sleep is about so much more than simply falling asleep. From a pre-bedtime routine to help you relax and unwind, and prepare your mind and body for sleep, to ensuring your bed is comfortable and your bedroom is calm, inviting and tech-free – these are all factors that impact our quality of sleep.
Here are ways to transform your bedroom into a peaceful haven, where you can get the best sleep.
Bedroom zen
Bedrooms, ideally, need to be places of calm and comfort. Consider keeping your sleep space free of devices, including television, and work stress. It is well documented that a dark room aids sleep and light distractions such as LED lights on clocks or devices, however dim, can have an impact on your sleep.
There’s a strong correlation between our quality of sleep and risk factors for health concerns including diabetes, cardiovascular problems and depression. A calm and quiet bedroom is about more than just a good night’s sleep, it’s an investment into your health.
Mattress matters
Cumulatively, we spend a great deal of our lives asleep which means we spend a lot of time in bed. Think about your bed and the mattress as not just an important piece of furniture but central to your overall health and wellbeing. Invest in the best quality mattress you can afford, ensuring it allows your body to rest comfortably while you sleep.
Mattress should also be cleaned regularly. Start by removing all the coverings – and give those a wash in the washing machine – and then vacuum the mattress using the upholstery attachment that comes standard with most vacuum cleaners. You can also use a commercial stain remover on surface stains and marks but you want to avoid getting the mattress too wet because it will take ages to dry right through.
A mattress protector is ideal for an extra layer of protection and most of those available on the market can easily be washed in the washing machine.
Dressed for sleep
A bedroom tends to be a very private space and not one that we readily invite friends and family into – unlike the lounge or kitchen for example – but that doesn’t mean your bedroom shouldn’t put its best foot forward at all times.
Beautiful bedrooms in magazines or on Pinterest look inviting and comfortable because they’ve been dressed or styled. Do the same for your own by investing in beautiful bed covers, a comfy duvet and fluffy pillows. Don’t forget the personal touches that make it uniquely yours – be it a scatter cushion, a textured throw or interesting trinkets for the bedside table.
Clean and clutter-free
In the bedroom clean and clutter-free equals calm. SweepStars, the efficient domestic workers who, via the SweepSouth app, are booked to clean thousands of homes every week, highlight two important things when it comes to cleaning a bedroom: move the bed so that you can clean behind and underneath it, and vacuum the curtains.
These are areas that accumulate a lot of dust and are often overlooked in the regular cleaning process.
Consider that dusty bedrooms can lead to breathing problems or health issues if bacteria or viruses are present in the air.
Additionally, studies have shown that people sleeping in a cluttered bedroom often take longer to fall asleep than those with a tidy, uncluttered space. SweepStars suggest doing a deep clean and general tidying up of your bedroom as often as possible. If you don’t have the time to do this, get assistance from SweepStars on the SweepSouth app to ensure your space is clean and the air is clear, setting you up for a great night’s sleep.